A blanket of pink stratus drifted lazily across the sky of purpureus and thistle ombre, coasting above the grand, glass-covered towers of white concrete with pink clouds as shrubs. The signature yellow crown with a red cross insignia floated high above the roof, red steel letters reading 'Hospital' bolted onto the roof of the hospital entrance.
The green-haired man floated into the elevator and waited for the sliding doors to close, carrying a cardboard tray of three coffee cups. Cladded in a sleek tuxedo of solid black with black leather Oxfords on his feet, the collar of his white linen shirt sported a fancy bowtie to compliment the clean cut of his shamrock-green shag that matched his eyes, inhaling the satisfying scent of roasted java beans through the nostrils of his exceptionally large nose.
Schnozmo Cosma, COO of the operating system of every magical item in Fairy World known as Wandos 2.0, was still grasping the fact that in just minutes, he would become 'Uncle Schnozmo'. News of Wanda's delivery had sprung up so fast that he'd scrambled to carve out time in his condensed schedule to arrive at the hospital in time. He'd hardly had time to buy anything for the newest member of the family; frankly, he still didn't know what his baby brother and his sister-in-law were having. He didn't think even they had known yet.
Two male fairies dressed in black suits and dark shades blocked off a section of chairs in the maternity ward waiting room, hired to ward off any nosy paparazzi sticking their camera lenses where they don't belong or adoring fans from begging for autographs from the zappy-less actress. Adorned in pearl earrings complimenting her white Parigi pumps, white faux fur scarfed the sleeveless dress of pastel-blue with a white-ruffled hem. Light-turquoise painted the lids of the fuchsia eyes that matched her lipstick, voluminous blonde strands curled in one large swirl atop her head and in a tighter curl just above her back.
Blonda Magnifico, star of the popular soap opera All My Biceps, grazed at the tips of her scarf to keep from ruining her fresh French-press. Her legs dangled back and forth, trying her best not to agonize over worst-case scenarios of her twin sister's cesarean. She looked to her husband who'd used the scarf over her shoulder as a makeshift pillow. If not for the solace of Juandissimo's arms around her on his lap, antsy anticipation would likely make her gag wells of acid crashing in her stomach.
Forcing her mind to focus on something else, she studied the distracted somberness in his downward stare. Curious if his mood had anything to do with that ancient voodoo-type whatever that overpumped muscle-head had used on him, the same that had been done to Cosmo before he'd gone with Wanda into the surgical delivery room. From the little that had been explained to her, it was to make a certain amount of magic dormant without depleting it completely, preventing it from building up and ballooning through the body. All because if a godparent extended the length of time not granting wishes, they were doomed to this curse.
Life in Fairywood was no walk in the park by any means, but she herself could never be a godparent. The crap they have to put up with…couldn't be her.
"…you okay, bebé?" she asked him gently, waiting before his lack of response led her finger to lift his chin for him to look at her.
"Si…" his words were weary, yet his mind was restless. Fretting over Susie and her wellbeing, over Wanda and her health as well as the baby…over where the hell Remy was and whether he was alright.
Ailments that he chose to keep to himself; no need for Blonda to fret over all of that, too. "…are you?"
"I'm managing…" she admitted, combing her scarf's faux fur "…kinda worried about this getting out."
"…what getting out?"
Her nervous brows tipped up. "Wanda's pregnancy…"
His flagging gaze eyed her tenderly "…why are you worried?"
"She's my sister." She reminded in a huffed breath. "Fairytainment Tonite seems to have a kink exploiting my personal life and anyone connected to me…"
Of course; even when not for publicity purposes, Blonda always ended up the talk of the town somehow. He'd learned that first hand when they'd officially tied the knot.
When the ding of the elevator signaled the unload of a single passenger, Schnozmo entered into the maternity ward, hovering past the bodyguard that simply moved out the way for him. Setting the cardboard tray on the arm of the chair across, Schnozmo grabbed two of the three paper cups, extending one of them in offering.
"Coffee for you, sir."
"Gracias…" Juandissimo accepted the cup. For however long he'd been in that cave, his circadian clock suffered. At just eight in the morning, it felt like the 2:00pm slump running on fumes…
Schnozmo reached for the other cup, extending it to Blonda.
"No, thanks…" Blonda declined respectfully, drumming fingers on her thighs. "I'm already on edge…"
"Ah, well…" Holding the full cup with one hand, Schnozmo took the remaining coffee cup left on the tray and crinkled it in his other hand to throw away later. "More for me, then."
Noticing him discard a cup that she'd once assumed was full, Blonda arched a brow "…didn't you just buy that?"
Schnozmo blinked before he chuckled awkwardly. "…and two others before that one."
Blonda pinched her nose with an eye roll. "For the gods' sakes…"
"What!?" Schnozmo squawked. "My nerves are shot, okay?!"
"And what do you think all that caffeine's gonna do for you!?" Blonda griped.
"All have you know, I am a caffeine connoisseur."
"And I hope you know that's not the flex you think it is!"
Juandissimo took a lackadaisical sip of his coffee, taking and wanting no part.
Traveling down the hall from the public restrooms, Jorgen clutched his staff in tense treads, bothering not to wait for Blonda's other bodyguard to move out of his way before his hands shoved him to the side to step through. Taking Jorgen's governing rank into consideration, the bodyguard simply hovered back into his stoic position as Jorgen stopped and faced his employee.
"Feeling alright, Juandissimo?" he quizzed, less harsh than normal.
"Si." Juandissimo sighed, his wife noting the sag in his eyelids when he set his cup on the chair's armrest. "Just tired…"
"Hopefully that is the worst of it…your magic is in the weakest state possible that abates the risk of body disintegration." Acting as Fairy Commander for thousands of years, this had been the first that Jorgen ever magically postponed magic build-up. He was not 100% versed when it came to its effects.
And the fairy actress did not like the sound of any of that. "How long will his magic be weakened?"
"Approximately 48 hours. Although…" Jorgen furrowed. "…if Juandissimo does not grant a wish soon after those 48 hours which is almost definite, then I may have to perform the same spell again."
Demolishing his fourth coffee, Schnozmo crimpled the cup in his hand. "Same for Coz and Wans?"
"Dr. Studwell has confirmed that the medication Wanda is receiving counteracts any buildup of magic and thus exempts her from the spell." Jorgen clarified. "However, Cosmo and Juandissimo are in the same boat."
"Seriously?!" Blonda flashed an agitated glare to the Fairy Commander. "Why can't they just go back to their godchildren, then?"
"Because it is likely they will be with the Council for a while." Jorgen admitted.
Unsurprisingly, Blonda was less than content with that answer. "And why is that?"
"I am not certain." Jorgen still had zero clue as to the Council's intentions. One would assume he'd know by now considering his shared telepathy with the Head Councilman. Unfortunately, telepathy and mindreading are two different things.
"What do you mean you don't know!?"
"…exactly what I just said."
"And why lock godparents in some cave, anyway!?"
"To keep from having to perform the prevention spell." Jorgen gripped his staff with arms folded. "In case you have failed to notice, it's less than ideal."
"What's the point of all this?!"
"I wish I knew, but I am in the same dark as you!"
"But-"
"Blonda, just leave it alone..." she heard subtle irritation in Juandissimo's groan as she turned to him, yet his voice was as soft as the hand that reached for hers "…focus on Wanda, si?"
Looking down at his gentle thumb that brushed the sterling silver diamond shimmering on her left hand, Blonda pouted a sigh. She knew he was right, but she just couldn't understand; out of all the godchildren on Earth, what did rulers of Fairy World want with these kids?
Two poofs of magical clouds caught their attention, seeing both Dr. Studwell and Cosmo sporting isolation gowns with bouffant caps and gloves. As one of the bodyguards shifted so that Cosmo could follow Dr. Studwell to address the group, Dr. Studwell lowered the medical mask to his chin.
"Do you want good news or bad news first?"
"You can't just tell us, why?" the Fairy Commander grouched.
"It's no fun that way." The doctor gave a casual remark as Cosmo hovered beside him, dully shaking his head with two fingers rubbing at his temple.
Jorgen huffed a grunt. "Fine. Bad news first."
"Wanda will need to be taken off active duty for at least a week." Dr. Studwell detailed. "The incisions need that time to fully heal without risks of reopening."
"Other than that, she's okay, right?" Blonda worried.
"We'll need to continue observation, but I'm confident that she will be."
At least glad to hear that Wanda should make a full recovery, Schnozmo then begged the question "…then what's tha good news?"
Hands casual behind his back, Dr. Studwell turned to the new father. "You wanna do the honors?"
All eyes fell to the green-haired fairy pulling down his own medical mask. Though his normally bright eyes were hooded and bloodshot from exhaustion, his pride still curved weak lips in a gratified smile.
"…it's a boy…"
Venomous spite thundered, drowning out any relic of a thought with a voice not of his own. A voice that Gary knew without a doubt was of the physical manifestation standing before him.
That cord around your neck should've been tighter!
She should be alive. Not you!
You fucked up my life…you fucked up everything…
You did this…you made me DO THIS!
Nevertheless, Marsden did not move his lips, did not move a muscle. Shallow gasps rose and fell rapidly in Gary's chest, unable to blink as if the weight of terror threatened to suffocate him.
If the bodyweight of fur had pressed itself against his legs, the weightlessness prickling his veins numb couldn't tell. Fingertips and toes chilled to ice, his skin tingling in a cold sweat. The icy stare of elm eyes bore into him, making it hard to signal any of his limbs to move. The only time his body could move was when something akin to a clawed foot pounced on him, and he blinked to see swiping paws that he barely recognized through the haze creeping up on him.
Up on his hind legs, Birchie pawed at Gary's chest. Nudging against his torso until his efforts pushed Gary's weak knees to the ground. Birchie then proceeded to initiate physical contact by laying his head onto front paws, draped over Gary's lap. As Birchie gently applied deep pressure against Gary's abdomen, shaky hands grazed the furry back that felt light as invisible air beneath his fingertips. He couldn't seem blink the thick glass out of his eyes, staring down at a dog laying on someone else's lap.
"…ou thinking right now, Gary?"
His mind felt submerged underwater. He only caught part of that sentence, but at least his mind could hear his own voice again…
Wait…was it his voice?
"…ou hear me, Gary?"
What was he hearing…was Gary his name?
…who…is Gary…?
Birchie raised his head, nudging his wet nose to Gary's slack jaw. When those efforts failed to bring back life in his ghostly gaze, a sloppy tongue licked desperately at the dulled senses blanching in his face, only managing to rouse delayed flicks in his eyelids.
"This is not good…" Plumfrost breathed, observing blue eyes staring into the void. He shot a sharp glance to the blue Councilor on his right. "Was this truly the best approach?"
His palm continuing to glimmer periwinkle, Birchwind matched Plumfrost with a stern brow of his own. "You had no qualms when this tactic had first been discussed."
"That was before you had chosen to expose these children too soon." Treebelle muttered.
Tootie saw from the corner of her eye the little fists that'd begun to clench against Timmy's lap, frowning to the subtle twitch in his deepening snarl. Years that now felt like a lifetime ago, during the brief period of their friendship, neither Timmy nor Sophia had ever mentioned other relatives aside from their cousin and grandparents. She saw an uncanny resemblance to Timmy in the strange man, but from the repulsion in Timmy's glower, this was not a great thing.
Timmy's stomach scrunched with the force of his restraint, growing hot from the boil in the blood that had once run cold. Harboring so much hate for a man he'd never met. Marsden Vladislapov, his accursed uncle. The original black sheep, a blasphemy that his own parents and grandparents had bestowed upon him. The black sheep that had no part of his life and had yet ultimately ruined his life, solely by unfair comparisons.
The other godkids didn't know what to make of Timmy bolting to his feet in a straight charge towards the physical manifestation of his curse. The Council, too, did not expect Timmy to then windmill wild fists at Marsden's legs, billowing breaths through his teeth with such wrath that he was panting. Marsden's fuming gaze remained, standing still as a statue. Showing no reaction to Timmy's strikes, only fueling more fire.
Chloe hugged her knees in sharp breaths, and Hazel squeezed Simmons against the tightness in her chest. Molly scrunched her face beside Dwight, nestling Bella with a puzzled yet sympathetic frown. Unlike the other children, there was a flatness in Remy's stare, detached from the scene of familiar rage, barely attached to himself. As the tears clouding her eyes trembled in Tootie's lip, Timmy cried a grunt with each hammering punch, a burning gloss clamping his eyes shut. Flashed with fury while simultaneously stabbed with shame.
He had not wanted anyone to see this side of him, and he had especially wanted to protect an innocent soul like Tootie from witnessing the worst of his sins. He just couldn't help himself, could no longer contain the scalding blaze in his heart…
He couldn't care anymore.
Timmy threw another punch, except the force of restraint prevented the strike from landing. Periwinkle-blue glimmered around Timmy's fists, freezing them in place.
"That is enough, Timmy Turner!" Birchwind bellowed, and Timmy's misting scowl shot daggers at him.
"LET ME GO!"
"Not until you get a bear of yourself!"
Timmy growled acidly, tears hot in his eyes. Diverting his heated glare to the pathetic excuse for an uncle standing with the same expression of malice, no change to his stance.
"DO something, you bastard!"
"Timmy, he is but a projection." Birchwind stated, calming his firm tone. "The only lifelikeness about him is his body; no soul or consciousness exists within."
Timmy's glare could pierce glass, and Birchwind grimaced at the hot tears threatening to fall from those venomous blue eyes. While Molly had not been the only godchild with pain that manifested into anger, he was beginning to wonder if he had erred in not addressing Timmy's unhealthy coping before now.
"Birchwind!" Persimmons approached in attempts to deescalate, palming the head Councilor's shoulder. "Just let the boy go…"
Against his reservations, Birchwind ebbed his magic, releasing the constraint around Timmy's fists. Timmy was about to charge again when he stopped himself, wadding tremoring fists at his sides as unforgiving judgement crazed his stare towards Marsden. Even his impulsivity saw no point in hurting someone who cannot feel pain. What satisfaction would his strife gain from that?
Instead, Timmy pivoted towards the dog nudging and licking at his cousin's ashen face, the anger in his eyes an effigy of contempt. If Gary sees him as his punk of a dad, then he'll give 'em something to compare!
The moment Timmy marched towards Gary was the moment Birchwind saw this left turn coming. "Timmy, don't-!"
"Hey!" Timmy snapped at his cousin, ignoring the Head Councilor's plea. "Snap out of it!"
The boom of a dog's protective bark halted him in his tracks. Birchie then pressed himself further onto Gary's lap, warning Timmy to keep his distance with a growl deep in his throat. As the other kids looked on, Dwight looked especially concerned for the vacant daze in his best friend's stare, seeming to not see anything at all. All the while Timmy furrowed, curling bitter lips into a snarl.
"You think I'm scared of some mangy mutt?!"
"Stop, Timmy!" Chloe tried despite her racing heart pounding between her ears, but Timmy paid her no mind either.
"Hey, space cadet!" Timmy shouted, pointing behind him at the motionless projection of Marsden. "Your dumb dad's not real, so you can come back down ta Earth now!"
"Timmy, stop it!" Dwight interjected. "There's no need for that!"
Timmy narrowed a bitter glower towards Dwight, his words tinged with spite. "Go have a 'fit' and shut up!"
Dwight's frown went wide at the biting words that crushed him from inside.
"TIMMY!" Chloe jolted to her feet, taking equal offense to how downright nasty Timmy was acting. Her chest ached, and her eyes glossed at his pointed glare. "Why are you doing this!?"
"Cuz it's not like any of you will remember this, anyway! You'll grow up, you'll lose your godparents, and you'll forget you ever had them!"
Tootie's misty eyes widened in astonishment, and Hazel felt a shiver run down her spine as Simmons squirmed uncomfortably in her twitching arms. Molly, Dwight, and Remy froze in momentary paralysis, and Chloe's breath hitched in her throat.
The sheer shock of the unexpected revelation had left them breathless.
Connected to multiple IVs with a urinary catheter and other equipment monitoring her vitals, the new mother lay tucked beneath the silk-felt sheets of her hospital bed, keeping her nice and warm from the freezing air blowing through the vent mounted high on the wall. After time spent in the recovery room, Wanda had been moved to her germ-free living space for the next week. A fairy nurse on her rounds had checked her vitals and examined her for vaginal bleeding or any leakage from the incision.
So far, zero discomfort. Mostly because she'd slept right through it. In fact, Wanda was nowhere near the level of cognizant to know that she had become a mother to a son. She'd been sedated throughout the procedure, and the amount of liquid painkillers pumping through her veins drowned her consciousness in the heaviest numbness. She would not be left in the dark forever; she will certainly be informed of her miracle child in due time. For now, everyone had opted to let her rest. After all, she was not the only fairy depleted of energy.
Near Wanda's bed beneath the window was a sofa that had been converted into a sleeper couch, two heads pressed to cotton pillows with their bottom halves covered in the same baby-blue cotton as Wanda. Sprawled on his back, Cosmo snored softly from his mouth agape, wet lines drooling down his chin. Beside him was Juandissimo lying on his stomach, and from how lifeless he was, that cup of coffee from earlier might as well have been decaf for what little good it did.
Since the white noise of air blowing through the vents had knocked them both right out, their Fairy Commander had returned to his headquarters for the time being. He'd wanted to catch up on his other duties before he fell too far behind on his day job. This had left Schnozmo and Blonda to their own devices in Wanda's room, a result that was not entirely unwelcomed.
"Welp, now my management team is up my ass for declining yet another meeting invite…" Schnozmo exhaled as he meddled through multiple emails on his work phone, seated at the end of Cosmo's side of the sleeper sofa.
"Well, my agent and my director have been up my ass for missing call times…" Blonda scrolled through numerous missed texts on her cellphone, legs crossed on the foot of the mattress on the side Juandissimo occupied.
"It's like folks forgot the meaning of 'life happens.'" Schnozmo crabbed.
Blonda marked another message she currently didn't care to entertain as read. "That part."
Schnozmo lowered the phone in his hands to his lap, slouching slightly. "Guess it is kinda nice to just…take a pause, y'know."
Blonda sent him a sly glance "…you mean sit like potatoes."
Schnozmo gave a witty grin. "That part."
In a subtle roll of her eyes, Blonda shortly chuckled as she returned to her small screen. She had to admit, it was kind of nice to remember what it felt like to just…be.
"Also nice to spend a lil' time with Coz…" An abrupt snort ripped through the air vent's white noise that spun Schnozmo's head behind him, dimly grinning at the tiny twitch in Cosmo's fingers before they lapsed back into softer snores "…even if he's out like a light."
Blonda looked behind her towards the love of her life, a small wilt in her smile. She'd be happier to be in the same room as him for the first time in months had he not been rendered so weak. "Better than nothing…"
"Yeah..." Schnozmo turned to his work phone, contemplating if it was worth opening another unread email about his absence. "Kinda sucks it was under crazy circumstances, though."
Blonda turned to face her sister, her features growing pensive. "At least Wanda and the baby will be okay…"
"Speakin' of…" Schnozmo closed his phone, hovering off the mattress. "Wanna go visit him?"
Blonda paused, darting eyes left to right before meeting Schnozmo's gaze "…like right now?"
"Why not?" Schnozmo shrugged loose shoulders. "If I had to guess, these guys'll probably be out for a while, and neither one of us wants ta go back ta work."
"True…" Blonda considered "…but what happened to 'sit like potatoes?'"
"C'mon; we didn't get the chance to see him before they just shipped him off to the NICU."
"Neither did Cosmo and Wanda; it wouldn't feel right to see him before they do."
"But it's not like we'd hold him or anything with him all incubated in some itty-bitty plastic tube and whatnot."
Blonda stared for a second before she huffed a chuckle "…okay, is this your third or fourth cup of coffee talking?"
"Both." Schnozmo joked with his classic charm of sarcasm, making a head start towards the door. "Now, c'mon."
Hesitant, Blonda glanced over her shoulder at the sleeping men before she then looked back to her sister's drug-induced slumber, contemplating if she should leave. She knew paparazzi had been itching to get inside when she had seen them gathered outside the front entrance from the window. She still had her bodyguards, and the hospital had their security, but how much would that stop them?
At the same time, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious. In many phone convos with her sister, she'd known that adoption was a possibility, possibly after their official retirement, yet Blonda never expected to become some kid's aunt like this, this soon. Plus, it was not every day that a godchild wishes for their godparents to have a kid. What would that kind of child look like, she wondered…
…eh. YOLO. "Ugh, fine…"
. . . . . .
After Blonda had instructed one of her bodyguards to guard Wanda's room, Blonda and Schnozmo appeared with the other bodyguard outside the door of the brightly colored NICU. Blonda used her wand to cleanse their hands of any outside germs that absolutely cannot enter inside and put the lives of underdeveloped and immunocompromised babies at risk, and since it was still within visiting hours, they simply floated right in.
There number of newborns could be counted on one hand, so it was not difficult to spot the name card 'Cosma' labeled on one of the incubators near the center of the space. Encapsuled within the heated panes of clear glass was a little baseball that could fit in the palm of a hand, half the size of a normal newborn. A knitted blue cap held more of its core body temperature from escaping through his head, practically swallowed in a fresh diaper. A nose ventilator breathed oxygen into lungs still too weak to breathe on their own, his stubby arms and legs poked and prodded with wires of IVs slowly pumping necessary nutrients through his thin veins.
The maternal aunt and paternal uncle hovered closer to the glass yet far enough to not stick their glove-free hands inside the open holes. Observing as their nephew squirmed uncomfortably, clamped eyes yet to open.
"Look at him…" Blonda breathed, bending down with hands on her thighs. "He's so tiny…"
"Yeah…" Schnozmo kept his hands in his tux pockets, having never seen a baby so utterly helpless before. "Like he'd fall apart if you poke 'em…"
Blonda lightly cocked her head to the side "…who do you think he takes more after?"
"Kinda hard to tell…" Schnozmo arched his brow. "Right now, he kinda jus looks like a red raisin."
"Still can't believe a child wished for this…" Blonda quietly remarked, then considered her wording "…well…not 'this,' per se…"
"I get cha." Schnozmo watched their nephew wiggle again, stretching toes and fingers that appeared almost nonexistent. "Who woulda thought, I guess…"
The baby boy settled again as the monitor beeped with the pace of his heart pumping what blood it could.
As some children blinked with incredulity, others stared in horror. Some lips fell open in silent screams, and others clamped mouths in the hardest line. Birchwind's sparkling palm quickly dispelled of Marsden's image, though he knew that would not lessen the deepest gash that Timmy had just inflicted. That when a child reaches the adult mindset of no longer believing in magic, that magic and their memories will inevitably disappear.
"N-No…" Chloe stuttered, shaky hands scratching at her forehead as if they could rid the lines of worry "…t-that can't be true."
"It is." Timmy's voice was stern, no vestige of sympathy in its hardness. "And there's nothing we can do."
"But…" Tootie murmured, eyes in wide, pathetic circles "…R-Rose said…she'd…never leave me…f-for as long as I need her."
"That was just a white lie…" Timmy spoke, so bluntly that Tootie's shattered heart shone in her eyes.
Remy buried his weary face into hugged knees, numbed by yet another knife twist to his gut. He once could not bear the thought of crushing his godfather by ending his own existence, just for his godfather to eventually turn around and die figuratively if he grew old enough. In some messed-up irony, the absent affection from his parents had done him a favor. This is exactly why you never let people in…get too attached, get screwed over.
Molly's body once disengaged had now tensed, jaw clenched tightly "…that's bull…"
"Hmmph." Timmy crossed arms over his puffed chest. "Figured you and your buds already knew, considering you all tried to kill yourselves..."
Yale-blue flashed wide "…the heck you say?"
"You can't deny it; Gary said so himself." he spat. "The night the four of you went missing was the night you guys were gonna end it all."
"…w-wait…" Chloe shuddered, teary eyes drifting towards the friend she'd grown to cherrish "…Dwight…i-is that true?"
Dwight dropped his chin, clutching arms around the indigo owl in his lap. Holding onto Bella as if the flurry of guilt threatened to unlatch beneath his feet, plummeting him in freefall.
Gravely gutted, Chloe suppressed a gag, sickened by roiling waves of dismay. He had epilepsy, and yet he didn't seem like the type to seek such a drastic way out…
"…why…" she spoke in a suffocated whisper "…w-why would you…"
He averted her tears, a fist of shame slowly closing over his heart. This wasn't supposed to happen, she was never supposed to know. "I'm sorry…" he whimpered "…w-we just didn't wanna be a burden anymore…"
Tootie looked over to Hazel's death grip on Simmons, hot tears soaking his red fur, and she frowned with wonder. At times, life under her father's over-religious roof might as well have been damnation in Hell. Life had been insufferable…but did she ever want to die?
"So you tell me…" Timmy faced the Council but addressed Birchwind directly. "How is not wanting to be a burden taking our godparents for granted?"
Birchwind furrowed, assuming Timmy must've taken his comment primarily towards Gary to his own heart. The fact still remains. "Godparents are not trained to be crisis counselors; they are trained to grant wishes."
"We have recognized the trials and tribulations in your lives which have brought much hinderance to your godparents' roles." Persimmon inserted.
"…and that is part of why we have brought you all here… to aid you in overcoming those distresses." Treebelle added somberly, uncertain if their intentions would be any easier for mere children to understand.
"Some help that turned out to be." Molly grouched, Plum pecking at Molly's sneakers with her beak. "Gary's all kinds of out of it cuz you thought shoving his deadbeat in his face was such a great idea."
Birchie continued to lick at Gary's face, whining when the boy's eyes showed no sign that his essence was anywhere inside his hollowed shell. He had to keep trying. He yearned to bring him back somehow…
"The exposure was intended to help Gary overcome that traumatic trigger." Birchwind confessed, then he exhaled gruffly. "But an unforeseen circumstance had led to exposing him faster than he was ready for."
"If you knew he wasn't ready, then why expose him at all?!" Timmy argued.
"We, as the Fairy Council, are not above mistakes." Plumfrost admitted humbly. "It is our error in assuming that a safe environment would abate the severity of negative effects."
"Wait…" Dwight found the will to lift his head towards the Council "…what 'unforseen circumstance?'"
"…Timmy Turner's godmother was forced into premature birth." Birchwind confirmed.
Blue eyes bulged as they blinked slowly, processing what he thought he heard "…Wanda had the baby already?"
"Yes."
Timmy's gape widened further "…and I missed it?!"
"Unfortunately, it was an emergency." Treebelle sympathized. "She is in recovery, and her son is in neonate intensive care."
Timmy dropped his gaze to the grass under his feet. The more he took it all in, the more his disappointed gawk wrinkled into a bitter glare.
A baby godbrother…
…a 'real' son to replace him.
His fists balled at his sides, tone hushed in a grumble "…hope they're happy."
"You were the one who had wished for them to bear a child of their own." Birchwind pointed out. "Are you not happy?"
Timmy raised his glare. "I didn't make the wish for me."
"But are you not excited to be a big godbrother?" Plumfrost questioned
Timmy's lips pursed. "Was."
Persimmons found this reaction peculiar. "What has changed?"
"That should be obvious."
"Then tell me." Birchwind stepped closer, hands behind his back. "If you had known what you know now, would you have made the wish?"
As Timmy slit his brow, Tootie bit down on her lip towards him, hands clasped to her chest. Chloe swiped at watering eyes, expression tight with strain, and Hazel sniffed, blinking through her tears. Molly's eyes narrowed to slits as Dwight fidgeted with Bella's feathers. Even Remy lifted his head as everyone fixed their gaze on the pink-hatted boy, awaiting his response.
His scowl had spoken volumes already, but what he uttered pierced like a gunshot to the chest.
"…no."
Tootie shivered from spine chill, wide eyes brimming with tears "…Timmy…"
"You had just stated that the wish was not for you, did you not?" Persimmons quizzed.
"Yeah, but I thought we could all be one big happy family, too." Timmy defended, stretching and clenching his fingers as if trying to release the tension pinching his ribs. "Turns out I was wrong…" his voice laced with self-loathing. "I'm not gonna remember that wish anyway…"
"…so, you would not have made the wish even if that would have denied Cosmo and Wanda of a child?" Treebelle questioned.
"Since that 'child' is a wish, he'd just disappear with the rest of my wishes." Timmy deduced. "Had I known that sooner, I wouldn't've made Cosmo and Wanda have a kid that they're gonna end up losing, anyway."
"There is a difference between all wishes disappearing and all wishes being undone; Cosmo and Wanda would still have their child. He would simply disappear from your life along with them." Birchwind expounded, realizing his large role in Timmy's heightened cynical mindset. He wanted to try and get through to him…
But Timmy had closed off his heart. "Oh, so I still get screwed in the end. Typical…"
"…how…can you be so selfish…"
Everyone's stares pointed in the direction of the hushed voice that seemed to come out of nowhere. Turning around to the boy he thought was too far gone to insert himself, Timmy stood with feet planted firmly apart, a clear message of hostility in his stance.
With Birchie wagging his tail as he backed himself away, Gary groaned as he struggled to one knee. Pushing himself from the ground in an unsteady balance, pins and needles prickling in his legs. The paralysis in buckled knees felt like they'd instantly give out, yet he pressed on. "…why…do you make…everything about yourself…"
When Gary managed to stand, Timmy's resentment scoffed. "That's rich coming from the same kid who wanted to die but can't kill himself right."
"Timmy-"
Plumfrost held Birchwind back with his hand. Interrupting the inevitable would not help matters if these boys were to somehow work out their deep-seeded issues.
"You tried how many times?! And you're still here?!" Timmy mocked sharply. "You suck at dying for somebody who deserves to be dead."
"Timmy…" Tootie whimpered, eyes shimmering in unspoken sadness "…no…"
Breaths thin and ragged, Gary blinked through his present strain to keep himself from slipping back into the past "…you have…not one…but two fairy godparents…twice the love of every kid here…"
Remy grimaced, eyes narrowed in a cold, cynical gaze.
Gary swallowed dryly, digging nails into his palm to feel something other than numbness "…but that's still not enough…"
"Says you, Mr. 'how many times can my fairy save me from myself!'" Timmy spoke coldly, each word icy and clipped like a deliberate cut.
Chloe noticed when Tootie doubled over in choked sobs, and Molly stood to go over to Hazel when Simmon's paw couldn't brush away the tears from how fast they streamed.
"How many times do I gotta say it! It doesn't matter! None of this matters!"
Dwight and Remy looked over as Chloe kneeled to rub Tootie's back that shook with each sob. Tootie gasped between cries, barely able to catch the breath needed for the next.
"Why would I wanna live if I don't deserve to!? You think you should be dead, so, why can't I think that, too!"
"TIMMY!"
Both cousins snapped to the warning blue glare that brimmed with heartache.
"You're upsetting everyone!" Chloe tearfully shouted over Tootie's heart-wrenched moans. "Just stop! Please!"
Seeing Tootie's tears crumpled Timmy's features, and hearing her strained wails ripped the flesh of his heart to shreds. Crap, what was he doing…what had he done…
"…hope you're proud of yourself…"
Gary's dour mumble managed to reach Timmy's ears, icing Timmy's stare all over again. "Screw you! You think I give a rat's about what you say?!" he shoved Gary in the chest, as hard as he could muster. "You're crazy, dude! Freakin' psycho!"
When he caught his steps, echoes of laughing children came flooding in his brain. Scorns of the 'crazy kid,' taunts of the 'kid who blacked out.' Mocking chants of 'psycho' ringing louder and louder…
…a switch flipped.
Reality's perception seemed warped through a murky lens, tunneling his vision. Blankness crossed his stare, then flashed cold. Sharpened with the scorch of animosity.
"Godparents or no, those stupid screws loose in your head will just blank out and forget all this stupid shi-"
Gary charged in a second's blink, screaming with ire. Tackling Timmy to the ground with hostile palms. Despite Timmy fighting back with flailing arms, Gary straddled him, and his fists of fury rained, smashing whatever surface of Timmy's face they could. Birchie barked ferociously, bursting himself between the boys, but his attempts to break them up could not stop the grunts gritted with each swing, pulverizing as hard as his might could muster.
"ENOUGH!"
Periwinkle-blue snatched Gary off, freezing him midair. Giving Birchie the upper hand to jump on Timmy, paws pinning him by his shoulders as Timmy squirmed, growling through his teeth.
Plum flew to Tootie's side, crying so hard that she began to cough and choke on her own gasps. Dwight shuddered when Bella expanded her wings and took off, zooming towards Chloe's breaths growing ragged in her throat. Hazel clung to both Simmons and Molly, struggling to breathe through her sobs. Remy stared as Gary's primal instinct fought and kicked at the restraints of Birchwind's magic like an animal clawing itself out of a cage.
Surrounded by madness, the other Councilmembers all exchanged side glances. They'd fare better sipping coffee in a burning house.
AN: Originally didn't intend for this to be longer than 30 chapters...the plot said 'bish, you thought.'
To all my Americans, hope you're having a safe Memorial Day weekend.