Chapter 52: Test

—Nova's POV—

'So…why are you suggesting this…playdate? I would think on your last 'day' with Timmy that you'd want to monopolize your time alone with him?' Wanda questioned suspiciously, while doing her best not to sound so. She was hearing their side of the conversation through a radio—one that allowed her to be overheard by everyone else in the room she was in; meanwhile, he was hearing her voice in his head, his conversation completely private.

"I'm stepping out onto the balcony for a moment." He told the boy, conjuring his pipe into his hand. Timmy was used to him stepping out to take a smoke now and then and responded to this by flashing him a smile and a nod before turning back to the lesson he had left him to study.

He looked at Timmy with a fond smile; the boy was eagerly reading over the geography of Fey world and mulling over it in fascination. By his side were his three pets, Cream, Cinna and Miele; those three baby Appapuffs had become so incredibly attached to Timmy that he had decided not to return the three to the forest, but to let them remain in the garden of Timmy's recovery room; it seemed the happiest thing for them. When Timmy was here, they would have their beloved playmate and when he wasn't, they would be in the place where they had shared so many memories.

Cream and Miele were sisters, and Cinna, their brother, all three, had been born only a few weeks ago and had just freshly weened off their mother. These little ones were sixth generation, so unlike first generation Companions, they weren't immortal. Appapuffs like them lived between thirty and fifty years. They'd get the most out of their short, sweet lives, basking in the friendship they had formed so closely with this little human boy.

Timmy had also forged a powerful friendship with the first generation Companions like Ginnie and Hector, and whilst these little ones would return to the forest once Timmy recovered, he was sure they'd carry their memories of their time with Timmy with them forever…of course, once Timmy became a Kinder, he was sure they'd spend lots of time in the forest playing together…

…That was all well and very good, but….

He stepped out onto the balcony, and lit his pipe, leaning against the railing overlooking the garden. The flowers were swaying in a gentle breeze that gave the perfect amount of refreshment to the late May sunshine. In the time they spent together he had gone a long way to evolve Timmy from a boy who stayed indoors glued to a screen to one who enjoyed the outdoors, all in anticipation of how Mab's nectar would infuse him and ingrain her love of nature within him. This garden had been made by him, but Timmy had given it a heart that made it feel like a sanctuary.

This recovery room had become a place of fond memories and he would keep it intact, even after Timmy's treatment was over. Like the café, it had become a place that symbolized 'family' to him.

When Cosmo and Wanda came to Fey world he was sure they'd want their own home rather then live with him and Piper in the Gingerbread Clinic, but he would keep this space for when his grandsons, Timmy and Poof came to visit him.

….He could already envision all the great times they would have together.

His family finally felt as if it were in reach again—and not just his sons, and Stella but….Jullian and Julia too, in Timmy he saw both of them—Jullian, before the world had poisoned him, in all his sweetness, innocence, playfulness and occasional mischievousness. Julia, who the world had never given the chance to thrive, facing abuse and hopelessness until she broke. Timmy was like a version of little Jullian whom faced the suffering of Julia…

All that pain, sadness and struggle….all to meet a tragic, and meaningless end….? Jullian, Julia, and little Timmy...it was all so cruel and unfair!

—Yes, his family was finally in reach….but at what cost….?

His most honest desire and highest priority was the happiness of his family and Timmy was his family now too…this time spent together had cemented their bond.

'Timmy shared with me that he is entirely without human friends.' He answered Wanda using his telepathy. 'AJ claimed he was impeding his advancement. Chester sided with the hooligans instead of him, Elmer lacked the bravery to oppose the harassment, and Sanjay deserted him due to pettiness. The closest he has is that Tootie girl and—" He stopped himself from going on that topic—for he did not want to give himself away as having read Timmy's mind, secondly…he could write an entire case study on that girl!

She had gone from a sweet, but somewhat creepy little girl who could be the poster-child for limerent behaviors, and had become a young lady that would make Annie Wilkes from Stephen King's Misery, say 'Don't you think you are going a bit too far with this…?'

He could understand wanting to hold on to someone you cared about,—-but a dog-leash was not the way to do it!

He hadn't even known a 12-year-old could suffer from OLD, otherwise known as Obsessive-Love-disorder, but…apparently they could.

…And that this was the closest thing to a friend Timmy had in the human world…was truly sad.

"It is true…." Wanda admitted with a soft sigh. 'Poor Timmy has no friends left…well, there's Mark Chang…but he's an alien.'

"Wanda, from Timmy's manner of speaking, I can't help but feel as though he believes that their abandonment of him is justifiable. Regrettably, it appears that he perceives himself as inherently unlikable based on the way he talks about himself. He appears to have a genuine belief that no peer of his would be able to like him once they got better acquainted with him. He does get along quite swimmingly with the Companions, but—-" He hesitated, wondering how to go about phrasing this next sentence.

In the Fey world, Companions were not seen as mere animals. To call them such was considered an insult; they were children, similar to the Kinders, except they had been adopted by the forest instead of a Fey. He understood that a young human boy, however, might view them the same as they would a fluffy kitten or a playful puppy; it was an instinctive reaction, after all. This understanding, however, complicated his choice of words as he endeavored to explain why he wanted Timmy to forge a friendship with a Kinder rather than just with the Companions, without suggesting that Companions and Kinders were dissimilar.

"When considering the perspective of a human child and how they perceive things, the Companions might be viewed as highly intelligent pets, whereas the Kinders would be perceived more like other children." He explained, tugging on his shirt-collar, and picking up a few 'boos' from Glimmer, Rosehip and Gizmo and a tsking from Aelar in the background, making his cheeks burn. "I am speaking from the perspective of a human boy, not my own. It is essential to understand that, to a human child, they would only naturally be seen as being more similar to fluffy kittens and puppies than other children."

"Don't worry, as your fellow once-a-fairy, I know what you're talking about," Dazzle reassured. "It's totally true; the Companions would look less like other kids, and more like cute little fluffy animals to a still-human child."

"Gratitude, Dazzle." He told her gratefully. "Timmy's outlook will change as he becomes more knowledgeable about our culture. He is making rapid progress in his studies. I swear the darling lad is soaking up his lessons about how our world operates like a sponge." He cleared his throat, hearing a faint grinding noise, which he assumed must've been Wanda's teeth. "In any case, my dear, it truly upsets me to see the boy lacking friends and believing he is unlikeable. Walter is a genuinely kind lad, and I believe that engaging in activities and conversations together will greatly contribute to establishing a strong foundation for Timmy's self-esteem."

"Well…Timmy could use some more friends…" Wanda sighed. "But I do need a promise that you will not have this kid try to talk Timmy into how 'wonderful' being a Kinder is! He's not in the right frame of mind to make any big decisions…."

He smiled to himself, knowing Wanda had only tacked on that last sentence in order to avoid offending the other Fey around her—he knew very well that as she was currently, she had no desire to see Timmy ever becoming a Kinder. The only way she would ever consider it was if he were in danger of oblivion, because of his Heart-soul being currently removed.

…And he would not resort to using that in order to force her hand! Using that poor new born soul as a way to gain leverage was not something he could ever do….even if it would make everything easier….he just couldn't bare to get his family back if he had to resort to such hateful methods.

Hopefully Wanda would soon open her eyes and realize that happiness for Timmy could not be found in the human world. Alas, for now she was still too deeply entrenched in the 'morality' of Fairy-world and it's deeply ingrained beliefs that children needed to be 'let go of', and how scary and terrible the Fey were—lessons he himself had once believed—but like him, she would eventually learn that she had been brainwashed into following a deeply flawed system that helped no one; that the entirety of God-Parenting was nothing but a stop-gap measure that was about as useful as sticking a band-aid over a gunshot wound.

"Of course, my dear! There will be no such coaxing; just simple, innocent play-time."

There was no need to coax Timmy—because there was no decision to be made…that boy's future only had one option.

— Wanda's POV—

"One more thing, Nova—I want my next video call with Timmy to be live—as you can see I've calmed down. There is no need for any censorship." She stopped him as he was about to end his 'radio broadcast,' and was about to move on to the next video message. Now that she knew that all this time, they could have been live—she could not stand the idea of having another 'letter' type exchange, especially not for the sole reason of that awful censorship magic.

"Well, my dear….do you promise not to blurt out unreasonable things?"

"What exactly do you count as unreasonable?" She pressed her lips together tight, in order to keep the words she really wanted to say at bay.

"In almost all of your messages so far you've either questioned after the Heart-soul or you've blurted out apologies or confessions to what you thought or felt whilst Linking with your anti-self. I understand you want to get that guilt off your chest but, who knows how Timmy may react to such admissions? I honestly fear the repercussions if Timmy were to take another panic/anxiety attack."

"He'll die."

Her heart jumped, and she turned to look at Piper, who was leaning against the wall.

"Given Timmy's energy tank is on empty and his stress-o-meter is off the charts, another panic episode like the one when we caught you snoozing in the tub could be his last. Nova might've overstepped a bit, and whether he was in the right is a whole can of worms, but it's a fact that a single slip-up from you could be game over for the kiddo. Hence, the extreme safety playbook." Piper pointed out dispassionately.

"Oh my goodness!" The Tooth Fairy gasped. "That would be awful...!"

She put her head down, ashamed. She wanted to apologize to Timmy. It felt as if she didn't, it would be poison to their relationship, but she did not want to hurt him….and Timmy's reactions to things were unpredictable, but….keeping this dark secret…it felt like a betrayal.

….

"It's true, it's not something to be blurted out over a video call…..I understand." She murmured; she was sure if done in person, her true feelings would be able to reach Timmy and he would understand where her heart truly was and no misunderstanding would happen that would cause him distress. "But….can you tell me about the soul? Last I saw it, it was suffering…."

"They hate the soul-soothing incense, but it doesn't cause them pain or anything." Piper pointed out.

"I've made time in the nursery run, for now, at normal-time. For the soul, it's been enduring the incense for a handful of hours—hopefully it will soon have calmed down. I censored your questions in order to prevent dissociation on Timmy's part. He is already unsure of what to feel about his soul, but if he found out you suffered damaged at its hands, he will no doubt disassociate from it…"

"Soul disassociation is big time bad," Piper answered before she could pose the question. "For now, let's just say that if that were to happen, Timmy would never be able to reunite with his Heart-soul."

"I…I see…." She wrapped her arms around her midsection. "So, could you tell me now…? How is his Heart-Soul?"

"Still cranky." Nova admitted. "It's just lonely. Once it's calmed down, Timmy will need to spend some time with it, in order to soothe its separation-anxiety."

"I'll make sure Timmy does that…."

"….Well, if you promise you will be careful, I'll allow a real-time video call…." Nova relented, and she fought to keep from snapping at him that he never had the right to make such a decision; but…could Timmy really have died had she not been censored in that first call when she had blurted out all her guilt and remorse….? Saying the wrong thing and causing a tragedy….

That was not something she could stand living through again.

The radio turned off, and a minute passed and then the television came on. She wondered how much time had passed for them in that one minute and could probably be told if she asked the Tooth Fairy or Gizmo, but perhaps it was best not knowing.

"Wanda!" Timmy's face was glowing.

"Oh, Timmy, sweetie!"

"Grandpa told me we can talk live now! He says it's trickier to pull off but that he's going to see to it that for our last two calls we can talk naturally!" Timmy beamed.

Trickier, yeah, perhaps by a smidge, but by phrasing it that way, he had avoided telling a lie, while still fooling Timmy into thinking it was some difficult feat, justifying why they hadn't been speaking that way the entire time. Nova was visible in the background, pouring over some papers—he seemed to be grading them. Perhaps this was his attempt to show her that he trusted her to speak without his intervention, but the fact that he felt he had a say in what she could say really pissed her off.

He had a bandaged Companion on the desk next to him, occasionally scratching its ear, or petting it in an effort to make it seem as though he had no interest in the conversation.

"That's great, isn't it?" She smiled, trying not to glance at everyone in the room behind her; even without Nova actively watching over their conversation, or censoring it—she was unable to speak freely, not with a room full of Fey behind her. "How are you feeling, Timmy? Are you alright, sweetie?"

Timmy's cheeks were bright pink with fever and his foggy eyes bright. He was propped up in bed with pillows, looking both frail but also abuzz with an energy his body was not capable of expending. Those three Appapuffs were cuddled up around him, and she had the inkling that those three creatures wouldn't be leaving him anytime soon and that she would probably need to get used to having them around.

"Oh, I'm fine—grandpa says I'm just—Blooming—right now." Timmy stretched, looking a little like a lazy kitten. "My head got all funny while I was doing my test—and Grandpa says that'll happen three times as a result of Queen Mab's blessing…."

….! She tensed and fought to keep control over her emotions; she knew an outburst now would be all it would take for Nova to decide to censor her once more.

"Lucky you! It feels really nice, doesn't it!?" Lilybeth chimed out and Ariafern tugged on one of her ringlets.

"Don't be rude—intruding in on people's conversations isn't polite."

"Sorry! Heheh! But it feels nice, right Timmy?"

"It's….relaxing…." Timmy smiled softly, replying to Lilybeth, and then looked back at her with his feverish smile. "Don't worry Wanda, I'm ok….I can still think like myself, so, don't get scared or anything…"

"It's the fever of the blessing; it's a good thing." The quiet Aelar affectionately squeezed the boy on his lap a little closer. "Edmund, do you remember when you received Queen Mab's kiss? It felt nice, didn't it?"

"Yeah—" Edmund's expression grew dreamy. She felt an sense of dismay. Those three kids she had met at the playground had seemed so ordinary, despite their altered appearances, that for a brief time she had thought that, perhaps Kinders weren't so different from the children they once were….but even this rowdy little boy, so 'misbehaved' that his hands had been taken from him, was just as brainwashed by the Queen's forced 'motherly love' as all the others.

"Oh, look at that fat little face of yours, all covered in chocolate." Aelar chuckled, giving the child a squeeze, and began wiping his face clean. "Crows are supposed to preen, so why are you still such a messy child?"

When she learned that Edmund's Fey-father had removed his hands for his tendency to steal and hide items, she had expected a cold, distant, authoritative relationship. Yet, facing such warmth was more disconcerting than any harshness could be. How can one reconcile removing the hands of someone they embrace and play with? How can one not fear the one who changed their appearance and took their hands? To laugh and smile in the arms of the one who took away your hands...It seemed so….unnatural.

"She should have asked about the progress of his treatment first; developing her fever at this stage when his body is in a transitional state is making it even more draining on him." Piper spoke disapprovingly and received many scathing glares in return.

"During the three days it takes for Queen Mab's nectar or mead to infuse a child, there will be three spikes—this we call Blooming states, and once it's complete, we say that the child has Blossomed." Dazzle spoke cheerfully, informing her of what the term meant, with an arm around her, but her smile, up to now, so relaxed and cheerful, had tightened. Could she—like Bliss and Ariafern, disapprove of how Queen Mab forced the affections of the children? She had been the only one in the room, aside from the Tooth Fairy, who had not glared in response to Piper's criticism of the Queen's actions.

"Wanda, I'm having so much fun with Grandpa, but I'm really looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!" Timmy's cheerful voice sounded so reassuring that she wanted to put all other concerns out of her mind and just believe he was happy and safe. "Hehe, it's still so weird to me that all this time is only going to be two hours for you….but you know, I like time running slow like this, like it was at the café—me, you and Grandpa…getting to spend so much time…down to a snails pace…it feels like it'll never run out, you know….?"

"I know, pumpkin, I know…" She smiled gently as he rambled. She knew what he was saying; he wanted time to stop, so he would never have to lose his fairies, his family; he wanted it to stand still in a place where the bullies and his parents and all the pain he faced could not reach him… "Some time, let's go back to the café, alright?"

She saw Nova's ears perk up, and he seemed to struggle to stay focused on grading those papers; she wondered what those papers were?

"Ah! Yes! Grandpa and I made a movie together and it would be great to go there and watch it together!"

"That sounds great, and we can play our game together…." She did not like the idea of leaving the Recovery room, but this was the best way to give Nova false hope….and besides, it would make Timmy happy…

"Nova was telling me that he has plans for you to spend some time with another little boy for a while; do you like that idea?" She asked him, and Timmy wrung his blankets nervously in his hands. "It…would be nice to make some friends, but…I'm not…good at that…"

"Walter's a peach, darling, don't worry your head!" Rosehip reassured, and she tried not to look annoyed at the interruptions to her call. Nova was correct; Timmy had nearly lost all hope of making friends in the human world. It would be wonderful if he could regain enough confidence to realize that there are people who would enjoy spending time with him.

She spoke with Timmy for several long moments after, thankfully with no one else butting in; he told her about how making movies worked in this world, and more about the garden, about the three Appapuffs that Nova apparently had given to him as pets.

"I named them Cinna, Miele and Cream!" Timmy pointed to each one with a innocent smile.

"Oh, but—don't they have their own human names?" She asked, gently—and trying to think of a way to gently chide him about how those critters had once been human and that making them pets was just—wrong, but Timmy giggled brightly.

"Nope! Their sixth generation so they had no names, until now. I named them after their scents, they are all so sweet, I'll take really good care of them!"

Sixth generation….? As soon as she realized what that meant, she felt her body turn cold and a sick feeling settle into the pit of her stomach.

"Is something wrong, Wanda?" Timmy asked, worried.

How could he not understand the implications? That meant…those children who had become Companions were….bred.

"She pigged out on too much cake, hahaha!" Dazzle laughed and threw an arm around her, and whispered into her ear. "Yeah, I felt the same way when I first became a Fey, but… we let our Companions age so, they're all adults…"

She gulped; knowing that the Companions were adults in body and mind did make it a little less nauseating, but only a little.

"Aww, Wanda, don't make yourself sick, ok?" Timmy gave her a concerned look.

"I-I won't…I'll have some tea to settle my stomach…" She forced a smile, but Nova came over now, his expression not revealing his thoughts as he just smiled, without it entirely reaching his eyes.

"Wanda dearest, we should get a reward for Timmy arranged; he's gotten a perfect grade!" Nova held up the paper he had been grading and it materialized in her hands. She looked at Timmy who was leaning forward eagerly, excited to see her react to apparently his 'perfect grade', but in what subject…?

Section one: Multiple choice

1. What is the primary purpose of the Circle of Dreams?

- A) Protection and well-being of magical artifacts

- B) Protection and well-being of Kinders

- C) Teaching young Fey to cast illusions

- D) Keeping the Fey realm hidden from humans

Answer* B) Protection and well-being of Kinders

2. What does Eithne's Circle of Harvests primarily represent?

- A) Battle and conquest

- B) Magical energy and spells

- C) Generosity and the joy of abundance

- D) The control of seasons

Answer* C) Generosity and the joy of abundance

3. The Circle of Waves, ruled by Cliodna, focuses on:

- A) Chaos and destruction through water

- B) Healing through change

- C) Summoning storms for defense

- D) Creating water illusions

Answer* B) Healing through change

4. Which Circle promotes contemplation and insight through calm, reflective waters?

- A) Circle of Flames

- B) Circle of Dreams

- C) Circle of Waves

- D) Circle of Waters

Answer* D) Circle of Waters

5. Fand's Circle of Clouds embodies*

- A) Practical knowledge and grounded wisdom

- B) Mystery and wonder

- C) The art of flight and transformation

- D) Controlling the weather

Answer* B) Mystery and wonder

She couldn't grasp any of the test's references, and was unsettled by how much Timmy had learned about the Fey world during her absence. Frankly, she disliked that Nova had taken it upon himself to educate her godson on such matters, without even consulting her. It reeked of hidden agendas.

Section 2: True or False

1. The Circle of Flames honors creation through sacrifice, focusing on art and craftsmanship.

Answer* True

2. The Fey in the Circle of Swans place value on freedom, love, and romantic exploration as a form of liberation.

Answer* True

3. The Circle of Harvests encourages Fey to be possessive over their resources to prevent sharing with others.

Answer* False

4. Cliodna's Circle of Waves is entirely devoid of any healing properties.

Answer* False

5. In the Circle of Clouds, fog and mist often hide landscapes and secrets, sparking curiosity in visitors.

Answer* True

She felt a deep, bittersweet mixture of pride, sadness, fear, and anxiety. It was nice to see Timmy doing well on a test which he obviously had studied hard for, and knew it would build his self esteem, but—she knew that he hadn't been told to study these concepts and principles merely for culture enrichment—the sharing of this knowledge was yet another form of the mind-games Fey liked to play.

Section 3: Short Answer

1. Explain the primary role of the Circle of Dreams in one or two sentences.

The Circle of Dreams, led by Queen Mab, makes sure the Kinders are safe and happy. It's a place where Kinders can heal and feel taken care of by the Fey. It focuses on the protection and happiness of all human children.

2. Describe one way the Circle of Waves uses water for healing and transformation.

The Circle of Waves has special springs and wells with magic water that can heal wounds and help people feel better. Kinders and Fey who drink or bathe in it feel refreshed and ready for change.

Essay Prompt 1: *Describe how love as liberation is embodied in the Circle of Swans and why it's important for Fey and Kinders.*

The Circle of Swans, believes that love should make you feel free and happy, not trapped. It's important because it shows that you don't have to change who you are or feel stuck when you love someone. In the Circle of Swans, they want Fey and Kinders to know they can be themselves and still have love in their lives. For Kinders who maybe didn't feel free in the past, this is healing because it teaches them that love can be fun and doesn't mean you lose your freedom. It's about growing together but still being who you are.

Essay Prompt 2: Discuss why understanding mystery and wonder, as represented by Fand's Circle of Clouds, is beneficial to those exploring Fey world.

The Circle of Clouds, which is ruled by Fand, teaches how important mystery and wonder are. They make the places all misty and hard to see, so you have to really explore and be curious. This is good because it teaches Fey and Kinders to keep an open mind and not rush to understand everything right away. In the Fey world, things are full of surprises, and it's better to enjoy the mystery sometimes. For Kinders who might be scared or confused by all the new stuff, it helps them see that it's okay to not know everything and just enjoy the adventure. Fand's Circle is like saying, "It's cool to wonder, and you don't need all the answers right now."

It was exactly what she feared; Nova had used this time to subtly mold Timmy's thoughts, teaching him to admire and even romanticize aspects of the Fey realm in the guise of 'learning' him about their world. All of it a ploy to pull him away from the human world and the life he could build for himself there.

The Fey ideals sounded beautiful, and for a kid who's been hurt, left out, and craving a sense of belonging, it could be tempting…too tempting. She could easily see how these enchanting ideas might feel like an answer to his pain, and that worried her deeply.

Timmy was vulnerable, impressionable, and in a state where the promises of the Fey world could easily make him want to stay, throwing away his human life and everything that it could bring him one day, to become a Kinder—an eternal child who could never become anything more than what it was.

This so called 'education' was just a means of showing Timmy how much better his life could be away from the human world, away from the hardship and complexity of being mortal. It was designed not to test his knowledge but to manipulate him.

She had to protect Timmy from being lured into a life that would rob his of his humanity, his chance to grow, love, and live.

Holding the test, she took a deep breath, her determination hardening. She would never let them take her godson away. No matter how alluring the Fey's promises, she'd fight for Timmy—she'd show him that the life he could build for himself would be far better than any life the Fey could offer him—and she'd ensure it, she would not let the extra years Jorgen had promised go to waste….she'd have Timmy grow up beautifully…she'd guide him, make sure he was well-placed on the best path possible, and in the end he'd thank her for not letting him throw everything away to become a Kinder.

To secure her advantage, when the time that they'd stop with the friendly pretense and try to claim Timmy, she needed to engage in their game temporarily, feigning ignorance of their actions—allowing them to underestimate her. She would give them the impression that she was susceptible to manipulation, blind to their agendas, ensuring they continued with their transparent schemes, thinking her foolish-all the while she'd be seeing right through them and thinking of way to evade them.

She plastered on her biggest smile and praised Timmy, pretending that she saw no ulterior motive behind the studies he had been given. "I told you, you were a smart boy! You know more about Fey world than I do!"

"Hehe! I'll tell you everything I learned, Wanda!" Timmy beamed with pride and she was proud of him for his hard work.

"You really do deserve an extra special reward later." She continued to praise him. She could practically see him glow in response to it; praised for an academic achievement—a rare experience.

"Let you and I brainstorm on some ideas for that later." Nova smiled at her, his expression suggesting that he knew she had things to say about the 'education' he had decided to give her godchild without asking.

"Yes, lets…" That would be just one more thing to add to the plentiful list of things she had to 'discuss' with him later.

For now though, she relaxed and allowed herself to listen to Timmy as he cheerfully spoke to her, his voice conveying just how much he had missed her, and that was reassuring.

'Timmy loves me too much to ever be swayed to leave me….'

It was an awful thought, but at least it gave her hope that Timmy would not be lured away by the Fey's promises of eternal happiness, when all they were really offering was eternal escapism.

"Piper, what is that thing running about? It scared Walter half way out of the poor things wits when we arrived!" A voice emerged from the doorway, before the figure did. Thistledust, whom she had met during the tea party, stepped into the room with a deep frown marring his sharp, angular features. His tousled, ash-brown hair fell over his arched brows, his bright teal eyes revealed a stern and serious nature, though his lips showed signs around the mouth that he smiled quite frequently.

"Wait—oh, crap, don't tell me Lilithree got loose!" Without another word Piper sprinted out of the room, leaving several confused Fey in her wake.

"Hey, wait—! Who the heck is Lilithree!?" Glimmer shouted after her and huffed, stomping her foot when she did not get a response.

"I like, did not sense the arrival of, like, anyone new….?"

"Nor did I, darling…"

"That's worrying…" Aelar pulled Edmund a little closer to him, whilst Ariafern gripped Lilybeth's hand.

"I don't know what it is, but I saw it when she brought it back. She said, it's a Kinderkin that's apparently it's so long in its generation that it's basically a part of the world and is giving off the same signature." The Tooth fairy responded, and she shuddered, remembering how she had passed out at the sight of that monsterous thing.

"Oooh, its just a Kinderkin!" Glimmer breathed out in relief. "I thought it was some kinda new kidnapping tactic…."

"Glimmer, watch your tongue." Thistledust scolded as the three Kinder in the room released simultaneous whimpers. "It is good it's not a kidnapper, but, that Kinderkin did not look like any of the kind I have seen before—of course, I never saw one older then 9th generation."

"Kinderkins are children born to Kinders." Dazzle explained to her helpfully. "You see, in other Circles, Kinders are allowed to grow up and have children with each other."

"…." She did not want to think about it, let alone comment on it.

"Well, I hope Piper and Nova will decide what to do with her; our Ring is no place for Kinderkins," Thistledust declared dispassionately. She pondered why he seemed to disapprove so strongly of Kinderkin, especially if they were simply the 'children' of adult Kinders.

"I feel sorry for it, if a peddler dropped her off, but Queen Mab's Circle is no place for Kinderkin…." Rosehip agreed with a sigh, setting down on a chair. "I swear, the Fair-Folk are so irresponsible!"

"Fair-folk? Peddler?" She questioned, and Nova made an uncomfortable noise from where their video message was still playing.

"Wanda, dear, let's not get into those subjects now; I can give you lessons about our world, just like I've done with Timmy, if you'd like?" Nova offered; she had a feeling these lessons would delve into subjects different from the ones given Timmy.

"Alright. That sounds good." She agreed to it; not only would it make her seem interested in Fey world, but it would aid her with useful information about the world and things she might have to protect Timmy from.

"It is good to arm yourself with knowledge; it is the best way to keep those you love safe—if given the proper knowledge, even a fairy like you would have known to show Queen Mab the proper gratitude for the blessing she bestowed upon your godson."

"…Well, forgive my ignorance." She intoned, unable to stop herself from using sarcasm.

"Thistledust is as devoted to Queen Mab as I am," Nova said apologetically before addressing Thistledust. "Please, don't be rude to my daughter-in-law. Remember—Fairy World prohibits knowledge of the Fey world and portrays us as dangerous and unpredictable. Don't hold her behavior against her; it's not her fault she was unaware."

"Yes of course." Thistledust smiled softly and then lightly bowed his head in her direction. "Your eagerness to educate yourself and learn about our world already distinguishes you from the Fair-Folk. I do hope that your Timmy and my Walter can develop a strong and beneficial friendship."

"Oh, yes, me too…" She was surprised as his critical demeanor changed and he became rather pleasant; shifting his attitude as quickly as the forest breeze.

"Fair-Folk are what we call the fairies who come to our world after reaching a million years old. The majority of them like to think their different from the rest of us Fey and behave as though their morally superior. They segregate themselves away from the rest of us, and refuse to follow our culture and traditions as they pretend their still in Fairy World." Dazzle explained with a offended huff.

"Ooh, I see…" It was no surprise with how Fey were viewed in fairy world that the fairies who decided to become Fey upon reaching a million years old would like to view themselves as being different from the rest of them, and there was little surprise that such an attitude would be insulting. "Just assuming things about people without even trying to learn is very ignorant."

She hoped that she sounded sincere…..normally, she would be, but in this case…the deeds of the Fey and how they treated humans, especially children, were exceedingly well known. You did not need to stick your hand in fire to know it was hot, after all.

"Yeah! It's good to learn about new stuff!" Timmy chimed in enthusiastically. "Wanda and I promised to learn all kinds of new stuff by going to all sorts of new places and trying new foods together!"

"Yes, Timmy, that's exactly right—cultural enrichment is beneficial in both the human and Fey worlds." She was grateful for Timmy's input because, truthfully, if she had arrived here at a million years old, with all she had heard and witnessed, she would prefer to remain in an area designed to resemble her own home world, encircled by those who were once fairies like herself; those who, hopefully, had not been influenced by the wider Fey world and had remained faithful to their original selves before merging with their counterparts. She felt as if these feelings would have been seen through immediately had she continued speaking.

"He's a good boy," Thistledust stated approvingly and looked at the child in his arms. "He will be a good friend for you."

"Hm!" The child, Walter, nodded, and she examined him, wondering if such a friendship would truly be good for Timmy. He really could use some friends…

Thistledust and Walter made quite a visual pair; the Fey was dressed in attire that was both elegant and practical. A forest-green shirt of soft fabric clung to his slender frame beneath a leather vest, embroidered with swirling patterns that mimicked the winding of ivy. Around his waist, crisscrossing belts held pouches that jingled softly with charms shaped like acorns and feathers. His pants were dark and snug, reinforced at the knees with patchwork stitching, suggesting countless travels through rough terrain. Below, supple leather boots, adorned with leaf-shaped etchings, hugged his calves just below the knee.

Then there was Walter, perched quietly on the bend of Thistledust's arm; his round, glassy eyes held both childish innocence and wisdom gathered from living for many centuries. The boy looked as though he had sprung directly from the forest floor—his wild, tangled hair bursting with mushrooms of every shape and color, from tiny scarlet caps to lavender stalks that bobbed gently as he moved. The boy's skin was a warm, earthen brown, streaked with subtle textures like woodgrain, and moss clung to his shoulders and limbs as though the forest had claimed him as one of its own.

His clothes were an extension of this woodland life, as if nature itself had dressed him. A tunic made from bark-like fabric clung to his small frame, its seams sprouting tufts of moss and tiny mushroom caps that swayed gently with his movements. Loose sleeves ended in drooping cuffs, reminiscent of wilted fungal caps, hiding his small hands within. He wore pants stitched together from leaves and petals, cinched at the ankles with twine, their patchwork pattern blending seamlessly with the forest floor. His feet were bare except for soft moccasins, the edges frayed and speckled with bits of lichen and soil. Around his wrists, wooden beads clinked softly, and a thin belt decorated with pinecones and dangling mushroom charms swayed as he shifted his weight. Walter seemed almost unaware of himself, as if he was more plant than boy—rooted, waiting, dreaming.

These two figures, though so different, belonged to the same world—the forest world, where whimsy and magic intertwined with the everyday. One, sharp and agile like a breeze stirring the treetops. The other, slow and dreamlike, as though growing slowly toward some unseen sun. Together, they seemed less like travelers passing through the woods and more like pieces of it, woven into its very fabric—and from them she was surprised at the bond she sensed, as if they were an extension of each other—plants grown from the same root.

Timmy stared at Walter from the television screen and Walter waved back at him, getting a shy smile in return.

"If you both would like to watch over their playtime together, I can arrange for a video recording—I have no doubt Thistledust would love to keep a record of the memory, and watching the proceedings would put you at ease, would it not Wanda?"

"Oh, of course it would, but—-" She frowned, confused. "But…how could I watch? I mean…in your time, hours and hours are passing in the time frame of minutes….NO! Wait! Forget I asked—!"

It was too late, Gizmo hopped up to her feet, expression shining. "What you'll be seeing is actually a highly compressed visual stream of events, translated by a magic-enhanced perceptual algorithm. Think of it like data compression on a computer, but on a massive scale. Instead of capturing every single frame, the video is encoding just the essential information—moments, colors, movements, sound waves—in a condensed form that's practically a 'skeleton' of the original events. Then, there's a spell known as a 'Temporal-Cognitive Resonance Filter.' This filter works by interfacing with your brain's temporal processing regions, effectively 'stretching' your perception of each frame to—"

Thistledust sighed aloud and made a zipping motion across his lips, effectively zipping Gizmo's mouth shut. "The video we will view is playing at an incredibly high speed, yet there's a magical filter at work that decelerates the information in your mind, making it appear as though you're watching a normal video. This is how you're able to observe events that unfold over several hours in just a few minutes."

Gizmo growled and unzipped her lips. "Like, that might explain things simply, but like, takes all the fun out of it—party pooper!"

"More like it takes all the headache out of it." Rosehip sighed loudly, putting her fingers to her temple. "Seriously, our brains have still not recovered from your last explanation."

Timmy giggled. "Jimmy Neutron would love to talk to her!"

"Oh yes! I remember now, Stella mentioned that you made friends from another dimension!" Nova's expression brightened, as if with the hope that Timmy really did still have friends.

"I did much enjoy the tales involving Jimmy and the others! What fate befell them, I pray? Art they yet thy companions, good Timmy?" Walter questioned, speaking directly to Timmy.

She put her head down, feeling sad—it was a subject she tried not to bring up, but Timmy did not seem bothered about being asked and just gave a fragile smile.

"…Yeah; I guess you can say, their still my friends; they did not turn their backs on me like my other friends, but…. their universe wasn't affected by my secret wish so time in their universe moved normally..., so they're all—-old now."

When they had noticed Jimmy and the rest of the Retroville gang were getting older, while Timmy stayed ten, they had really just thought that time passed differently between their worlds. Jimmy must've of known better, given how smart he was…and he had done what he felt a good friend would do, by keeping Timmy's secret...though even to this day, he claimed not to believe in magic.

Jimmy and the rest had never betrayed Timmy, and they had stayed friends with him, but in the way, an adult would be friends with a child…no longer playmates… and now Jimmy was over sixty years old...he treated Timmy more like one of his grandchildren, than a friend he had once went on adventures with.

"…They all had good lives though; Jimmy and Cindy married and divorced at least sixth times. Their currently married again, but who knows for how long? But, no matter how many times they break up, they end up gravitating back to each other. Jimmy grew up to win noble prizes and invent all kinds of life changing inventions and discovered tons of amazing new breakthroughs. Cindy grew up to be in medicine. She discovered cures for four different kinds of cancer! They have five grandkids. They're all super smart…though I'm convinced that the baby is building a bomb. Sheen and Libby are married, Sheen became a model and Libby a talent agent; they had adorable triplet girls, and each of them had octuplets so, their house is FULL every holiday! Carl never married…but he runs a Lama farm…and all the Lamas are named Judy…after his one and only love…."

"Which would be sweet if that wasn't Jimmy's mother…." She added—each of those, had a happy future and even as elderly seniors they were kind to Timmy….

Walter laughed. "Marry, 'tis wondrous! Ne'er have I heard of children growing to find joy in their years! I am right glad for them!"

"It can happen, but it's rare." Thistledust kissed one of the mushrooms on Walter's head. "But I bet that's made you happy to learn how the Neutron stories end; you always loved those stories best…and then they just suddenly stopped."

"Yea, I am full glad they did all live ever after in bliss!" Walter spoke so innocently that it tugged at her heart.

"Me too…." Timmy admitted. "It was sad seeing them age and outgrow me, but….I'm glad they all grew up to be happy!"

Nova's expression was quiet and his true feelings not discernable even when he spoke. "While it is a relief that those kids weren't damaged by adult poison, let us now turn our attention to nurturing a fresh friendship! I have a variety of entertaining activities lined up for the two of you to delight in."

His tone was dismissive, like he did not even want to contemplate the idea that children who had been allowed to grow into adults could possibly find happiness.

"Isn't that nice, Walter? You get some special play time with Timmy."

"Glad am I, truly, yet I do feel great sorrow for Kieran. He wouldst be full merry to stand in mine stead, for he hath longed much to meet him. Guilt doth weigh upon me, to be chosen o'er him for this… 'tis grievous indeed to leave him unbidden." Walter looked over at a sulking Edmund and pouting Lilybeth. "Edmund and Lilybeth, likewise, seem full sorrowful; they, too, would fain join in the play. Am I, in sooth, the one who ought be granted this wondrous chance above all others?"

"Now don't feel that way. Nova decided on this for a good reason. Timmy is a really sick little boy right now, and Kieran, bless his little heart, gets overly excited. Edmund and Lilybeth, too, are more of the energetic and rambunctious type. You, on the other hand, are a such a calm, and empathetic little boy—Timmy will have a good play-time with you."

"Edmund, Lilybeth, you two will get your turn, eventually." Nova chided them affectionately and tucked an arm around Timmy. "Come in, Walter, we'll have a good playtime."

The video abruptly cut off, causing the door to the relaxation room to swing open and beckon Walter inside. Beyond the door, she caught a glimpse of the recovery room and noticed Timmy sitting in bed. As she observed him, a wide grin spread across his face when he saw her and he eagerly waved his little hand to greet her. This heartfelt gesture, not through a screen but in person, tugged at her heartstrings. In that fleeting moment, she entertained the idea of abandoning her façade completely. She yearned to rush into the room before the door closed, eager to be reunited with Timmy. However, summoning every ounce of willpower she possessed, she resisted the urge.

If she did, her efforts would be ruined. Any trust she had gained would drop to zero and, likely, the door would shut before she could even reach it. This was like a lure being dangled in front of her, a test where she was being graded by her reactions. She couldn't afford to fail it. However, it was painful for her to just sit there and watch as the door leading her back to Timmy closed.