Chapter 55: Playdate part 2
-Jorgen's POV-
"You've been doing lots of back and forth between here and the Fey realm," said the turquoise member of the fairy council, his sharp eyes narrowing as he peered down at him from the podium. The council's four members, clad in robes of distinct shimmering hues, loved to perch there, wielding their authority like a hammer over the Fairy World.
"The godmother performing the treatment has an anxious family waiting back home," He explained, keeping his tone neutral. He had been trying to rest up, on his wife's orders, only to suddenly get called back in front of the council, even though he had already explained everything he should have needed to. "As I have informed you, she's stuck there for a while because of Turner's complications."
"Letters delivered the usual way should suffice," the turquoise fairy said, leaning forward slightly. "Unless, of course, you're allowing… uncensored materials?"
"Perish the thought," He replied briskly, though his mind flitted back to the video-letters he had recorded. Nothing in them would typically fail the usual censorship—except maybe Timmy's cheerful descriptions of Fey hospitality. And, of course, the recording of the Heart-Soul dancing, which would certainly not have made it pass the censors. "I know how dangerous the Fey are and how important it is to avoid letting the—wrong—information get out."
"After all," the turquoise fairy continued, a cruel smile playing at his lips, "there is nothing we can do to stop fairies from rejoining their other halves once they reach one million… but we can discourage that choice."
He clicked his tongue, averting his gaze to the floor. "I doubt Wanda will leave there with a good impression of the Fey. Anything positive about that world said in those videos is solely to reassure her son. Once the treatment is over, she will set him straight about the Fey."
"It is still unusually indulgent for you to make such efforts," the turquoise fairy pressed, his fingers tightening on the wooden edge of the podium. "You're not up to anything… are you?"
"No." He cleared his throat, keeping his response curt. Any more words might betray him. "Wanda's toddler needs more than letters for comfort. Poof wouldn't be soothed by mere words. He needs to see his mother and godbrother with his own eyes. You know how unpredictable fairy-baby magic can get when they're upset."
"Yes, the fairy baby needs comfort," the turquoise member scoffed. "The one who wouldn't have been born if you hadn't been so clumsy with Da Rules."
He gritted his teeth, anger flaring at the memory. The council had been furious about Poof's birth. Officially, their objections were pragmatic, but he had long suspected hidden motives. They had tried to erase Poof during the Secret Wish debacle and were on the brink of resetting the human world entirely when they inexplicably changed their minds. Whether Timmy's love for his godparents had truly touched their hearts or there had been some unknown snag in their plans, Jorgen could only speculate.
The council's whims were as unpredictable as they were terrifying. They wielded the power to rewrite destinies and erase lives, and did so as casually as someone switching their regular café order.
Every fairy lived in dread of the council declaring their world "dead-ended" and resetting it making everything accomplished so far in that world as if it had never happened at all. All the god children who had grown up to be successful, happy, or just good, average people would have everything undone.
The god parents couldn't even hope to re-do things, and bring those god children back to where they had left off-as souls were placed in bodies at random when the world was reset; those god children they had so loved and nurtured would never be found again.
For instance, if the world got re-set, the Timmy Turner of that new world would probably not have the same soul as the Timmy Turner of this one, and therefore would be a completely different person, albeit one with the same face. Wanda and Cosmo could god parent that 'Timmy' but he wouldn't be 'their' Timmy.
Growing up in the same environment could cause that version of Turner to have things in common with the current Timmy, but he would, at his core, be a completely different person, and as for their Timmy-who knows? His soul could end up born as a little boy in the year 3015, or maybe as a little girl in the year 1512.
Except in cases where the council took care to place certain souls in certain bodies; the person, place, and time periods were all randomized. There was just no way to know who got reborn as who when the world got re-set. He knew some of the Fey could see past reincarnations, but this wasn't the same thing as being reincarnated. That happened when a human died and was reborn as a new life, but when the world got re-set all souls got tore from their bodies, and were placed inside of human vessels completely at random.
...Like someone clearing a chess board and setting it up again.
But to the Fairy Council, Earth was one huge chess board, and human lives just a bunch of pieces to play with.
During one reset, Mama Cosma and Nova had tried to reunite with a reborn Julian. The body was the same, but the soul was different, and with it, the personality. Their beloved Julian was gone, reborn into an unknown body in an unknown time. The council claimed resets aimed to match souls with "perfect containers," and that each human would be reborn into random bodies until the perfect container for them was found, but the logic behind their choices was inscrutable and often cruel. Why else would they preserve the masterminds of history's worst atrocities?
"And how long will the Turner child need treatments?" asked the light blue member, his voice as frosty as his robe.
"Turner's condition is complicated," He said, repeating the carefully crafted explanation he'd given before. "His godfather's revival magic interacted poorly with an unknown heart condition, displacing his Heart-Soul. They've never encountered anything like it, so it requires a delicate, time-consuming approach."
He avoided mentioning the truth: that Timmy's soul was entirely new, or that his bond with Wanda had reached a level that could make him an Angel. The council had no need to know about Cosmo's mistake, which had left Timmy's organs aged despite his outward youth. Nor would they hear about the Fey world's role in purifying the trapped magic within his heart. The council's response to such revelations was too unpredictable, too dangerous.
"I do hope you're telling us everything," the pink-robed member said, stroking his chin. "You know what happens to your dear Nana Boom Boom if you act against our will…"
His fists clenched. Half-humans like him and his Nana suffered pain far more acutely than full fairies. A machete to the spleen might be a mere inconvenience to most fairies, but for half-humans, it was agony—agony the council wouldn't hesitate to inflict. They had shown him their willingness to punish his grandmother for his insubordination when he tried to insist that they tell him who and where Jullian had been reborn, so that Nova and Stella could heal their hearts and regrets. But they refused—and they were the only ones who knew how to locate souls.
If they had only allowed Nova to reunite and make things right by Jullian, and then Julia… he would never have become head of a trafficking ring, and those 200-plus souls claimed by the Fey wouldn't have been forever lost to the human world!
"I hope ye did," the member wearing light blue sneered. "Because dear Nana Boom Boom is a lot older now. Ye wouldn't be wanting to make her suffer for your disobedience."
"…Of course…if that's not enough of a threat…" The pink member spoke with sadistic delight. "We might decide it's time for the Tooth Fairies' retirement, bring a fresh face to the tooth-collecting scene. I think her cousin Enamelia would be a good fit…."
"Don't!" he protested. "I've told you everything, I swear! It's the Von Strangle family that is in your debt, so please, leave my wife out of your threats!"
"By the way, your wife has gone to the Fey world earlier to drop off some articles for the Turner child," the pink member stated with open mockery.
"She did what?!" His face flushed with fury, a chill of terror coursing through him. He had explicitly told Tannfe to stay away from the Fey world. That she had defied him was one thing; that the council had let her go was another. "You let her?"
"Of course," the turquoise member said with a chuckle. "Fairy law permits spouses to assist their partners. Surely you remember that?"
It was a rule he, himself had implemented to ease the burden on overworked fairies. Now it was being used against him.
"But you know how dangerous it is there!" He protested. "Tannfe… she's…"
His wife's fiery spirit, the very quality he adored in her, was ill-suited to the Fey world. Her strong convictions and boldness, admirable though they were, could easily lead her into trouble with the Fey, who took great offense to their opinions being argued against.
"No need to fret," the turquoise member said, waving a hand dismissively. "She'll make it back on her own. And perhaps she'll bring us news to verify your claims that you've truly told us everything."
His heart sank. As much as he feared that she might return and inadvertently reveal to the council that he had held back information, his main concern now was that Tannfe's boldness wouldn't put her at odds with Nova. The Nova she had once known was long gone, burned away in the same fire that had claimed Jullian and Julia.
-Timmy's POV-
"Choo! Choo! Boys!" Nova hollered from the engine car of the small train he had made that drove around the garden, called the 8-bit express, it was dedicated to the NES games he and Walter had poured over together. The front engine where Nova drove was shaped like a giant NES controller, complete with oversized A and B buttons and a directional pad. The smokestack resembled a pixelated Mario pipe, puffing out "smoke" that occasionally formed pixel-like squares.
"Choo Choo!" He and Walter chimed from their position inside the first car. Brightly painted with green pipes, Goombas, and Koopa Troopas running along the exterior. Inside, the seats resembled mushroom caps, and were plush and comfortable; a little pixel fire ball was positioned over his seat, keeping him warm and toasty where he sat dressed in cozy Pink-Yoshi themed pajamas and wrapped in a fluffy blanket with power up stars. A tiny little speaker played the iconic Mario theme music at a low volume, loud enough to listen to but not so loud as to impede conversation.
When he had awoken from his nap, he had been greeted with wide smiles from Nova and Walter, and a rush of brand new emotions. The Blooming, a peculiar phenomenon, enveloped his senses, making his head and thoughts feel dream-like and hazy. He could feel everything so much more strongly now, but strangely, negative thoughts and feelings seemed to be trapped, unable to manifest completely, like grains caught in a sieve.
As he looked out at the flowers passing by, their colors appeared vivid and vibrant, and the gentle breeze rustling their petals evoked a strange sensation within him, as if he could be entranced by their beauty if he stared for too long. Before he'd just register flowers as being 'there' or thought 'they look nice,' but now they seemed to captivate him.
A part of him even felt like writing a poem as he admired them; and he did not like poems, or writing-heck, he had never even wrote a poem before! It was so strange...and yet, he wasn't afraid at all...
The train moved slowly but steadily, creating a soothing rhythm that added to the floaty feeling in his mind. His ideas flowed freely, as if a floodgate had been opened. The unexpected outing for fresh air, courtesy of Nova and Walter, had involved playing the baby game, which had initially caused some embarrassment. However, Walter's non-judgmental attitude had made him feel a deep connection, almost like he was a trusted and protective older brother he had known for many years.
Despite the rapid development of this newfound bond, he didn't have the mental capacity to dwell on it even though he knew it was strange. His mind remained in a haze, feeling light and airy, as if his heart and mind were absorbing the emotions swirling around him, becoming a part of him. Nova had reassured him that these sensations were common during the Blooming, advising him not to overthink it. Ultimately, what mattered most was the outcome—the overwhelming joy the experience brought him and the unbreakable friendship that had blossomed from it.
It felt so nice to say he had made a friend….so he did not care if he was feeling as close as he was to Walter because 'he was Blooming', what mattered was that Walter seemed to like him—at least for now.
He would need to be very careful not to do something that would lead to him growing tired of him like AJ had because he wasn't smart enough, or abandoning him like Chester had because he wasn't good enough, or insulting him like he had Sanjay—though he hadn't meant to…he really had tried to turn him down as nicely as possible, or causing him trouble like he had Elmer…
"It'll be fun to tour the entire garden, won't it? And Grandpa really came up with a good way to do it." He turned to Walter, who wiggled excitedly in his seat as the train started moving through the garden. This time he'd make sure to be really considerate; he'd always make sure he was doing what his friends wanted to do, he'd be more attentive to their feelings, he'd make sure he was never selfish. He'd have to be careful because a lot of the things he had done wrong with his other friends, he hadn't even realized he was doing wrong at the time.
"This is fun, right?" He checked; he did not want to accidently do anything inconsiderate again. Like, that time when he had wished himself up big birthday party when he had turned eleven, and wished that all his friends would be there. He had wished up the most fun party he could think of, wishing for a bunch of things he thought they'd enjoy, but...they had spent the whole time griping about how they had to give up certain things they had really wanted to do, in order to be at his party; AJ a tour of some science lab, Chester an all you can eat macaroni dinner, Sanjay some kind of Library club duty-thing and Elmer a nasal convention.
Eventually he had unwished his party, and wished that his friends had spent the day doing the things they had wanted to do. This was just one of the many times he had been a selfish, inconsiderate, bad friend-and, being as he was, he had, for the longest time thought they had been in the wrong...but...
That Christmas had opened his eyes; he was the bad one, everyone else was good.
He had to try harder not to make the same mistakes and be a much better friend...a much better person.
"Yea, 'twas most kind of thee to propose taking me forth to behold the garden!" Walter confirmed; he had said that the garden looked interesting and so he had suggested they take a tour together and then Nova came up with the 8-bit express and piled he, Walter and all the companions on it.
It seemed he had done right; his new friend was enjoying himself.
He and Walter were in the first car, The baby Appapuffs and Ginnie road in the second car designed like a dungeon from the Legend of Zelda games with faux torches, pixelated rupee designs on the walls and a golden Triforce glowing on the ceiling.
Hector rode in the Duck Hunt car, adorned with pixelated ducks, and that infamous hunting dog would magically jump between the walls of the cabin with its various poses, including that obnoxious laugh whenever you missed.
Billy was in the Mega Man car, which featured a metallic blue exterior with images of robot bosses. Inside, LED lights simulated a power-up bar along the walls and finally Freddy and Maria were in the Tetris Car. That one was covered in colorful, falling block patterns. The seats formed interlocking shapes, and the floor was designed like a Tetris grid.
He smiled, feeling a sense of happiness envelop him….this train had so many friends on it…the Companions and Walter….back home, aside from his fairies, he only had Mark Chang left to call a friend.
"Our garden tour begins at the outdoor plaza. The vast garden offers plenty of room for leisure activities or peaceful endeavors like sunbathing, reading, and admiring the floral arrangements. It's adorned with charming pink flowers of every species." Nova assumed the role of a tour guide, projecting his voice without a microphone, likely using some form of magic to be heard over the noise of the train. He was smiling, clearly enjoying himself immensely. "Encircling the Pavilion, a perfectly charming spot to dine, are Wanda's favorite flower, peonies, blooms of unparalleled beauty. One might even call this the Peony Pavilion," Nova chuckled, treating it as a jest.
He glanced at Walter to check if the boy caught the allusion, but Walter just shrugged and shook his head.
Nova sighed at their lack of understanding and revealed with a faint laugh. "Peony Pavilion" is the title of a renowned Chinese play that tells the story of a maiden who, after strolling in the garden, falls asleep in the peony pavilion and dreams of a dashing young scholar. Upon awakening, she is so stricken with lovesickness that she begins to pine away. With her remaining strength, she paints a self-portrait, believing that the scholar from her dream will one-day visit the pavilion and fall in love with her likeness as she did with his. In a twist of fate, the scholar does indeed visit the pavilion, and upon discovering the portrait, he falls deeply in love with the image of the maiden, a love so powerful that it resurrects her. It's a profoundly romantic tale. If you wish, I could arrange for you both to see the play sometime."
"Fie, such sentiment doth not suit mine own tastes." Walter said, wrinkling his nose, and he made a mental note—Walter disliked romantic stories, so he would be cautious not to mention that genre or suggest such movies to him. He had made AJ mad when he had kept speaking about H.P Lovecraft stuff; but he really had thought he'd enjoy it, since he liked science fiction so much, or...at least he used to.
AJ had furiously berated him for assuming he still enjoyed 'kid shows like Crash Nebula' without considering his current preferences when he had bought him a Crash Nebula figure for his eleventh birthday.
Instead of apologizing he had defended himself 'well, how am I supposed to know you don't like it anymore if you did not say anything?' to which AJ, and AJ's other friends, and his parents all accused him of being insensitive for not paying attention to AJ's changing interests or taking the time to understand him better. According to AJ "at eleven anyone with any sense of maturity would have moved on from such 'juvenile tastes' and then AJ had given the action figure back to him to keep, making everyone laugh at him...
"Yeah, that sounds a little silly, dying of lovesickness." He remarked, though he actually thought that loving someone so much that you pined away and died for them was actually really romantic, and loving someone so much you were able to bring them back to life? That would actually be amazing….he'd love to have a romance like that with Trixie!
Walter giggled and helped fluff up his pillow as he lounged weakly against the plush seat. "But ne'er have I felt romantic stirrings for any soul, so perchance I grasp it not. Yet thy love for Trixie is famed indeed, as told in Aunt Stella's missives."
His cheeked reddened, and he couldn't help but wonder if Walter was a mind reader. "W-well, yeah, but if someone could die from lovesickness, Trixie would've had me dead a thousand times over."
"Aye, Thistledust once spake unto me that love bringeth pain—he claimed 'tis like a blade that cleaveth the heart. So quoth he when Melika did refuse his suit." Walter impishly looked up at the video camera that was flying around recording their playdate in order to show Wanda and the aforementioned Thistledust. "In sooth, I was glad when she did, for I desired not to share him. Yet... methinks he should make another attempt. Thou seest, she was heavy with sorrow, for her beloved Kinderkin had but recently departed and she was deep in mourning…"
"So his timing was waaay off…."
"Verily. Yet, after but one refusal, he ne'er sought her favor again. Methinks he truly should make another endeavor." Walter stared intently at the camera.
"Aww, he's got to keep it up! I mean, I got rejected by Trixie 10,257 times since I started asking her out in kindergarten."
"That would signify..." Walter began counting on his fingers, but furrowed his brows and tried recounting a few times before Nova chuckled.
"Over a seven-year period, from age five to twelve, he endured a daily average of four rejections."
"Yes, but I had frozen the time line for fifty years so—-"
"If so, the interval would be bi-daily."
"Not as bad…" He defended, and Walter burst into giggles.
"Aww! Dost thou hear, Thistle? Thou must needs put forth at least so much effort, aye?"
"I must insist that you refrain from tormenting poor Thistledust, you mischievous little mushroom cap," Nova chided, while chuckling. "If he were to make such proposals to our dear Melika with such frequency, she'd be likely to unleash a giant swarm of bees upon him."
"Else she would set Kieran upon him. Oh, Timmy, I trow thou wouldst greatly delight in Kieran. He is such a frolicsome pup, and he doth love the tales of Timmy most dearly!"
"Yeah, but…what if he's disappointed? I'm not like how I was in those stories anymore," He murmured, glancing away.
Walter's smile didn't waver. "Kieran is a goodly lad—he would comprehend. All here have weathered trials aplenty; they ken it well. And thou art most wondrous just as thou art." He gave his shoulder a firm pat, his small hand surprisingly steady.
He feared speaking in case he took one of those weird crying fits so, with heated cheeks, he smiled and nodded, gazing out the train windows as the 8-bit express tugged along multicolored tracks.
The train reached the end of the flower-filled path, and the Ferris wheel began coming into view. It was a breathtaking sight, a towering structure adorned with vibrant, colorful lights that twinkled like a constellation against the dusky sky. Its flower-carriage-like cars were painted in soft pastels, each one shaped like a delicate petal, forming a whimsical bouquet when viewed from a distance. The wheel itself was framed with intricate floral patterns, vines twisting and curling along its spokes as if it had been plucked from an enchanted garden.
From below, it resembled a giant flower basket, the base wrapped in a lattice of glowing greenery, with tiny, luminescent blossoms spilling over the edges. The air was alive with the mingling scents of roses, lavender, and peony, carried on a gentle breeze. As the wheel turned, it seemed to sway ever so slightly, its motion graceful and hypnotic, like a flower dancing in the wind.
"Such a great ferries wheel!" Walter marveled, leaning his small body out the window as they arrived at the end of the end of the long path going up from the plaza and arrived at the ferries wheel. "But the grandest I have ever beheld lieth in Tur na Siomha."
He strained his memory, knowing he had heard the name before, but couldn't place it, probably because Nova had switched to using the English translation during their lessons or maybe….he just wasn't very smart or good at studying—-despite how well he had done in the test Nova had given him.
"That would be the Tower of Mysteries, my boy!" Nova hollered back to him with a genuine smile to his tone.
"Oh yes, now I know!" He smiled as the memory came back to mind. "It's the place that's dedicated to fog and mysteries and stuff, right?"
"That is correct Timmy, and yes Walter, it is indeed the largest Ferries Wheel in all of Fey world! It is 700,000 feet, that is over 100x the size of the earth's largest ferries wheel, the Dubai eye, and takes 26.5 days to do one full rotation."
"Whoa!?" He gasped and looked at Walter, amazed. "Did you ride that?"
"Aye, Thistledust did take me on a tour of all Queen Aine's and Queen Danu's Wreaths. On certain occasions, I have even been bidden to areas within Queen Nicnevin's and Queen Cailleach's realms." Walter looked proud.
"Wow, you must have seen so much!" He was awed. "And the view from 700,000 feet must be amazing!"
"Regions beneath Queen Fand's rule are thick with fog, thus not truly." Walter laughed.
Puzzled, he wondered what was the point of a ferries wheel that offered no view, especially one that took so long to ride, but was scared to ask least he accidentally insult something Walter liked—like the time when he had laughed at the commercial advertising a new super hero show that stared heros based on cleaning products, unaware Elmer was a fan…he hadn't even noticed that he had hurt his feelings until he had caught Elmer stuffing his memorabilia in his closet the next time he came over. Elmer's parents called his to complain about how he was 'making their son sad', and their other friends had also told him how terrible he had been for being so 'insensitive', 'thoughtless' and 'inconsiderate.' Just yet another example of how bad of a friend he was….
Feeling a tightening in his stomach as he recalled the awkwardness and guilt he felt when Elmer ashamedly admitted to liking the 'The Clean-Up Crew', and everyone's anger at him… he choose his next words carefully.
"…It must have been…an experience…." He tried; with Elmer he had attempted to fake an interest in learning about the Clean-Up Crew but as Elmer went into the details of the adventures of Captain Scrub, Mopster, Lady Lysol and the Dust Devil vs the nefarious Dr. Stain he had ended up falling asleep and upsetting his friend even further. Last thing he wanted to do was nod off if Walter decided to tell him what over twenty days of viewing fog from different heights had been like.
"'Tis was…." Walter paused dramatically. "Monotonous. Tediously so! They say 'tis for the sake of meditation, but—I found myself constantly succumbing to slumber!"
Relieved, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. "I was kinda thinking that, that would probably be what I'd end up doing! I'm not good at meditating either…"
"When Queen Fand inquired how I found the wheel, I was at a loss! To deceive the Fey is grievous indeed—'tis a most hated offense among them." Walter widened his already large eyes for emphases. "—But I knew that speaking truthfully would surely offend, so I told her that 'it allowed me to picture many images in my mind,' which was no falsehood, for I slept so much that I dreamt up a great many things."
"At least you had Thistledust to talk to during it, right?"
"Ah, nay, 'tis a rule that one must ride it alone, so 'twas an unbearably dull experience—just fog, fog, and more fog, with slumber being the sole escape."
"….That is kind of like how I felt when one of my friends—er—former friends, tried to tell me about a show called the Clean-Up crew, I really tried to take an interest but it was so boring and lame….."
"Oh, I beheld that show whilst perusing the human world's network—"
His stomach clenched, and he began to mumble an apology when Walter snickered.
"I... knew not that such a show could have a fan! No offense to thy former friend, but 'twas naught but tedium! I adore superhero tales, yet that was—like a advert for cleaning wares!"
"I know!" He laughed more out of relief than humor. "It's so lame that I honestly thought it was supposed to be a parody. I mean, I could have watched it if it were a parody meant to be super lame for comedic reasons, but it took itself so seriously!"
"When the grime gets tough, the tough get scrubbing!" Walter quoted, miming the pose of Captain Scrub kneeling on one knee with a one hand held dramatically towards the sky. He withheld his surprise that he could speak 'normal' English apparently when quoting things, but remembering how Nova told him how sensitive he was over the way he spoke, stopped himself from commenting on it.
"Haha, all you need is the massive brush and the soap bubble crown!" He chuckled, positioning one arm behind his head to form a 'V', and stretched out his other arm, fingers splayed, as he imitated the character Dust Devil. Supposedly the 'cool' anti-hero of the group, Dust Devil was known for the cringiest lines. "Time to dust you off the face of the Earth!" he mocked. Exchanging looks with Walter, they grinned and recited together, copying the corny character poses.
"Cleanliness is next to heroism!"
They burst into laughter. It had been so long since he had laughed with another kid….even though he was weak, and tired, he was having so much fun!
"I do, in truth, enjoy superhero shows, however." Walter admitted as his laughter subsided. "'Tis truly fascinating how humans have shifted from fearing those with special powers to revering them as idols."
"I wouldn't say that. It's because they're fictional that people are so open to it—-If someone with those powers appeared in real life, people might get freaked out."
Walter looked fascinated. "Thou hast a point, Timmy! In many of those superhero tales, the main character doth oft face persecution for their difference or a longing to be naught but normal; yet... superhero shows are the fantasy of many, are they not? 'Tis so... contradictory and perplexing... they openly acknowledge the pain, isolation, and wrongness of mistreating others for their differences, and yet, still they do so?"
He sighed, having been on the receiving end of being mistreated for being different. "I do not know, really…it's just like with bullying; people everywhere will say it is wrong, and speak out against it—but then they'll bully someone else and justify it as 'they deserved it', or they'll laugh at someone else being bullied because it's funny, or they'll all dog-pile on one person they don't even know the name of, making all kinds of horrible internet memes and—-" He stopped himself as Walter gently patted his shoulder and he put his head down, wringing his hands. "Ahem…well, anyway….people are weird like that."
"Humanity, indeed, doth appear most tangled… I have never dwelt in the human realm to experience it firsthand, but 'tis clear it requires great strength to navigate. From all I've gathered from the tales of other Kinder, I find myself pondering how any soul could grow amidst such hardship."
"Yeah... it's easy to get crushed, but—some people actually grow... like Jimmy, Cindy, Carl, Sheen, and Libby, they all grew up strong, and I've seen other people do it too, even when the odds were against 'em. Like, I've been hearing about the Jadanza family in the news lately. They were like this notorious mob family, but the new guy in charge, Jacopo, he changed everything. Instead of being bad guys, he made them into heroes. He took all the dirty money they had and used it for good stuff. He built a huge park for stray dogs and cats, and even helps pay for organ transplants for poor kids!"
"By my faith... though he was reared to be a villain, he hath turned instead to be a good man?" Walter looked as if his brain could hardly comprehend the concept. "Verily... he must have possessed a soul most strong!"
"Yeah... it probably takes a really strong soul to not just survive the world, but to turn out good, too..." He admitted; and his soul was a new-born baby, weak, helpless….
"Well, it was an impressive feat, and I'm glad to hear it…." Nova remarked from the engine, but his voice sounded flat. "…I've known the Jadanza family from my time god parenting on earth and it's shocking to hear that even a poisonous tree like that bore a fruit that wasn't contaminated by rot….though I am dubious; he could just be putting on grand public gestures of good well as a form of manipulation, so don't be too admiring or trusting of what this new patriarch says or does and its best to never admire someone until you get to know them intimately."
He was taken aback by the amount of cynicism, but then let himself consider it. "…Yeah, you're right. Doug Dimmadom got caught in like seven charity scandals recently. The worst one was where he was supposed to help kids working in factories for 25 cents an hour—and he kept 90% of the donations... What's worse is that HE actually owned the factory under the fake name Guod Modammid."
"How utterly appalling! I do hope he was sent to prison for life."
"You'd think so, but he made up an excuse that it was a 'work experience' program, and what he wasn't paying in wages he was paying with work experience that would give each of those kids a foot in the door to work at his company, renown for big wages and great benefits, in the future."
"Don't tell me people bought such utter tripe!"
"Not at first—but then he offered to mail everyone in Dimmsdale Two-for-One coupons for his restaurant, the Egg Dipping Dippadome, and everyone calmed down."
"Oh, Sweet Mab…." He heard Nova gasp and heard him slap his forehead.
"By my troth—-the human realm is truly a tangled web!" Walter was astounded and clasped his hands. "Timmy, thou art truly wondrous to be such a kind lad, despite dwelling in such tumult!"
"I'm not amazing…" He demurred, his voice barely above a whisper, and most people wouldn't say he was nice, either. The train trudged along, the sounds of birds and the scent of blossoms outside the train car a contradiction to his thoughts. "I'm just... an average kid... or, as some would say, a below average kid..."
'What am I doing….I'm being such a downer…he won't like you if you do things like this,' He scolded himself. His words felt like a heavy fog settling over the atmosphere. "S-sorry, I.."
Walter sat down next to him and patted his hand. "As the eldest of the Kinder, I possess much experience in hearing sorrowful thoughts; I am but glad that thou dost already like and trust me enough to share both thy joyous and sorrowful musings. Also, methinks thou art greatly downplaying thyself, or else the human world is truly a place beyond my understanding..."
There was a moment of silence with the only noise being that of the train and the birds outside, and then Walter gulped, his steady, reassuring grip on his hand loosening slightly.
"I fear I would not have survived had I remained in the human world, and I speak not even of the circumstances from which I came. Thy tale, Kieran's tale, Theo's tale, Bolt's tale… Eleanor's tale..." Walter visibly shuddered. "I truly do not believe I could have endured the trials ye all have faced."
His heart ached at the vulnerability in Walter's eyes, a look that truly did not seem to belong there. He leaned forward, his voice filled with sincerity. "I dunno, Walter, I think if born in the right place and time, you could have made it."
"What maketh thee think so?" He asked, looking at him with wide clear eyes.
"Even though you didn't go through any of that stuff yourself, you're really kind. From what I've seen, most people just turn away when someone's going through a tough time or say a bunch of cliché stuff they don't even mean. But you're different—you actually care about people. That kind of kindness takes real strength. Someone as kind as you would've been really appreciated… there aren't many people like you in the human world, so... someone like you would be treasured."
A soft smile tugged at the corners of Walter's lips as he shuffled his foot on the carpet of the train car. "…I shall treasure thy words, Timmy." Walter put an arm around him and leaned his head against his, the scent of mushrooms and moss surprisingly comforting. "I am glad that we have come to be friends."
— Wanda's POV—
Timmy's wide smile glowed on the screen, and Wanda sighed, her chest tight. He looked happy—so happy. She should have felt the same, but… something felt off. Could it be a trap? Walter hadn't done or said anything overtly manipulative, but even offering Timmy friendship could be enough to sway him toward becoming a Kinder.
And the speed of their friendship… it just didn't seem natural. Timmy had been so reserved lately, so skittish and paranoid. With the constant bullying and cruel pranks he endured, how could he trust anyone so easily?
Her gaze lingered on the screen. Could the Blooming have something to do with this? The thought churned uneasily in her mind. Was I tricked again?
Fortunately, her suspicions went unnoticed as the Fey around her erupted into teasing banter.
Thistledust's cheeks were bright pink as Rosehip and Dazzle poked at him relentlessly.
"Come on, Thistledust!" Rosehip grinned mischievously. "If that little boy could confess his feelings for his beloved ten thousand two hundred and fifty-seven times, surely you can try proposing a second time, Darling!"
"It wasn't your fault," Dazzle added, jabbing his other cheek with a finger. "You didn't know Buzz had passed right before you popped the question. Melika's just as stubborn as you are. She probably regrets saying no, but won't admit it."
"Enough!" Thistledust huffed, swatting their hands away. His eyes narrowed, locking onto her. "Your godson must be remarkably determined, horrendously stubborn, or an outright masochist to endure that kind of humiliation so many times."
She rubbed her temples. "Honestly? It's a combination of all three."
"I came in at 'masochist.'" Piper's dry voice interrupted as she walked through the door. She paused, one hand on her hip, and glanced around the room. "Do I even want to know what bizarre tangent this conversation's taken, or should I just stay blissfully ignorant?"
The room tensed as Lilybeth let out a sharp, piercing scream. Her porcelain-like face twisted in horror, and she clutched at Ariafern's arm, trembling. She recoiled instinctively as her eyes fell on the figure standing just behind Piper.
It was the Kinderkin.
Even with a clearer head, the sight of her made her stomach churn. Standing about the height of a six-year-old child, Lilithree was a patchwork nightmare. Her shapeless oval body was covered in moss, wood, mushrooms, and berries; her elongated root-like limbs grotesquely swollen. A massive head, three times the size of her body, wobbled precariously on a thin, noodle-like neck. Her tangle of vine hair sprouted mismatched flowers and broken gemstones.
And her mouth—she shuddered—was a spiraling tunnel of jagged teeth.
"Why is she screaming, Ms. Doctor, Ma'am?" Lilithree asked in a sweet, innocent voice, oblivious to the fear she caused.
Ariafern placed a soothing hand on Lilybeth's shoulder, shot Piper a withering glare, and then met her eyes. Her voice echoed gently in her head. Stay strong, Godmother.
She swallowed hard and nodded silently as Ariafern and the terrified Lilybeth poofed out of the room.
"Whoa….!" Edmund was staring at Lilithree in the same way Timmy had stared at Pickles in the underwater café. Aelar wrapped his arms around the boy, looking ready to poof away with his Kinder like Ariafern had if she were to take even a single step closer.
"What kind of abomination is that thing?" Glimmer's sharp tone broke the silence.
"Like….freaky."
Lilithree whimpered, her wide, watery eyes pleading. "I'm not an abomination! Or a freaky! I'm a Kinderkin! Why does everyone think I'm so ugly!?"
"Oh, don't cry, Darling, how about I conjure you up a pretty dress, ok?" Rosehip went over to the child. "Pretty clothes makes every girl feel beautiful…"
"Piper, why would you bring—- her here?" Thistledust's voice was tight, though he corrected himself just before saying something harsher after Rosehip cast him a warning look.
"She broke out of the basement rooms," Piper replied with a shrug.
Glimmer's usual aloof demeanor evaporated, and she sprang to her feet. "She what? Those rooms were fortified by Von Strangle clan magic! They're supposed to be impenetrable."
"If you don't believe me, you can come down and see the wreckage for yourself," Piper said dryly, before crouching to meet Lilithree's gaze. Her tone softened. "Listen, kiddo, we're going to bring you to another room, and this time, we need you to stay put, alright?"
"Aww, but I don't want to!" Lilithree protested. "I hate being locked up! It's scary, boring, and lonely!"
"Shh, don't worry." Piper patted her on the head—despite the way her neck wobbled precariously. "We'll fix up the room with toys, stuffed animals, and lots of cute things, okay? It's just until you've learned to control your strength. Once you do… we'll go from there, okay, Tootsie-pop?"
"P…promise…?"
"But you've got to stay in there until we say it's okay." Rosehip added. "Can you be a good girl? Every day your well behaved, I'll conjure you up a new, pretty dress."
Lilithree wiped at her eyes, but eventually nodded. "O-okay… I'll be a good girl…"
"Atta girl," Piper said gently, patting her head.
Dazzle leaned close to her and whispered, "I want you to know—here in Queen Aine's Wreath, we wouldn't do something like this…that poor little girl…"
She frowned. "How did she end up like that?"
"…Kinder in other circles, as we told you, are sometimes allowed to mature and have children. Their children inherit traits from their parents' Kinder forms. Unlike normal Kinder, these forms can't be altered. So, if things don't… " Dazzle grimaced. "…mix well, it can't be fixed."
"So…" She furrowed her brows as she gave it some thought. "For instance, if Walter and Lilybeth were adult Kinder and had children—his wood and mushroom form would probably clash really badly with her porcelain form."
"Exactly." Dazzle glanced at Lilithree, whilst Thistledust violently shuddered—apparently he found the idea of his Walter being with Lilybeth disagreeable. "Even when things mix well, the forms become unpredictable with each generation. It's recommended not to go above three, but anything beyond the seventh is outright banned in Queen Aine's Wreath." Dazzle looked at Lilithree in pity. "Something like this… it's an affront to life and nature."
She gazed at the pitiful child, her heart sinking. No child deserved this.
"You can't be serious!" Tannfe declared firmly. "She's still a child! You can't just lock her up like… like some animal!"
Lilithree sniffled. "I'm not an animal…!"
"It is not to be cruel. She'll hurt someone if left out," Thistledust said bluntly. Lilithree whimpered.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to cuddle the fluffies too hard…"
"Yes, yes, we know, Tootsie-pop," Piper soothed. "We'll help you learn to be gentle with some dollies. Does that sound good?"
The Tooth Fairy's glare swept the room. "This is monstrous! You're just making excuses for—"
Thistledust's eyes flashed. With a snap of his fingers, Tannfe vanished.
Her breath caught, and she stood up, alarmed. "What did you just do?"
"She has been taken to a location where she can watch the plights of the children we've saved, She'll leave when she offers three workable alternatives to our methods."
"W-what if she—can't?"
"Don't worry, I won't keep her there for anymore than an hour…" Thistledust then smiled, a self-satisfied grin.
"Let me guess, you've slowed time where she is so…an hour out here is probably much longer where she is, isn't it?"
"Of course."
The cold efficiency of his response chilled her. These Fey were never as friendly as they pretended to be, and she was extremely thankful that she had not gotten on Thistledust's bad side….
— Nova's POV—
He watched Timmy and Walter laugh and talk during dinner he had planned for them, the warmth between them a welcome contrast to the boy's usual quiet isolation from his peers.
They had enjoyed their ride together in the 8-bit express that had circled the garden, and by the time it returned to the plaza, a lavish dinner awaited the boys. It wasn't just a meal—it was a symbolic offering, all seven courses blending Walter's favorite food, mushrooms with Timmy's favorite food, cheese, to represent the growing bond between them.
Timmy was still very weak, so he had made sure that his chair was very comfortable and allowed him to recline, and had Walter sit beside him so that, if Timmy needed assistance, he'd be there to help.
At a different table, the Companions and baby Appapuffs ate their own meal. He could not bring Fey fruit into the room due to the contract, but he made sure to give them the things they liked best. Even further to the side was Clara, who insisted on staying as far away from the others as possible. She nibbled on her food furtively, cautiously eyeing her surroundings and looking ready to flee at a moment's notice.
He held onto the hope that she would someday be able to form relationships; however, his current priority was to ensure that Timmy didn't meet the same unfortunate fate as this little one had.
Although he had monopolized baby Timmy's attention, the time Walter spent playing with him had still led to a resounding success. The Blooming, combined with Timmy's isolation and his profound yearning for acceptance, created a strong bond between them. He'd never seen Timmy so carefree before, and the child's laughter now, free of his usual self-doubt, was a sound that touched his heart. Children were like trees. They needed to be among each other to grow strong and sturdy.
And Walter—he couldn't help but marvel at how the boy responded to Timmy. Walter had always been thoughtful, but there was something different about the way he was with Timmy. Unlike the Kinder-transformed children he was accustomed to, Timmy's unaltered human state—vulnerable and brimming with unrefined emotions—didn't repel Walter; it captivated him.
He truly hoped that Wanda would allow these connections to continue. Maybe, in time, Timmy would make more friends among the Kinder. More importantly, he hoped Timmy's fragile soul would be allowed to bloom fully in the warmth of genuine care. He'd seen what could happen to those left to wither alone….
"Hey…Um… can I… ask… n-no, never mind…" Timmy mumbled, stuffing a mini goat cheese and mushroom tartlet into his mouth as if to silence himself.
"I think I ken what thou wert about to ask..." Walter said with a smile, picking up his own tartlet. "And nay," he added, biting into it. "I may be a mushroom-Kinder, but I am no mushroom, so this doth not count as cannibalism."
Timmy almost choked on the black tea he'd been sipping to wash down the tartlet. "O-oh… I—I mean… I… um… I wasn't… I…"
Walter laughed. "'Tis alright! I've been asked that afore! When Theo first became a Kinder, he didst gaze upon me eating fried mushrooms with the same look thou art making and asked me the very same thing."
"Sorry… is it a bad question…? Once I accidentally insulted Sanjay when I asked him about—"
"Oh, Timmy," Walter said, his arm reaching out to gently rest over the boy's shoulder, pulling him closer. "Thou dost worry thy poor self too much. True friends do not grow angry over such small matters. And 'tis not a bad question at all! Let me explain—most Kinder made of plants feel no unease in consuming that very plant. Yet, some who are made of animals do feel a strange discomfort when eating the meat of that creature." Walter paused, taking a sip of the soup, made with a blend of assorted mushrooms, and enriched with Gruyère cheese for a creamy texture. "For example, Kathy grows upset if thou offer her veal, and Bonny will weep if thou bid her eat rabbit, but Peggy cares not if thou give her—"
"Pork?" Timmy guessed.
"Nay, chicken." Walter looked confused, but he couldn't help but burst into laughter; thanks to the proceedings being viewable on the habitat channel, poor Bonny, Kathy and Peggy would have this joke told about them for the next few centuries….
"But thou knowest—" Walter continued, trying the Mushroom and Cheese Arancini, and gulped down some tea in response to the red pepper dip aioli. "Nine-tenths of the meat in the Fey realm is conjured by magic and causeth no harm to the creatures. The only time true animals are used for meat is during the grand festivals—Beltane, Midsummer, and especially Samhain."
"Samhain?" Timmy blinked, tilting his head. "Isn't that another name for Halloween?"
His heart swelled at the innocent misunderstanding, though it was one that could easily offend some of the more traditional Fey. But no one in this Ring would mind, though. Most Fey, especially in Queen Mab's Circle, had grown accustomed to the way Earthlings celebrated their version of the holiday; A day to play dress up, eat candy, play games and watch horror movies.
Walter covered his mouth, chuckling softly. "Truly, here among the Fey, Samhain is a most sacred festival where they honor their departed. They hold deep reverence for their dead. In certain circles, it is deemed unforgivable to treat it with anything less than utmost respect."
Timmy's eyes widened, and he visibly stiffened, the delicate, puppy-like expression on his face deepening as he processed the new information and cast him an apologetic gaze.
He was really so cute!
"Here in Queen Mab's Circle and especially our Ring, we understand that you human were raised with our solemn festival as being a night for play, so we are a little less formal in how we perform the rites here." He reassured that no offense had been taken.
"I see…" Timmy nodded, trying to digest this new information.
"October 30th is mischief day; it used to be a day when the Fey competed in pulling pranks on humans; though these days it's a day to honor the souls of our Kinders and Companions, this day is more party like in atmosphere, but here in our Ring we hold what you children think of as Halloween on the first of November. It's not a practice widely followed among the Fey, but we who have Kinders do find that it does serve well as a transitional day where the children's Halloween-like fun follows the solemnity of honoring our dead. I think it creates quite a harmonious balance." He explained, hoping to educate the child and…maybe tempt him to want to come join them on the first of November to experience their festival.
"If Halloween is so important to Fey, was is it the only holiday in fairy world that doesn't have a mascot?" Timmy looked bewildered, pausing mid-sentence to eat another tartlet. "I mean, that time when all the Holidays were chasing me down, they just stuck a pumpkin on a random dog's head…"
"This is due to the Fairy Council's prohibition of celebrations commemorating the deceased. The fairies will celebrate Halloween with their godchildren; however, an internal celebration honoring our own tradition is deemed inappropriate, resulting in the absence of a mascot."
"That's not fair!" Timmy's face lit up with indignation, his sense of justice flaring. It was a familiar reaction, one he had seen in Timmy before, both from his wife's letters and his own exploration into the boy's memories—this innate desire to make things right for everyone. "You should be able to celebrate your own customs! They don't have the right to stop you!"
His heart clenched at the rawness of Timmy's outburst. How much more did the boy carry inside? The weight of that need for fairness, the guilt he often shouldn't feel… it was all still so raw, even in this moment of peace. Timmy, with his ADHD and his tender heart, tried so hard to make sense of a world that often left him out in the cold. How many times had he blamed himself when things went wrong? How many times had he tried to fix what wasn't his to fix? Blamed himself for things beyond his control?
"Sweet child," He murmured, ruffling Timmy's hair affectionately, "The Council believes that no fairy who obeys the rules should die—so when they do, it's seen as a failure to their kind, not something to be honored. The closest thing Fairy World has to a death custom is when a fairy reaches their millionth birthday. They throw them a grand celebration, and then, that night, they go off alone into the forest. If they become Fey or just vanish into dust… nobody but them knows. Even talking about that fairy afterwards is banned by the Council, we are made to pretend as if they never existed at all; at most we can only allude to them…"
"But that's…so sad…" Timmy's eyes watered; such a sensitive…empathetic little thing. Oh yes, his childlike impulsiveness and self-interest often overshadow it, and yet…his empathy often shone through. He had a soft spot for people who were lonely, mistreated, or neglected. Sadly, this empathy sometimes lead to him to take on too much responsibility for others' happiness, leaving him overwhelmed or frustrated, creating disproportionate amounts of guilt when his wishes inadvertently harm others, even if his intentions were good, and lately he was being manipulated by others who were taking advantage of his kindness or his desire to fix problems for those he cares about…to atone for the 'wrongs' he thought he committed.
If Timmy were a flower, he'd probably be a Ghost Orchid….a bloom that needed very specific conditions to thrive, conditions he would only be able to find in Fey World….if left in the human world…he would never bloom. He'd either rot at the roots, like poor Jullian or have his bud snipped off the stem…like tragic Julia.
-Edmund's POV-
"Nova's cooking is truly splendid, is it not? He's actually the second-best cook in the Ring! Lilixia, however, holds the top spot; she doth everything by hand. Canst thou believe it?"
He shifted in his seat, watching the screen, feeling a little bored. He was full of cake, but seeing the feast Walter and Timmy were enjoying made him want to join in—though the cheesecake they were served for dessert contained mushrooms, which made him less inclined.
His gaze turned to Lilithree, who was seated on the floor, shoving cakes into her mouth. She couldn't hold a fork without crushing it, and her hands couldn't pick up the cake without squashing it. Creepy-looking as she was, he couldn't stop staring at her. Aelar kept a firm hold on him, ensuring he didn't get too close.
Glimmer and Gizmo had gone to the basement to reinforce one of the rooms. He didn't know much about Monsters, but he'd been told the bad-Fey created them during a great war, and that Piper's mommy and Lilixia's parents had tried to help turn them back but couldn't.
"Edmund, stop staring," Aelar whispered in his ear.
"At least I did not scream like Lilybeth did."
"Edmund…"
"Okay…. I'll look at the TV…." He looked back at Walter and Timmy enjoying their meal with Nova. "At all the food I'm not eating."
"Oh, you little roly-poly," Aelar teased, gently poking him in the belly and pulling him into a cuddle. "There's going to be a party later, and you can eat as much as you like there."
He swung his feet sulkily and tried to focus on the television.
"Timmy, I've oft heard some of the Kinder say that one of the few things they miss from the human world is their mother's cooking. Doth a mother's cooking possess a special flavor? How wouldst thou compare thy mother's cooking to that of Nova's?" Walter asked, sipping tea.
He didn't like tea much, but Aelar always served it to him, saying it was healthy. Why couldn't he use magic to make cookies healthy, like Eleanor's Fey-mother did?
"Wanda always poofs up my favorites when I'm down and makes sure to put a little extra cheese on everything. Her special 'Mother's Love' hot chocolate is the best thing ever! You can actually feel her love in every sip."
"Aw, that is sweet, Timmy, but I meant thy human mother."
Human mother. He hadn't thought about her in…well, he didn't know how long. Maybe Theo's realization about misremembering his sister's name had stirred something in him. He strained his thoughts. Timmy's human mommy didn't seem very good, but still better than Theo's mommy. And Eleanor's mommy? Vile. She made Timmy's mommy seem like a saint.
What had his own mom been like? Poor, struggling to provide…but did that speak of character? Was she a good person in unfortunate circumstances? Or bad? He couldn't remember. He could not even recall if she had been pretty. One thing he did remember—was that out of all his siblings he was the only one who had both her hair and eye color…
No...that wasn't right...or...was it...? It felt like he was forgetting something very important.
"Oh! Her—!" Timmy laughed on the TV and waved his hand dismissively. "She doesn't cook for me often, but when she does, it's horrible! I'm talking lethal—except for her squid surprise. That looks lethal but tastes good. I'm happier not knowing what's in it."
"Is her cooking truly so dreadful?"
"Absolutely! Get this—one time Mom tried to impress her boss with white wine chicken but forgot the wine. Her solution? Rubbing alcohol, because 'they're both clear and alcohol!' So, Mom, Dad, and her boss ended up in the ICU for weeks. Luckily, I had some frozen nuggets for dinner that night since she said kids shouldn't eat alcohol food. Needless to say, Mom got fired…"
"Oh, sweet Mab…" Nova dropped his fork, holding his head in his hands.
"That's become a catchphrase for you lately, hasn't it Grandpa?"
What was the last thing his mother had cooked for him? He could not recall that either, but he knew that whenever there was enough food in the house for the family to have a meal, it was a real special occasion and it was something he looked forward to and enjoyed a lot, and yet…he got the faintest impression that for some reason he had never actually finished everything on his plate, but he couldn't recall why that was.
The clearest memory of the human world he had was the day his hands were cut off…a memory so horrifying he was glad to be far from that place.
"Wanda, I hate to be blunt but…." Dazzle hesitated. "Are his parents….?"
"On something?" The god mother muttered dryly. "No, believe me, I looked. They're just really stupid."
"Yeah, I kinda wanted to say somethin' 'bout that. I have to say, I'm surprised he did not end up dead sooner." Piper cleared her throat. "You see, when I possess someone I get a full-read out of their health—and I can see everything about their body, and I mean everything. I can even tell everything of what he ate up to six months ago…and believe me…I found some really….unexpected stuff in him."
"Oh..." The godmother fiddled with her hair awkwardly, her gaze dropping to the floor as she blushed. "Well, Mrs. Turner's cooking is a hodgepodge of the unexpected and inedible... Can you believe she fries eggs in castor oil and thinks aged beef is beef that's turned green?"
Feeling a little bored as they talked about things he did not care about, he did as Aelar had told him and quietly watched the television until the the recovery room door opened, and he brightened when he saw who had entered. Lilixia often brought treats, and her cooking was amazing. He glanced at Aelar, whose familiar silly grin spread across his face at her presence. Aelar clearly liked her, but centuries of mutual shyness had led to nothing, which was unfortunate because Lilixia would make for a great Fey-Mommy. He'd get delicious, yummy things every day.
"Candy—!" But Lilixia didn't carry treats with her. Pale, trembling, and tearful, she looked distraught. He really liked her, but he had to admit she was a big cry-baby, so he did not feel too alarmed seeing her cry. She was the type that cried if a flower wilted after all…!
"Oh, triple fudge sundaes…!" Piper muttered. "Lilixia, didn't I leave you passed out on the lawn? If I wanted you inside, I wouldn't have left you there."
"Candy, m-my parents never s-said a word about it!" Lilixia stammered. "T-there must be some kind of mistake…!"
"Yeah, not here, not now," Piper tried pushing her away. "Come on, stop it. Look, I get it, you did not know, I believe you, alright? So just drop it. Forget I said anything."
Lilixia clung to Piper's arms, her actions pleading. "I can't just drop it! And how could I forget?! It can't be true!"
"It is, ok? Jar-head might be a dumbass, but not even he's gonna make a mistake like that."
"No! There must be some mistake!"
"It's no damn mistake!"
"Then...! How can you be so calm!? Don't you care!? She's your mother!"
He flinched. Piper raised her hand as if to strike Lilixia, and though she didn't, it reminded him of something—a memory, sharp and sudden. The shopkeeper's knife. His hands forced down.
He shuddered. Aelar, noticing his distress, kissed his head and rubbed his back soothingly. "Shh, don't get upset. I'll go see what's the matter, okay? Just stay there."
Aelar stood up as Lilixia began to cry. It was well known that there was tension between Piper and Lilixia, the cool kind, where there was no open hostility, but they couldn't talk more than five minutes before things got awkward. Thanks to Lilixia being so timid, and Piper being so aloof, they normally did not interact enough to get into a fight, so this must have been something serious.
As the argument escalated, Rosehip and Dazzle both went over in order to prevent things from getting out of hand, by putting themselves physically in the way. Spooked he tried to understand what was going on, but the more he tried to focus on their words, slowly his senses seemed to shift, and a strange buzzing filled his ears, drowning out everything else, muffling the world around him.
This happened whenever the Fey did not want the Kinders to hear what they were talking about. He could remember being frustrated by it in the early days, but he had become so accustomed by it, that he did not let it bother him anymore. As Aelar said, the Fey knew what was good for them and what wasn't, and to just trust in them as to what it was they needed to know.
Eventually he couldn't even turn his head to look at them, anymore and instead his focus turned entirely onto the television, where Timmy and Walter were playing an after meal card game with Nova—one where they matched Fey-Fruit to Companions. It was a boring educational game that the Fey made every new Kinder play until they memorized each one by heart.
The television was therefore boring to watch, and he wanted to know what the argument was about and what was happening behind him but…even though Aelar was not speaking to him, he got the sense that he was softly, gently whispering 'Don't turn around. Watch the TV. This isn't something your interested in' over and over until his mind began to agree with them.
Even as Thistledust suddenly jumped to his feet and rushed over to the cluster of Fey behind him with an urgent expression he had rarely seen him make, and the god mother turn away from the television she had been paying so much attention to, to stare over his shoulder looking spooked, he couldn't turn around.
He did not even want to anymore.
Piper and Lilixia's argument was none of his business. It would be impolite to butt into Fey matters.
Aelar knew what he needed and what he did not need, and he did not need to hear or see that.
The television was boring to watch, but…..he would watch, because….Aelar wanted him to watch it. He'd watch and learn how to be a good friend to Timmy, the way Walter was being, so that Timmy and the God Mother would stay in Fey world and make Nova really happy.
Docile he continued to watch the television, when Lilithree came up and stood in front of him, blocking his view.
"Hiii, what's your name?" She asked sweetly. She was even more scary looking up close, and he nearly drew back, but she was also kinda cool to look at; like something out of a scary movie, plus there was something about her that came across as really innocent, too.
Also, he had learned from Buzz that even if a Kinderkin looked scary, that they weren't like that on the inside. Buzz had been the Kinderkin that Melika had come here with. Normally Kinderkin wasn't allowed in Queen Mab's ring, but an exception was made that time.
Melika had come from one of the bad Circles, and from a very, very bad Ring where Kinderkin were treated like slaves by the Sula Si. She had shown up in their forest with Buzz, after having taken a few Kinderkins with her and ran away. Only Buzz had made it, though, and Mab was so touched by her actions she had been allowed to stay as part of their Ring. Buzz had been very scary looking, but such a fun, nice kid.
He was sure Lilithree was a very nice girl too, and that he'd probably like her just as much. Buzz had not lived long because of how badly his body was messed up, and he regretted all the playtime they had lost together because of how scared he had been to approach him because of his looks.
As he introduced himself, he noticed that her large, googly eyes were focusing on his wings, as he had no hand to shake.
"Your feathers are really pretty!" She praised and reached out to grab his wing.
Suddenly, a searing pain shot through his body, and he found himself laying on the floor paralyzed. The agony was so intense that it overwhelmed his senses, rendering him unable to move.
Lying there, disoriented and in pain, he looked up and saw Lilithree holding his damaged wing in her hand. Her mouth hung open in shock, tears welling up in her eyes as she whispered, "oopsie..." Gasping for breath, his body trembling, Aelar hurried over and lifted him up, but he could feel himself fading away, his consciousness slipping.
In his final moments, a vivid memory flashed before his eyes, transporting him back to the human world. He recalled the sight of a drunk shopkeeper at a foul-smelling food stand outside a factory. The air was thick with the stench, a mixture of ale and meat-pies. His friends had urged him to steal a few pies, promising it would be the last time, but it never was. They never stopped having him take this scary risks….but they were the only friends he had….
Just as he was about to make his escape from the pie shop, with his spoils in hand, he was caught. His hands were forcefully pinned down on the cutting block the scary man used to prepare the meat for his pies, usually obtained from whatever unfortunate creature he caught. That day, however, he had been the unfortunate creature…
"EDMUND!" Aelar's voice was the last thing he heard as everything went dark, but despite everything he had to smile a little….back in the human world no one had called out his name back then….but…
There had been someone who had cried that way when he had gotten home….it hadn't been his god parents, or his mother….but…..someone important. Who had it been…..?