Thankfully, nothing occurs to dey me further from telling my tale.Once we gather at the table, Nibi begins nibbling on the berries that Talia provided, while I start my recounting with when I met Thomas that fateful morning.Eventually, I finish expining all that happened to me till I returned home.At least, as far as I remember it, and again excluding “that” incident, of course.I would never hear the end of it if I told him about my drunken rampage!Sis occasionally speaks up to add her remarks, but Garen rgely remains silent till I finish speaking quite some time ter.

  “So she is responsible for what happened to you?”

  As expected, he doesn’t seem to appreciate this blue fairy standing beside me.

  “Yes!”

  And she’s not helping her case.Especially not with her excited hop and wave of her hand.

  “Only as far as a toddler would be responsible for pulling you in front of a parade in order to have a better view. If said toddler was also capable of dangerous magic, that is. She’s a child. Nibi hasn’t shown any intention of harming me after that point, and I don’t believe she yet speaks well enough for me to ask what she was thinking.”

  “Miep?”

  “As you can see. I doubt the other fairies involved have any such excuse, however.”

  Considering they all seemed quite excited that they were able to observe me exploding and subsequently fumbling blindly with magic afterwards!

  “And you are sure there is no going back? They may have lied to you, Akari.”

  “I doubt they lied. Even if they did, I have no idea how one would pce a fairy back into a human body. Especially, as mine is certainly gone… *Sigh* There was truly nothing in the circle but my clothes and the needle.”

  I know, as that was the first pce I looked.

  Uh oh.I know that look in his eyes.

  “Garen! I know I’m hardly ever the one who advises caution, but there must be hundreds of fairies in that gde. You wouldn’t accomplish anything by going there except to get yourself hurt.”

  Or worse, obliterated by a magical barrage of all elements in existence.

  “Then we should inform the guards. Jaasir, at least, ought to know about what happened!”

  Commander Jaasir once served in the same legion as my pa, the Aeterian legion.Years ago, he was the prefect of one of the forts in the Everhold, a line of fortifications that prevents the Evergrove and its monsters from encroaching on Koreso territory.Once he retired, he settled here and took on the role of Marsora’s guard commander.He’s an older man, but still quite capable of leading the guards hired to protect our vilge.With as peaceful as it is around these nds, our vilge hasn’t needed much protection, nor has his presence often been required, but Mr. Marson pays them to keep the peace and watch over his workers.While I would normally inform the vilge guards about any threats within the forest, and a gde of fairies would certainly be included in that, there is a slight wrinkle in that pn now.

  I am one of the fairies!

  “And what will you tell him? That I’ve been turned into a fairy? The best case would be that he doesn’t believe you. Because if he does, I would likely have to flee.”

  “Why do you say that? I’ve seen you speak with him many times before. Do you not believe you could convince him who you are?”

  “Aeterians are monster syers, Garen! Before now, I never pondered about whether or not they would consider mythical fairies their enemy, but after becoming a fairy myself, I’m rather afraid that they might! What I am may matter more to him than who I am! In other words, the guards may very well target me as soon as they see me, no matter what either of us say!”

  “So am I supposed to do nothing then? Simply allow those bastards to get away with what they did to you!?”

  As he speaks, he rises from his chair and stands.In response, I jump up and hover above the table.

  “What other choice do we have!? Do I have!? Antagonizing them would accomplish nothing towards restoring me to how I was! And they have magic, Garen! From what I gather from Nibi’s use of it, even a single fairy could stop a human from entering their realm! If you don’t believe me, why don’t you watch my poor attempts with it, and you’ll see what even I can do. And I’m woefully inept at it.”

  “…And when they do this to someone else, what then?”

  *Sigh*“I don’t know. Maybe I can keep that from happening somehow. When next I speak to them, perhaps I’ll learn of a way to avoid this occurring again. Once I return to the gde-”

  “You’re going back!? After what they did to you!?”

  “I have to, though hopefully for only a brief visit. I have no idea what I’m capable of anymore, and the only ones who know are in that gde. I’m afraid that I may seriously harm people that I care about! You know that I would never stand idly by while my family is in danger. Doubly so when I am the cause!”

  “Then I’m coming with you!”

  Really?Will this happen every time I say I want to travel to that pce?

  “Gare-”

  “Hehehe”

  Talia had been quietly letting the two of us speak, but now I’m forced to stop as she begins chuckling.And I’m sure I know why.As soon as she quiets, I continue.

  “Garen, you’re as bad as my Mum.”

  “What?”

  “No matter how much I dislike it, I am a fairy now. Going to a, fairy, gde. I’ll simply be travelling there to talk, and once I arrive, it should be safe for me. You, on the other hand, would be the one in danger if you accompanied me.”

  “But what about the journey there? It can’t be safe-”

  “Garen!”

  “-to travel the forest at your size. You’re tiny!”

  Argh!It’s rather irritating not being able to shout over someone speaking anymore.And does everyone have to focus on that particur fact about me!

  “Yeah, sure, thanks. That’s exactly what I enjoy having pointed out to me now. How small I am!”

  “That does seem to be a rather sore spot for her. Best not remind her too often or she might begin throwing magic.”

  You’re one to talk, Sis!

  “Oh, uh, sorry. But still! How will you get there?”

  “With these-”

  I point my thumb at my wings.

  “-and magic. Though, I do need to create a method of defending myself with it. As it happens, I was about to begin doing just that before you arrived. If you would like, you could assist me?”

  Perhaps if I bribe him with showing off my magic he’ll settle down a little?

  “Uh…I suppose.”

  “Is there anything else you wish to know before I begin?”

  A few moments pass before he visibly calms and returns to his seat.As he does so, I float down to the table as well.After a time, he finally replies.

  “Once I have a chance to properly think through what I’ve heard, I most certainly will, but for now, I think I need time. Although, there is one other thing I’ve been wondering?”

  “Yes?”

  “You said why your hair is the color it is now, but where’d you get the matching ribbons? I’ve never seen you wear one that, uh, colorful before. Were those made by fairies?”

  Ribbons?Oh!I forgot Nibi tied my hair!Currently, a rge, bright pink ribbon holds it in a tail, a twin to the one Nibi has.Garen often overlooks my dresses, apparently including the one I’m wearing now, but even he is able to notice that!And now he’s asking how I obtained it!

  No, wings, you aren’t going to embarrass me further!Don’t you dare!Hah!I think I caught them.At least, I don’t feel the energy moving.

  Now, I’ll simply give a vague answer.

  “Erm, no. They were a gift from someone in town. Do you like it?”

  “It seems to suit your new colors quite well.”

  “Thank you.”

  I suppose I can leave my hair this way a little while longer.

  “She received both of them-”

  “Talia!”

  “-from Emira.”

  I’m becoming quite tired of this tiny voice of mine. Gratefully, she didn’t entirely expin how I got them.

  “Sir Marson’s daughter?”

  “Yes, she-”

  “Hey!”

  “-knows about her.”

  “So Akari really was in their mansion?”

  Now these two are talking without me.And this conversation is still leading where I rather it didn’t.Well, I’ve been pnning to practice my magic.I suppose this seems as good a time as any.

  When I focus on my desire of projecting my voice and will it into my magic, a small cyan orb forms between my hands.Only a few tweaks ter, and it feels ready.Once I release it, the orb vanishes and a shimmer forms directly in front of me.Now to see if it does what I want.

  “We saw her at the t-”

  “TALIA!”

  “Aah!” “Ow!”

  *ditiditiditi*

  It works!Though, it may be a slight bit too loud, considering that both Talia and Garen cmp their hands over their ears and shout.Yet, while I can hear that this magic increased my voice substantially, especially as I am standing directly beside this shimmer, it isn’t painful for me.Meanwhile, Nibi is ughing again, although I cannot tell if it is at me or them.Perhaps both.

  At any rate, I should focus on adjusting this magic.I’ve never attempted to do so after releasing it, nor do I often have to maintain it.Yet, I can feel a trivial amount of wind essence flowing from me into the rippling magic, and fortunately, maniputing it comes to me as naturally as the initial tinkering.I simply begin reducing the amount of energy I’m providing to it.

  “What was that?”

  “Sis, how did you shout so loudly?”

  It seems they’ve recovered from my first attempt, and this magic once again feels as it ought, which means it’s time for another try.

  “You two apparently couldn’t hear me, so I used magic to make my voice louder.”

  There are no screams this time, so it must be better.I’ll continue then.

  “How do I sound?”

  Talia replies.

  “Still like a tiny bell, but a noisy, tiny bell. Rather shrill.”

  Yeah, sure, it didn’t change how my voice sounded, it’s still far too high pitched, but at least with this I can join conversations properly.Garen then speaks.

  “When you asked for help with learning to defend yourself, I didn’t think you would be making my ears ring.”

  “Sorry, it’s my first time trying this, uh…”

  What is using my magic called?I know I’ve heard a term for it before, when I had the opportunity to see mages showing their abilities.Ah, yes, they called their magic abilities, spells.Heh, back then, I never would’ve thought that I would be able to use magic.I’m truly casting spells now!

  “…trying this spell. This is all still very new to me.”

  “Well, unless you pn on shouting incredibly loudly at everything, I believe you are going to need something a bit more protective or dangerous than that.”

  “Yeah, sure, this I simply intended to use to make myself heard, but it functioned better than I expected. Do you have any ideas of what I should try in order to be safe during travelling?”

  “How should I know? I’m not even aware of what your magic can do.”

  “So far, it’s been able to fulfil whatever I intended to do with of it, as long as I have the required elemental essence. Though not necessarily in the exact way I want it, as you heard a moment ago, and I’ve been primarily attempting small things with it.”

  “Such as?”

  “Hmm, let me see. I made an earth pilr, formed balls of water, made pnts healthier, healed a minor injury, caused a gust of wind, accidently made myself invisible, made-”

  “Invisible!? That would certainly be beneficial.”

  “Yes, but I don’t exactly know how I did it the first time. It kind of happened on its own.”

  “Have you tried again since then? You said the magic does what you wish.”

  “No, I haven’t yet, but I suppose I could attempt it now.”

  At that, Talia stands up and begins walking towards the far side of the room.

  “You may want to give her some space, Garen. We never know what may happen when she does this.”

  He stands and moves alongside her as he replies.

  “Is the magic dangerous?”

  “She’s never directly hurt me or Mum, but one time there was a, uhm, unpleasant accident. Best to watch from a distance.”

  Which is why I must go to the fairy gde, in order to, hopefully, keep that from happening again.So I need a way to get there, and being invisible would certainly keep me safe while travelling.

  If only I can work out how to do it.