Oni and the Forest. (Tanaka v Ophelia.)

"Something special? Sure, if it's got ye so excited." Tanaka arched an eyebrow at her excitement. There had to be something if it was making her act like this..Then again, the kids had seemed rather excited to learn about him in general.

Katarina was so excited that she could barely get the words out. "Fa...Fairy...Fairy Ha..."

"Fairy Haven." Ophelia was the one to finish her excited daughter's words. "It's a paradise for all fairy kind, spoken of like an old myth. To many, it's just something to keep their spirits up, when times are down. A reminder that, somewhere out there, there's a place that's better than this, where you would never go hungry or be in danger, ever again. Most don't believe in it, beyond that, however." Ophelia's gaze went distant, as if the words had some meaning to her.

"And! And! We're gonna find it!" Katarina's eyes lit up with a renewed vigor from the topic. It was clear that it was very important to her, just from her mannerisms. "We're gonna find paradise! And bring all of the kids with us! And...and...and..."

"That's enough, Katarina." To contrast, Ophelia's disposition gave a different impression. It was as if the very idea made her tired to think about, as if it was associated with a bad memory. "Don't badger the man too much. It's just a hope, after all."

Katarina stomped one foot in defiance. "But you said, Mom! You promised we'd look for it-!"

"And I haven't forgotten that, Katarina!" Her own voice raised to match her child's, with a look that said quite a lot without any words involved. It would be quite clear to him that they've likely had this talk before. "And I still promise to give it all that I have, to find our future! But-!"

It was only now that the mother remembered their guest was with them. "I...I apologize, Mr. Tanaka, that you had to witness our...squabbles. Pay it no mind, I promise it won't, come up again..." With a heavy sigh, Ophelia made her way farther away from the two of them, leading them both through the forest again without a word. Katarina took a moment before she continued walking, her hand on her chest with her own thoughts clearly buzzing through her head.

"........"

Tanaka stared up at the sky, letting out a small sigh. "It's always good to hold onto a goal. It gives you a reason to fight, even when your weapons lay shattered by your side, your body and spirit are beaten and bruised, and the very world itself seems against ye...."

He began to walk, as if the words themselves resonated with him. "Never give up on yer dreams. Either of you. And if I find anything leading to it on me travels..I'll let ye know."

His words were not lost upon the elder fairy, even if she had her own thoughts to sort out.

"I haven't...given up on that goal." Her words were soft, but low. Enough that he could still hear them, but she didn't turn to face him. "My goal has always been the same, since the moment I became an elder...to give them a life better than my own. To help them flourish in this world that seems to hate us, just for existing. I want to believe, more than anyone, that there's a place like that out there. Believe me, I truly do." There was no 'but' at the end of her phrase. Ever since that promise, years ago now, she's always kept it in the back of her mind. "I just want things to work out. One way or another."

Neither fairy said anything after that, the mood between the two of them awkward. And Tanaka square in the middle of it.

"....."

Well now. This was...mildly awkward. Nothing really came to mind that he could say in an attempt to brighten the mood. So he simply walked...coughing slightly as he followed them.

The group walked in silence, for a while. Ophelia, as much as she loved her children, didn't want to bring this topic back to the forefront. It had been something that was on her mind for years, even if Katarina didn't want to believe it at times. She hadn't forgotten her promise, that the two of them made all of those years ago. However, her children come first and foremost. And that included Katarina, even if she only counted as one of her "children" through a technicality.

Katarina realized her own mistake, of haphazardly bringing it up to the new stranger. It had been years since the last time either of them had really brought it up. In some way, she was worried that Ophelia had brushed it aside to focus on the children.

However, she would be the one that would break the silence. "...I remember when you used to call me "Kat"."

The statement was enough to stop the elder fairy dead in her tracks, as she slowly turned to face her daughter. Her look wasn't angry, but shocked. Katarina continued. "And I used to call you "Ophy" instead of Mom. It feels like so long ago, now."

Ophelia was silent at that, for a few moments, before even she continued the thought that Katarina had started. "...we used to become so animated, whenever we talked about Fairy Haven. I'd never seen you smile that big, unless it was about that. I still don't see it that often, anymore. The 'real' you."

"That's because-!" Katarina stopped herself, intent on not causing another. "That's because...I was terrified that, all of those years of searching, meant nothing anymore..." Katarina's eyes were shut tight, a hand on her chest and small tears forming.

Ophelia slowly approached her daughter, before wrapping her in her arms. "I promise you. I've never forgotten. About the time we spent, the energy we spent, the many clues we followed. That which we spent so long trying to find, with nothing to show for it, and yet still kept looking. I couldn't forget any of that if we tried."

The statement was enough to break the younger Elder, who burst out into full blown sobs in her mother's arms, getting out "I'm sorry" over and over again. Ophelia kept her in her arms without a word, brushing the back of her head with her hand and letting her get everything out. She turned her head to Tanaka, who had been watching all of this occur.

"Forgive us for this, Mr. Tanaka. Looks like I had to break that promise of not bringing you back into our problems..."

Katarina, still crying and sniffling, looked up at Tanaka as well. "We...W-We're not usually...t-this bad...hon-sniff Honest."

"....." Tanaka felt a small smile tug at the corner of his lips, before letting out a groan. "Agh. And me without any snacks as I watch this adorable family...drama's not the right word, is it?"

Walking over, he unhooked one of his sheathed blades from his hip, before bonking the two of them atop their head with the sheath. "Both of ya, stop yer apologizing! Besides. I told ya I'd help ya find that Haven, didn't I? And I ain't one to back away from a challenge!"

The bonk on both of their heads was enough to get them to break the hug. Katarina looked upset at the sudden interruption, rubbing her head and glaring at the oni, but while Ophelia was upset at first, a small smile formed on her face, with a chuckle that soon grew into real, genuine laughter. The look on the other fairy's face was like she had seen a ghost, with how perplexed she was.

"Oh, I haven't felt this young in ages! Goodness, you're right. We've been doing that far too much tonight." Still chuckling to herself, Ophelia took one of her daughter's hands in hers. "Cmon, Kat. It's only a little ways, anyway!" With that, she took off in a surprising speed and a smile on her face.

"Woah, he-! Mom, slow down!" Katarina was practically dragged by the impressive energy of her mother, and it was only a few minutes before the path opened up to a clearing, the night painted a deep blue. By the time the oni caught up to the two of them, Katarina looked quite out of breath, but Ophelia was practically raring to go for more.

"Honestly, dear, if you can't keep up with your mother, how in the world are you going to take care of your own children one day?"

"You...shut up..." Katarina took a moment to collect herself, still not at one hundred percent but good enough. "You're carrying me...on the way back...for that..." The purple fairy was already starting the process of shrinking down to the size of her other sisters. It would take about a minute, so she needed to plan accordingly.

"Of course, of course..." Ophelia had a smug look of satisfaction about all of it, but didn't let it show for long. She turned outward to face the exit of the forest, gazing at the nigh sky. "One day, we'll likely see this sky much more often, but for now..." She turned her head to look at the Oni who had caught up with them. "Well, Mr. Tanaka, it seems this is where we part."

The Oni followed suit, running after with a grin. As he began to bleed off the momentum, he looked at Ophelia. "I swear, yer giving me a run for my money. But it's good to see ya in higher spirits."

As he looked upon the night sky, a smile on his face, he looked at Ophelia. "Well, milady. Any way I can thank ya?"

Katarina, now having shrunken down to the size of her siblings, lazily flew up to her mother's shoulder, collapsing onto her side. "When did you...get so much energy..."

Ophelia only chuckled in response. "When you reminded me of how things used to be, dear." She looked over at Katarina, but she was already snoring away, without a care in the world. She reached over and gave her a light pat on the head, eliciting a grunt from the sleeping fairy.

With that, she looked over at Tanaka. "The only thing you can "thank us" for is not doing something we'd regret. And maybe that cup of tea. But, if you're that determined..." Ophelia thought for a moment, before answering again. "If you really wish to repay us, then keep us a secret. We work much better when people don't know we exist. Plus, if humans got wind of us, we'd probably have to move again. I think the children have gotten used to this place. They'd be crushed if we had to leave it behind."

"...Heh. I thought you'd give me a challenge." Tanaka turned and began to walk, waving a hand as he moved away. "Take care, lass. Don't give me a reason to come after ya, alright? You're a good person deep down."

With that, Tanaka went off on his merry way, eager to continue his journey.