The Fairy Journal

(What you see here is a collection of short stories involving my intrepid fairy family. More will be added as time goes on, and whenever I get the ideas for them. Consider it a dumping ground for canon ideas that don't really deserve their own RP.)

Each Other's Guide

"We got a good haul today, didn't we, boss?"

One thing that most fairies didn't seem to realize was that the humans that knew what they were and what they were capable of saw them as not a threat, but a resource. Individual fairies were barely a threat, as is, even with their potential. Their ability to manifest mana in a physical form made them popular objects of trade to the people who knew of them. Whether they were used to improve the capabilities of their magic, or simply used as labor, their natural green thumbs allowing for extravagant gardens, humans had no shortage of use for the fae. Regardless of their treatment.

After all, fairies didn't have rights. They were predators, after all. Why should the humans care about the feelings of a creature that feeds upon them?

"That we did, that we did. Gonna make us a killin', I'd say...some of 'em look quite, eh 'spritely', wouldn't ya say?"

One of them punched the other's shoulder, chuckling to themselves. The rickety wheels of the old wagon bumped and rolled across the ground, shaking the wagon with each rotation as it rolled through the rainy, dreary night. Inside were at least 20 cages, each with a fairy trapped inside.

The various expressions on their faces were vastly different from fairy to fairy. Some of them were panicked, looking for a way out to no avail. Some of them had truly lost their composure, muttering incoherently to themselves. And one, far in the corner, watched the others break down, her arms holding her legs together in a ball at the bottom of her cage.

"Ophy! You can't give up, yet!"

A voice from next to her was a purple fairy, looking panicked, but more concerned for her friend. It was enough to rouse the other fairy from her slumped state, as she looked over at her.

"What's the point, Kat? It's over. We're done."

The other fairy was shaking her cage, causing it to rock back and forth through the air. "But...you...promised!" No one was bothering to watch the fairies inside. Fairies were weak and powerless on their own, after all.

"Are you still thinking about that, even now?" Without even having to say it, Ophelia knew exactly what the other fairy was thinking. "Wake up and smell the reality! We're about to be shipped off to god knows where, to benefit the humans in some stupid manner, and you're still thinking about 'Fairy Haven'?!?"

"It's...out there...and...we're gonna...find it!" Katarina was putting all of her weight into swinging the cage back and forth, a mostly futile effort but the girl's boundless energy was enough to keep her going.

The very mention of it was enough to make a few of the other captured fairies chuckle to themselves.

"Someone your age is still talking about that?" "Don't you know that it's just what Elders say to shut up noisy kids?" "They'll never get to Elder status if they're chasing a dream like that..."

The noises of the chattering fairies was enough to break Katarina's spirit even further, as a look of embarrassment crossed her face and her eyes darted between the other fae. "I-It's real! I know it is! And...a-and...!"

The shaking of a nearby cage took everyone's attention off of Katarina and on to Ophelia, who had gotten up and was leaning on the side of her metal prison, staring at the mob with an expression that could only be described as "peeved", with one eye twitching.

"Do you get some sort of satisfaction out of raining on other people's hopes?" Ophelia's words were icy and filled with malice, and a few of the fairies audibly gulped out of fear from the woman's personal aura, and a few of them shrank backwards into their cages. The laughter stopped under her gaze.

She looked over at Katarina, who had a fairly large and noticeable blush on her face with a dreamy smile as she looked back at Ophelia. "...what's up with you, Kat?"

Ophelia's voice seemed to snap her out of her momentary daze, as she quickly covered her face and turned away from the other fairy. "N-Nothing! Nothing at all! I just...you don't really, stand up for me, like that...often..."

Ophelia only smiled, as she reached out to her friend, her arm sticking through the bars. The two cages were close enough together that if Katarina did the same with her own hand, she would be able to reach Ophelia's. "Don't listen to those harpies. We'll find it. Together."

Katarina turned to meet Ophelia, reaching her arm out to reach hers. "Promise?" Their fingers intertwined as they stuck out outside the cages the fae were stuck in.

"Promise." Ophelia could see the fringes of tears forming on her friend's eyes. If she was closer, she'd reach over and wipe them away herself. Unfortunately, she was confined too far to help with that, today. She could remember the nights where the two of them stayed huddled together for warmth. Where one would cheer the other up when things got bad. The many tricks they'd played on people.

Slowly, Ophelia unclasped her fingers from Katarina's, letting her arm drop back to her side. "So, Ophy...what's gonna happen to us?"

"The only thing that's going to happen to us, is that we're going to escape. I just haven't figured out how, yet." Ophelia slumped into the side of her cell, clearly thinking hard. "We might not have the time to plan something out, but...I'll come up with something."

Things were dire. Who knows what the humans were going to do to them. Torture them? Sell them off somewhere? Maybe they'd even pluck their wings off...the thought of it was enough to make Katarina shiver. However, for all of the fear she felt at their fate, she trusted Ophelia far more. She'd gotten the two of them out of tougher problems than this. And right now, all she could do was put her faith in her friend. Not like she could do anything, in her current state, anyway. Slowly, Katarina found herself drifting off to sleep, but even as she did, she could see Ophelia still staring into the distance, thinking hard about it all.

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The sudden jolt of the caravan stopping was enough to wake the purple fairy out of her slumber. The others were nervously chatting between each other, worried about what might happen.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!?" A voice could be heard, male, and likely one of the humans from earlier.

"Tree broke over the path! We're stuck!"

The sound of multiple weights leaving the cart could be heard from inside. Perhaps they were going to examine it for themselves.

"You're up, Kat." Ophelia was the first one to greet the fairy, as she collected herself. She had slept pretty well, despite being on a cold, metal surface.

Katarina wiped the sleep out of her eyes as she rose, with a well-rested yawn. "H-Hey Ophy...any luck with everything."

"Quite a bit, actually. I've reached a level of dialogue with the others. And, if everything works out..." Katarina knew that look in her eye. It was devious, and confident, complete with a knowing grin. "...then we're getting out of here, very, very soon."

"For real?!?" Ophelia only offered a nod towards her close friend. "So, what do I do?"

"Well, for starters, it seems like this group knows their fairies." Ophelia pointed to another cage on the side, containing a darker skinned fairy woman with a shining ruby gem on her body. "For example, they knew how to account for different types. The cage on it was reinforced to prevent an Earth one's weight from just breaking it by sheer force alone. However..." She brought her finger back to herself, and upward, pointing at her own cage. Above it, each cage was attached to the ceiling by a standard rope, contrasting the dark metal used for the cages themselves. The cages themselves looked old, and rusted, however. More than a fairy would be able to break themselves, but still much more frail than a standard cage.

It seemed like this caravan was a second home for these humans. They had it furnished with a bed, some cabinets, and even some decorative plants laid on the desks, below the fairy's cages. What they thought would be a nice gesture to make their living residence feel more like a real home would be their downfall, however.

"They haven't gotten new ones in quite some time. Whether they're cheap, or desperate, hard to say. But, it means these old things are breaking today." Ophelia then pointed to the lanterns on the sides, the bright flames flickering on through the otherwise dark cart.

Instantly, Katarina knew what the older fairy was planning, her face lighting up with excitement. "So! So! We're gonna use that to that flame to cut the ropes!"

"Not quite." That devious grin hadn't left her face since; if anything, it only grew stronger. "We're going to use those flames to bring down the whole wooden cart."

"O-Ophy?!? Isn't that kinda, you know...dangerous?" While she wasn't one to doubt the crazy schemes of her best friend, she couldn't help but worry at the implications. She was the closest one to the lantern, after all.

"Of course. But we're long past the point where we can worry about a little danger. It's either that, or we lose everything." Her gaze darted back and forth between the other fairies. Among them were one Earth fairy, multiple Plant based ones and a few Insects as well. Unfortunately, no Water. That would made all of this so much easier, but they weren't that lucky. Besides, a Water fairy wouldn't have gotten caught in the first place. Instead, they'd have to take a more direct approach.

In the rain, the humans outside worked to move the giant tree out of their way. It was a thick stalk, likely been there for years, and extremely heavy. The five of them were fairly fit, but it would take them quite a long time to push the giant, fallen tree out of the way. After about half an hour of pushing, the group stopped.

"This is getting us nowhere. We'll be out here all night, at this rate!" A female voice rang out through the night.

"Hrmm...we can't keep the shipment waiting. Think we can find another route?" A young man chimed in, still pushing obstinately.

"That's why we're out here! If we take another route, we'll be even more late!" An older man scratched the back of his head, trying to plan out their next move.

The young man brought his face to ear, smelling something out the ordinary that stopped him from his futile pushing. "...do you smell something, boss?"

"Quit smellin' and get to work!" Adamant about getting his job done (and getting paid), he waved his group back over to the fruitless task of moving the massive log out of the road.

Unbeknownst to them, however, the fairies were hard at work with their plan. The two who were stuck in cages on the ends, closest to the lanterns in question, that being Ophelia and an Earth fairy, were building up momentum in their small prisons, swinging back and forth toward the flaming lights. As they grew faster, and faster, the two started moving in a circle, trying to build up as much speed as they could. The other faires stuck their arms out, pushing the cages faster, as they swung around in a circle. As they continued to gain speed, the circle they traveled in continued to grow higher, and higher, until...

Crash!

Outside, the woman pushing on the fallen tree stopped. "...did you guys hear something?"

"Probably just thunder. Now stop listenin' to that stuff and push!"

The lanterns hanging on the two sides exploded from the force, spreading embers everywhere. The potted plants had extended their stalks up the wall and along the ceiling, thanks to the efforts of the plant based fairies, spreading across it and wrapping around the ropes that held the cages above the ground. The exertion had completely worn them out, however, with a few having passed out from the action, but Ophy and the others had anticipated this, and would get them out once the plan succeeded. The fire quickly traveled up the wall, making its way to the ropes.

The Earth fairy wasn't too put off by the flames, but Ophelia had suffered quite a few cuts, with part of her dress shredded and cuts going every which way. "Ophy, you look...terrible. Are you alright?"

"Fine, fine, I'm just...f-fine..." The stuttering and the slight limp as she positioned herself spoke otherwise, but her pride wouldn't let her just admit her pain so simply. Her breath came out in wheezes, and was enough to worry anyone on first sight. "I-It's almost done, anyway..."

One by one, the old cages dropped from the ceiling, clanging against the wooden floor as the flames roared above. The most pivotal was the cage holding the Earth fairy exploding into parts when it landed, dazed but intact. She rushed to help the others out of the cages that didn't completely shatter on impact, her strength herculean compared to the others.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last cage to fall, that being Ophy herself, snapped from its rope, plummeting to the ground below. With a loud crash, the old bars snapped into pieces, revealing the damaged, coughing Ophelia. Katarina was quick to bring her arms around the other fairy, propping her up by her shoulder.

"K-Kat, I'm fine, you don't h-have t-"

"I don't wanna hear it, Ophy. You've done your part. And now, we're getting out of here. Together." Ophy didn't say another word, as she fluttered her wings as hard as she could to provide at least some lift to help with Katarina's.

Again, the humans stopped, this time all noticing something was amiss.

"...hey guys, do you...smell something burning?" Many of them turned their noses to the sky, all smelling that distinct fragrance.

"Smells like...burning wood?" At the younger man's sentence, all of them whipped around to the carriage, noticing the smoke coming from the entrance, the fire peeking out from the inside and the various small visages of fairies all fleeing from the burning vehicle en masse.

"Goddammit! Screw the tree, get the nets!" The entire group scrambled back to the inside of the burning caravan, valuing the precious cargo that was the fairies they caught over saving the caravan. Searching through the cabinets, the group pulled out as many intact nets as they could, throwing them towards the group of flying fairies, but it was to no avail. The group was long out of reach, and the humans could only watch as their potential profit floated away, gone in an instant.

A few hours passed before Katarina, giving support to Ophelia, landed on a tree far out of sight of the human's caravan. The rain had lessened a little in the night, reducing down to a light drizzle. "I-I'm fine, Kat, really. We ca-"

The fairy was cut off by Katarina's arm slamming the tree behind her, the other fairy standing over her friend as Ophelia couldn't help but shrink back a little. "W-What are yo-"

"Strip."

"E-Excuse me?!?" The statement was met with confusion and a large blush that quickly spread over her face.

"Look, Ophy, I'm not letting you go anywhere until we address those." Her free hand glanced over her finger, pointing out quite a few cuts underneath her dress. "If you don't do it willingly, than I'm doing it for you. Your choice."

Ophelia tried to sputter out an embarassed answer for a few moments, unable to form coherent sentences to worm her way out of the predicament she was in, before ultimately sighing. "Fine. I'll do it."

"I dunno what you're worried about, Ophy. We've already seen each other naked plenty of times." She relented, letting Ophelia start to remove her dress. "I'm gonna go find some herbs. I'll be right back." With that, she fluttered off, leaving Ophelia to undress by herself.

"Well, Ophelia, you brought this on yourself..." On her own, the fairy had a habit of talking to herself. She hasn't done so recently, since she and Katarina were basically inseperable. "It was your plan, after all." Slowly, she wiggled her way out of her dress, wincing whenever the fabric touched one of the cuts. "But, it worked flawlessly, at least." A little proud huff came out of her as she unclasped the portion that was held by her breasts. "The other group was quick to get out, though...not so much as a single thank you. I didn't really expect anything, but one "oh, you're so amazing, Ophelia!" would have been nice..."

"Oh, Ophelia, you're so cool and amazing~!"

The sudden voice was enough to make her jump with an embarrasing sound that could only be described as a squeak. "K-Kat! That's...uh...h-how much did you, uh...hear...?" Ophelia's arm instinctively covered her large breasts, holding them together. Kat was splayed out on the branch next to her, looking on with an amused face. In her hand was a few pieces of tree leaves that she had managed to find.

"Hmm...right about how your plan worked flawlessly." Ophelia sagged a little when she realized she basically heard all of it. "If part of your plan was getting this banged up, I wouldn't say it's a plan I'm a fan of." She fluttered next to Ophelia, leaves in hand. "You know this is really gonna suck, right Ophy?"

Ophelia bit her lip as she knew, deep down, just how right her friend was. "J-Just, get it over with alread-eeeEEEEEE!" Katarina had cut her off by quickly placing a small piece to cover one of the cuts on her side, instantly taking effect...for better or worse.

"Better get used to it soon, Ophy, cause it ain't gonna get any better with the next few!" Before Ophelia could offer a word of protest, she took another small portion and covered another cut, complete with Ophelia letting out another gasp of pain. It felt like her entire body was on fire, but she knew that meant it was working. Each breath was a gasp as Katarina slowly covered each cut she could find with a patch of the herb, the piece staying in place as it coagulated the bleeding spot.

To Katarina's credit, she moved quickly, if delicately, being careful to only apply as much force to the cuts as possible. The pain was enough to almost blank out Ophelia's vision, but she stayed strong, holding back a few screams and grunts.

"There! All done." Ophelia's body was sensitive to the touch, but the patches of herbs were already doing their job, and would likely fall off on their own once the wound was healed. "How are you feeling?"

"Pain."

"Oh...well, yeah, I guess." She snuggled next to Ophelia's side, being careful not to brush against any of the wounds still healing. "Well, it's not like we're going anywhere in this rain, anyway."

"P-Probably..." Getting words out was hard through the stinging through her body, but before just passing out and letting them work their magic, she wasn't going to sleep just yet. "Kat, you're..." She sighed. "You're a good friend."

Her words were lost on Katarina, however, as she was fast asleep within seconds of getting close. The day must have worn her out too. "...you deserve better, than all this..." Ophelia muttered to herself, before falling asleep herself, the gentle pitter patter of rain lulling her into a peaceful slumber that, for at least a little while, made the pain feel just a little less terrible...

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Ophelia's eyes fluttered awake, as she laid in her bed, surrounded by her children. Why had she dreamed about that, tonight? Was it the rain that could be heard on the windows? She looked over, and saw Katarina had taken tonight to assume proper Elder size and hold some of the children herself. Ah, that must have been it.

Katarina was holding a few in a tight embrace, and they were doing the same. She was of age to find children of her own, and start raising them like Ophelia did hers. Sometimes the children even call her "Mom" by accident, the elder's influence being very powerful. However, she never forgot her promise. The foolish hope of two best friends, that out there was some paradise, for them and whoever they could bring with them, just waiting for them to find it.

Katarina spent a good 15 years feeling the urge to call Ophelia "Mom." At first, she hated the feeling. For so long, she had known her as her best friend, an equal, and then, all of the sudden, that relationship changed, and now, she was looking at her like the mother she never had, against her own will. For a while, she had even talked about leaving her, simply because it was just too jarring. The years went by, and she adjusted to it, purely because she knew that her Ophy was still the same person, despite the sudden change in emotions. And then, eventually, Katarina became an elder herself. However, the years had made it hard to just stop calling her "Mom." It was a struggle to do so, even after that biological grip had since passed.

Ophelia's hand reached over and brushed the hair out of her face in her sleep. It was even harder for Ophelia, who wasn't sure how to feel about things, either. Even though she, as an elder, wanted children to care for, there was some part of her that didn't want Katarina to be just "another child" for her to care for. She was special, in a way that few fairies could have. An anchor, and a purpose, beyond just being a mother.

It wasn't natural, for multiple elders to stay together like this. They were supposed to split, becoming figures in their own families, teaching them how to survive and grow into elders of their own. If anything, most elders saw others as threats to that very system, competitors to their food sources. But, Katarina wouldn't dream of ever leaving Ophy, not until they found their fairy haven. The thought of forcing Katarina to leave had crossed her mind, more than once, purely for her sake, but she'd never gone through with it. She'd never wanted to, even if what they had goes against what makes them elders. They were too close, now. She couldn't bring herself to do it, and she knew the children wouldn't understand, either.

For a while, Ophelia's hand gently glided across Katarina's head, as if her mind was still taking in all of these thoughts. "We'll find it...or die trying." Her voice was a hushed whisper, under her breath. It was their solemn vow, that had kept them going this long. Even with her new priorities as a mother, she'll never forget their promise. No matter what...

The Warmth of Family

In the silence of the forest, the sound of rapidly fluttering, jet black wings cut through the calm like a knife. Flapping as fast as the little wings could carry them, they shot her as fast as they could through the trees and greenery.

She barely understood much of anything. She didn't know words, or meaning. The only thing she really knew was that she couldn't stay there. Or else, she'd end up like those other fairies that she saw. They looked so different afterwards. They didn't have wings anymore. They didn't move. They were pale. No matter what she did, they wouldn't wake up anymore. Just thinking about it made feel so many things at once, even if she didn't know the words for them.

She didn't want people to stop moving. All she wanted to do was cry, until someone made it better. But she didn't have anyone. And, she'd only just managed to escape, thanks to those other ones. She couldn't see them anymore. But, they'd told her to "run." So she kept running, as far as her wings would carry her.

She could still hear those big things behind her. They were chasing her and those other ones. They wanted to put them back into cages. So that they'd end up cold, and asleep. She had to hide. She couldn't go back!

Nervously looking around for any sort of shelter, she darted into a nearby bush, her terrified shaking rattling the leaves a little and her two strands of springy, thick cowlicks peeking just out of the top.

She heard footsteps rush by. They stopped right in front of her hiding spot. They were shouting at each other loudly. She couldn't understand all of their words, but one sounded really angry at the other. However, after a moment's notice, they kept running in the same direction, away from her bush.

She didn't know what to do. She didn't know where to go. All of this green was new to her. It definitely wasn't where she came from. It didn't smell, or feel, anything like she knew. She was alone, in the wilderness. She was balled up in her hiding spot, tears starting to form in her eyes and her nose starting to get runny. When all of the sudden...

Achoo!

The girl sneezed, and all of the sudden the plants in front of her seemed to instantly fade away. The sharp sound was enough to alert the big people from earlier, who turned around and looked directly at her. Panicking, she darted out of the back of the bush as fast as she could, her tired wings pushing her as far as they could go. She could hear them getting closer with each step, and her flight was getting slower and slower. She couldn't keep going for much longer...she was tired, and scared, and hungry, and wanted to stop, but she knew she couldn't...the shouts were getting louder...and then, all of the sudden...

She heard a crash behind her, and the footsteps stopped. She didn't dare look back, terrified at what was going on back there, but eventually, she couldn't keep flying anymore. She turned around, expecting them to be right on top of her, and what was instead waiting for her...was nothing. They had disappeared! Did she do that? She didn't think she did that. She could hear noises, but they weren't footsteps. And there was...a hole in the ground? She crawled over to the hole and found the two big people staring her directly in the face, deep in the ground. They were trying futilely to pull themselves out, to no avail.

Their shouts were enough to elict a small yelp from her, as she pushed her wings as hard as they could to find some new hiding spot. Her wings were so incredibly sore, but she was able to pull herself upwards into a tree, completely covering herself and holding her mouth to keep herself from sneezing again. It was a while before they managed to climb their way out of the pit, looking even more exhausted than she was. It had gotten darker. Both of them looked defeated, and tired, and they slumped in defeat as they went back the way they came. Success! She won! But she was also still just as exhausted, and tired. Everything hurt. She didn't want to move. Without thinking, the little fairy laid her head down on the tree branch and tried to get some sleep. Maybe when she wasn't feeling so tired, things would be better...

The little fairy was awoken, many hours later, by the flitting light peeking through the plants. She didn't feel any less sore, but she felt a little less tired, at least. She stretched and rubbed her eyes, her stomach growling as she felt herself waking up. The sound of voices, however, caused her to shrink in fear. Had they come back? But, there were more voices this time, and none of them sounded like the same voices from earlier. Nervously, she peeked out of the foliage to see what was going on.

In her vision, was many little figures, along with two very large ones. She would have been terrified, but they all had wings like her! Well, none of them looked like her wings, but they probably weren't like the others that came after her. She'd never seen one that big before! Just looking at the the two really big ones made her feel just a little bit at ease, but she couldn't describe why. Was this the person that...that would make everything better?

Her stomach growled on cue. She couldn't take it anymore! She couldn't just stay here forever! Building up her courage, she darted out of the trees and rushed towards the nearest big person, hoping to hug their arm and make all of this end!

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To say that today had been an unconventional day for Ophelia would be an understatement. She had simply planned to take the children out to investigate that fuss she heard last night. Definitely some humans that had come through, and they were in some sort of rush. It looked like they had tripped one of their pitfall traps, leftover from their previous hunts. They had escaped it quite handily, however. Much better than the standard adventurer, that was for sure. Upon investigating it, however, they had been assaulted by...a tiny, baby fairy, who had attached itself to Katarina's arm.

The poor thing didn't have a name, a home, or even knew how to speak well. She couldn't have been older than five, at the most. She stared at Katarina's eyes for a moment, an uncomfortable silence passing between them, before hunger took her and she almost passed out on the spot, if Katarina hadn't caught her. Knowing they couldn't leave her out in the open, the fairies had no choice but to bring her home, as quickly as they could.

A wild fairy without an elder imprinted upon them was a tricking situation. If left in the presence of an elder for an extended amount of time, that fairy will see them as the mother they always wanted, the biological grip on them becoming permanent. Not only that, but right now, there was two Elders present in one area. Such a thing was unprecedented, and could have affects on the young fairy's mind. The amount of time it takes varies depending on the age of the fairy itself, with older ones closer to Elder-hood themselves needing upwards of a few days to a week for the effects to fully set in. For a baby like this, however...

Ophelia had to calm the children and gauge their reactions, and she left Katarina to watch over the young fairy while she did. They had many questions, and feelings on finding a new fairy out in the wild, so it was up to their mother to keep the situation calm. In truth, however, she had an ulterior motive for letting Katarina keep watch.

Katarina was quick to produce a mana globule from herself, and gently fed the raw essence to the sleeping fairy, hoping it would address some of her hunger pains. It wasn't long afterwards before she started to stir, and wake, the two of them sitting on the plush bed that the fairy family knew quite well. She looked confused, and worried, waking up in a place she didn't recognize, before her gaze fell upon Katarina.

"Well, hello there." Her voice caused her to jump, and shrink back a little, before the feeling from earlier started to set in. Nervously, she approached the much larger fairy, observing her as her wings flitted about in agitation. "It's alright. No one's going to hurt you. We're fairies like you...see?" Katarina's wings flitted in the same manner, hoping to assure her that she wasn't some threat. She could see the fear in her eyes, and how it slowly dissipated.

She waddled her way closer, as it seemed to reach her on some level. "My name's Katarina. What's yours?"

The little fairy thought about that for a moment. "Ka...Kah...Kah-Tah-Ree-Nah?" Her head tilted like a confused puppy. The response was enough to produce a little giggle from the older fairy. She'd never seen a fairy this young before.

"That's a really big word, I know. You can call me Kat, if that's easier." Katarina hadn't had a lot of time to practice really being a mother figure, so she was a little out of her element. Her voice was soft, and low, trying not to spook the poor thing. "Do yo..not have a name?"

"Kat..." She thought about that for a moment, still scootching her way closer. "Kat!" Her face erupted into a big smile of her own, probably one of the first genuine ones she'd ever had. However, the question gave her pause. She thought long and hard for a good minute, trying to remember anything like that for herself. Eventually, she turned to Katarina and shook her head, looking sorrowful.

"It's okay. If you like, we can come up with one for you, if you want?" Katarina patted the bed next to her, beckoning her to sit next to her. Starting to become more relaxed, the little fairy slowly scootched her way right next to Katarina's thigh, before leaning her head on its side. Her eyes closed, and for one of the few times in her life, she felt at peace. Katarina noticed that the girl was exceptionally warm, to the touch. Was she sick? She didn't look like it, at least. A moment passed where she looked absolutely comfortable, just leaning her side against the Elder. However, the moment was cut short as her stomach rumbled again, and the little girl looked down at her stomach, almost confused and frustrated by the sound.

"Are you still hungry?" She nodded vigorously at the question, a pleading look in her eyes. "Okay, okay, I can help with that." Katarina put her hands to her chest, breathing deeply, before producing another deep magenta mana globule from it. The lump was only a little smaller than she was, slightly larger than the first and should hopefully satisfy her appetite. The action made the little fairy retreat back in surprise at first, but then she noticed the smell it had. She sniffed the air incredibly fast, looking even more starved even if she didn't know what it was.

"Hey, there's no need for that look." She placed the portion of mana on the bed next to her, letting her take a good look at it. "It's all yours."

She curiously examined the lump of mana. She clearly had no idea how to ingest it, to take all of that mana into her system. And Katarina didn't want to just tell her, either. It was important that she learned how to do these things on her own. She prodded at it a few times, feeling how warm it felt as she wrapped her arms around it. The little fairy bit it, but didn't feel anything from it. Confused, she looked over at Katarina, begging for some help.

"Cmon, I know you can do it. Show me how smart you are." She looked back at the lump, now determined more than ever to figure this out. Frustrated, she put her whole mouth against a side of it, and her expression went from shock, feeling the sudden flow of mana from the object into her, into a dreamy comfort as her body's instincts took over the rest, gently suckling on the rock-like lump. Ophelia would be thrilled to see how resourceful she was, at this age. Katarina slowly, but gently, moved her hand to pet the little girl's head, lost in a bliss of food.

Over the course of a few minutes, the lump grew smaller and smaller until it vanished in her hand, leaving her with a contented sigh. Just from that little bit, she looked invigorated, and she had the cutest smile. Instantly, she brought her arms around Katarina's thigh, hugging it as best as she could. She looked up at her with a look of adoration, as the short time they had spent together was already setting in.

"Kah-Tah-Ree-Nah...mommy?"

Katarina froze. She knew this was coming at some point. Because of how long she had spent with her own Elder, she sometimes forgets that she too is an Elder, and the pull she has on the young ones is paramount. Most of the time, it never comes into play, due to all of the others already being imprinted onto Ophelia. But this was different.

"I....I-I..."

If she said yes, there was no going back. She'd be a full blown mother at that point, with the girl with no name bound to her as her child. Her breath started to quicken as the thought hit her like a sack of bricks, her throat going dry and her vision started to get a little dizzy.

"I'm...I am..."
Katarina's mind felt like it was screaming at itself, just to say the one thing that she knew she needed to. Or anything, at this point, considering she was keeping her waiting all this time.

"I..." She gulped, as if the words were stuck in her throat. All this time, the little fairy was looking at her expectantly, but patiently. God, she was just a little angel. But...was she ready? Was she anywhere near Ophy when it came to being a parent?

"I...I have to go! I-I'll be right back!" She gently detached the little fairy from her leg as she quickly walked (more like sprinted) out of the room, sweating and having difficulty breathing. Right outside the door, Ophelia was waiting for her, arms crossed and her gaze discerning.

"...you couldn't do it, could you?"

Katarina tried her hardest to get some excuse out, tripping over her words as her mind raced, before eventually her entire body slumped forward in defeat, and shame. The older fairy sighed, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Not everyone's ready to be a parent, Kat." She walked past her into the bedroom, closing the door behind her.

Katarina stood there for a moment, taking in that reality, before tears started to flow down as she started to shrink down to her original fairy size. A few of the others came close to ask what the problem was, but before any of them could get a word in edgewise, Katarina darted off to the higher levels, sobbing.

Ophelia gently closed the door behind her, letting it click shut. It seems she wasn't ready. Maybe she should have discussed it with her earlier, but there's nothing to be done about it now. She looked up to see the little fairy still sitting on the bed, with a confused expression on her face.

"I'm sorry, dear. Katarina wasn't feeling too well."

"Kah-Tah-Ree-Nah...sad? I...make, sad?" She looked nervous, and anxious, worried that she might have done something wrong.

"Oh, no, no! It's not you." She slowly approached the bed and took a seat, letting her take in the appearance of the new individual. "She's just going through...many things, right now. I promise, it's not your fault."

She thought about this for a minute. After all of the time that she had spent with Katarina, it was likely she was close to imprinting before she had flipped. It likely wouldn't take much to finish things. Ophelia brought a hand to her chest. "My name is Ophelia. Oh-Fee-Lee-ah." Ophelia sounded out the word to help the little girl understand it better.

"Oh...fee...le...ah." She struggled with the large word, but she finished it all the way without issue. She was quite smart, for her age. "Ohfeeleeah, fairy?"

Ophelia nodded. "That's right. I'm all of those fairies' mother. I care for all of the little ones in this forest. We've all lived here for a long time, now."

"Mo...ther." She repeated the word a few times, letting it roll off the tongue. It felt nice to say. Made her feel warm, and fuzzy. She slowly waddled her way over to Ophelia, practically falling into her thigh with her arms spread as wide as she could. She looked up at her expectantly, just like she did for Katarina. "Ohfeeleeah...mother."

Ophelia had met younger fairies in her life, so she wasn't nearly as out of her element as Katarina was. She brought a single finger to the back of her head, gently petting it as she laid there. "Indeed. I'm a mother to a lot of things."

The gears in the little one's head were turning, as if she was coming to a conclusion that she was looking for. "Ohfeeleeah...my mother?"

And there it was. The one that would seal her future. "Well, do you want me to be?"

Again, she was silent for a moment. She was still hugging her clothed thigh, her chin resting on it as she was deep in thought. Eventually, she piped up. "Would like a mommy."

Ophelia's features softened. "In that case..." She held her arms out to the little girl. "...welcome to the family."

Her entire face lit up in a massive smile, and she lept into mother's arms, as she wrapped her in a big hug. "But if you're going to be my new daughter, I'll need to know your name, first."

Pulling back a little from the hug but still being held close by Ophelia, the little fairy shook her head.

"You don't want to give it? Or...you don't have one?"

An affirmitive nod. "Hmm...in that case, we'll have to come up with something together. Why don't you start from the very beginning." Ophelia set the girl down and laid down next to the girl.

The girl spent an extended amount of time detailing what she could, through what words she knew and pantomiming. She was barely alive for a few years before being captured by humans. From what little she could remember about her home, it was gray, and barren, and the trees were nothing like the ones here. The humans seemed to think she was special, and kept her alive for that long, if barely. She doesn't remember much about the place she was born in. It was like this place, but more quiet. Ophelia had noticed the unique shape and texture of her wings, early on. It was definitely unlike anything she had seen before. They were pitch black, and felt almost like leather to the touch. They were also very large, moreso than even her body. From them, she couldn't tell what kind of fairy she was at first glance. She didn't seem to be altering her body like a Water fairy, either, so this was natural. Every now and then, she would glide a finger across the girl's wings, elicting a little shiver that she would usually lean into.

Through a combined effort by quite a few other captured fairies, the girl was one of the few to escape, and found herself here, drawn in by the feelings of nature. Whenever she got excited, the two strands of hair on her head would bounce up and down with her, and she couldn't help but find it cute.

"Ripped from your home so early, and barely kept alive for so long...are you still hungry, dear? You don't have to hold back, if you don't want to."

The girl shook her head. "Kat...gave food. She's nice..."

Ophelia sighed, before patting her on the head. Every touch made her visibly happy in a way she never knew before this day. Starved for attention like nothing else. "She is. She's also my daughter too. So that makes her one of your new sisters."

"Really?" She nuzzled playfully until the hand that patted her, absolutely loving the touch. The excitement was making her a little light headed, almost, when she felt her nose start to tickle. She leaned back, breathing in, and sneezed...and out came a small stream of orange fire, that dissipated almost instantly. Ophelia's hand retracted only a little bit, feeling the sudden burst of fear from seeing fire yet again, but only slightly.

"That was...I've never seen a fairy do that, before..." The girl looked at her with curiousity, her head tilted to the side again, confused.
"Not...normal?"

Ophelia shook her head. "But, that doesn't mean it's bad." Ophelia held her arms out again, and the little girl waddled into her embrace, leaning against one of her mother's breasts. "If anything, that makes you special. And being special is a wonderful thing."

"Special?"

She nodded. "It means you can do things that no one else can. And that, is an incredible gift." Ophelia's arms gently draped across her body, holding her close. She felt warm, to the touch. Not an uncomfortable hot, but a pleasant warm, like staying close to a comfortable fire.

"I'm...special..."

"And with time, you'll learn to use that gift to keep yourself safe, and how to use it in all sorts of ways." Ophelia looked down at the girl. "The world isn't a nice place. You've seen that first hand, haven't you?" She looked down at the bed, knowing full well what she meant. "But, you don't have to worry anymore. I'm here now. And not only will I keep you safe, I'll teach you how to keep both yourself and others safe, too."

"Y-You will?"

"Of course." Ophelia's smile was large, and full of genuine kindness. "That's what mothers do, after all." The girl's expression picked up at her words, and she snuggled closer, accidentally slipping inbetween her breasts. It brought out a low chuckle from Ophelia, which caused them to vibrate just a touch. "You like it in there?"

She nodded vigorously. "Feels warm...and safe..." She let out a little yawn, clearly already comfy inbetween her mother's breasts.

"Ah ah, before you go to sleep, we need to think of a name first. Have you thought of anything?"

Her head moved back and forth as she tried to rattle her brain for a minute, before a spark of inspiration hit her. "Bee!"

"Bea? Like...Beatrice?"

Her head shook up and down rapidly. "I remember...bees, back where I came from. They were so pretty, and cute, and..." Another yawn interrupted her thought process.

"Alright, alright...Beatrice it is. How does it feel to have a name?"

Bea snuggled into the blanket that was her mother's breasts. "Mm...feels, nice..." It was clear she was already dozing off, with her eyes fluttering and her body going slack. "I love you, mommy..."

"I love you too, Beatrice." Even before she finished saying it, the little fairy was fast asleep, gently snoring and out like a light. The new daughter of the fairy household. The elder noticed that she had absentmindedly brought a thumb to her mouth, sucking like a baby. Which she was still sleeping, Ophelia gently pulled that out of her mouth and brought it to her nipple instead, where her instincts took over and she found something more pleasant to put her mouth around in her peaceful slumber.

Ophelia, looked over at the door, being careful not to move her, she noticed a few eyes peeking in from the cracked door. She put her fingers to her lips, before beckoning the crowd in, and they silently crowded around the sleeping fairy to see.

"So...is she staying?" Perdita was the first to ask the question, her voice as quiet as she could make it.

Ophelia nodded at the question. "This is Beatrice, your new baby sister."

Othello, notebook in hand, took a close look at the wings. "...what kind of fairy is she, exactly?" He was flipping through his book, trying to see if it matched any of his notes, to no results.

"I'm not entirely sure. When she sneezed, she produced flames of some sort. I've never seen anything like it."

"...flames, you say?" Othello hastily swapped to a new page and was taking notes, rapidly making sketches of the wings. "This might be a new species of fairy...this is unheard of..." The boy was mumbling to himself as he jotted down details he noticed.

"And there he goes again. We might have to pull him out of the room when we're done." Aemilia shook her head, recognizing that gleam in his eye as his hands were a blur with his notes. She turned to face her mother. "What happened with Kat?"

"She...she wasn't ready. That's all I'll say on that matter."

Aemilia huffed at the non-answer, but it was clearly the best she was going to get. Hermia's hand shot up next, with a big toothy grin on her face. "We're gonna get to play together with her later, right?"

"Of course, of course. But for now, the poor thing needs some rest." Ophelia held out her arms to the rest of them, who all instinctively huddled close into her mother. "I think we could all use a rest, after a day like today."

As the entire group drifted into a peaceful slumber, a familiar purple fairy crept into the room, her face stained with tears. She not so gracefully fluttered onto the bed, snuggling into Ophelia's side. She looked down and saw little Bea, fully snuggled inbetween Ophelia's breasts. It didn't take much to see what had happened.

Full of self-loathing at her actions, Katarina held onto Ophelia tightly as she too went to sleep, surrounded by her sisters and brother.

Just as young fairies are destined to find mothers in Elders, perhaps the opposite can be said as well, where Elders are guided by their own instincts to care for the children that they meet without a home and a family. Perhaps it's simply that a child brings out the best in people, where having something that depends on you can make someone a better person. Sometimes it might even make them worse, as they fall into depths they never fought possible, all for their sake. Regardless of what path their love takes them, no one can ever deny the compassion between a mother and her children.