(Hey! Sorry I've been MIA recently. My life has been a literal shitshow for like 3 months, and I'm just now getting back to mostly normal.)
Farah's eyes were wide, and she nodded eagerly as she listened. She soaked up each new bit of information as soon as it passed Lux's lips. "Wow," she breathed. "Life here is so much more complicated than it is in the Otherworld…"
Memories from her homeworld flooded her mind, but Farah jolted back to her current reality when the bag landed beside her. She looked confused for a moment. "What's this?"
(Sorry about about your life, I hope it gets better for you!)
Brookyln smiled. "Just some earrings and bracelets from some shops. Help yourself." She pulled back her hair into a ponytail and started humming. Lux looked to her side and took off it's watch to open a gallery of holographic photos. It pulled a photo of a Nova short, chubby black person in a black silk dress and crescent moon wire earrings standing next to Luna. Strange, why would a fairy and a witch pose so friendly? They were both smiling, with Luna resting here had on Nova's shoulder. Lux looked at Farah with a rather dim look.
"You mention you are from the Otherworld, do you about her?" It shows the picture to Farah.
"Nova was rather fond of their friend Luna. I never met her before. Baxtor did but didn't speak to her much." Lux said as Brooklyn scooted next to them and rest her head on Lux's shoulder, sensing Lux's separation anxiety and attempting to calm them. Lux smiled at their daughter and sighed. They placed the photo close to Farah and the held Brooklyn closer.
"I'm terribly surprised that Luna would have such a close friendship with a practising blood witch," Farah murmured. "But I understand now that they aren't as bad as Rosalind was making them out to be… I feel terrible for the things I've done…" She trailed off, glancing absently at the photo.
The picture slid to another photo of Nova. They were decorating for a winter holiday with Ghost and Tiara. Nova was dressed in a festive purple and white sweater dress, hanging up lights with their wand. They have the biggest, softest smile you've ever seen on a person. It was genuine and heart warming. The photo gallery started showing more photos of them with that same, beautiful smile. One photo that stood out the most, Nova with a fairy. She had moth wings and red antennas, wearing a peach sundress and a flower crown of hydrangeas. She was holding Nova's hand with tears of joy and behind the two was a sight the read "Engaged" in glittery letters. That woman was a fairy…a fairy and a witch engaged? Lux smiled at that photo as she took a sip off water.
"That was our engagement; me, Baxtor, Nova, and that little fairy is Clementine. A sweet little thing." The sound of a distorted bell chime rang, strange symbols appeared in the sky. "Ah shit, girls pack it up! We got to head out before we get stuck!" On que the kids packed up there belongs and head down a ladder, Lux did the same. Before Farah could say anything about the photos, Lux's grabbed her hand and pulled her to the ladder. "Move quickly, kid. We gotta get home."
(I’m so sorry! 😬)
Farah was still trying to process the photos she’d seen when the bell chimed from far off. Before she knew it, she was being lifted to her feet and pulled away from the beautiful and enchanting spot. “Wait, what? Why?” she asked worriedly. “Where are we going? What’s the problem? Why would we get stuck? Stuck where?” Farah hated not knowing things.
(It's ok!!)
As Lux went down the ladder, she quickly explained. "We are heading back to the train. The guardians closes the trains off after 3:33, we could be stuck here for about a couple years." They reached the bottom of the building, with the rest of the kids. The floating eyes started to hover close to the ground.
"Attention Zona Quartz, the trains will be closing shortly. The trains will be inactive for approximately 62 years, 48, month, 24 weeks, and 18 day" The eyes spoke in unison. The doors of the trains opened up for one last round about."
"That's our que kids, let's head down the alleyway for a shortcut." The kids nodded and followed directions as Lux helped Farah.
"Why 3:33?" Farah asked, still trying to find her footing as she was being pulled along. Her eyes went huge at the sight of the floating eyes and the voice that came from them. "62 years? What the hell?" She kept up hurriedly with Lux. "Why is it that long? What is happening?"
At the end of the alleyway was a set of sliding double doors connect to a concrete wall. The doors opened to an empty subway cart in pastel purple and lavender colors. It didn't look real, more like a dollhouse. They all made it in before the doors close. After they kids caught their breathe, they went to go do what they do best. Be kids. Diamond sat on the floor checking out their new belongings, Tiara grabbed a pole an held on to it like a bored child, and Brooklyn sat on a seat checking her phone. As if this was a normal day. Lux chuckled, " That's a normal day here." Lux remembered the pictures and opened them up again on a small hologram. She smiled at Nova and the fairy in the photo, a smile of true love.
"Wait, isn't 48 months another four years?" Farah asked aloud, wondering if anyone was even listening to her at this point. "And 24 weeks is another almost 6 months. And 18 days is over two weeks." She was so lost, and she felt incredibly out of place among the other kids. Why couldn't she understand?? Diamond, Tiara, and Brooklyn all seemed to know what they were doing.
Obviously they do, they've been here for years! Get a hold of yourself, Farah! the mind fairy snapped at herself. She refused to cry or break in front of these people. The only one she felt truly comfortable breaking around was Saul. And he wasn't here. Oh, gods, where was he?
She snapped to attention at Lux's words. "Normal?" she asked faintly, getting a chance to see the pictures. She recognized the look, the smile, the feelings behind it. She experienced all of that and more with Saul. She needed him. And she'd left him behind. Gods, she was selfish. One ounce of freedom, and she went absolutely wild.
Lux placed a hand on Farah's head, in a weird fatherly way. Like when a dad pats his sons head after a game. "Take a deep breathe kid." Lux made eye contact. " This is definitely the weirdest place in this world. It's better not to ask questions on the logic. Zona Quartz doesn't really logic or the laws of…well anything. Think of it like a child's imagination, it's complete nonsense but beautiful nonetheless." Lux sat down and invited Farah to sit next to them. "I'm sorry we haven't given the most gentle response to the situation." The photos continued swiping, landing on a picture of Lux, Baxtor, Nova, and that moth fairy. They were all in formal attire, in front of a small coffee shop. Lux's smile turned from love to content.
Farah caught her breath slowly as she made eye contact with Lux. "I-I'm sorry," she stammered quietly. "I'm a very logical and literal person. Just ask Saul." She laughed quietly. "Nonsense of any kind, even beautiful nonsense like this-" she motioned around them "-doesn't make any sense to me."
"It's alright. I don't think I've exactly been your most… let's say, willing person to come here," she replied, taking the seat next to Lux. Her eyes locked on the picture. "So you're all… together?" she asked softly. She wasn't trying to judge, just understand. "What's the story behind that picture?"
"Polyamory. First me and Baxtor, then we married Nova, then Clementine came into the picture. This was Baxtor's sister's new coffee shop, we all came to see the opening of it. " Lux closed the holograms. "It was funny, Nova and Clem were the best of friends, even with the whole fairy and witch querela. They loved each other so much. By the way, do you mind telling me more about Luna?" Lux crossed their legs and placed a pin of the genderfluid flag on their top, flipping their hair to the other side so their fluffy blue lamb-like ear and shaved part was visible to Farha.
Farah nodded. "Polyamory. That's beautiful. Really." She started to speak again, but she stammered for a moment, trying not to stare at Lux's… ear? "W-Well, the only querela I'm familiar with is fairies and blood witches. I wasn't aware that there were any other kinds of witches… but Luna? She's the queen of Solaria, a realm of the Otherworld. We attended Alfea together, though we… I'm not sure we were really friends? More often than not, I'm sure she considered me her enemy. But we eventually found a way to work things out between us that didn't end with her trying to blind me or me trying to telekinetically blast her to the other side of a room."
Lux snorted at Farah's look towards their ear. "Yeah, that tends to happen when you spend to much time here in Zona Quartz. I never met the woman, but Nova liked spending time with her. Something about knowing each other when they were young." Tiara sat next to Lux and rested her head on Lux's shoulder. Lux held them with one arm. "Well, is there anything you want to know about me, or my family?" The question was a bit timid, they focus more of Tiara being safe than the actually question.
Farah blushed heavily. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare. Everything is just so… different here." She nodded her head. "I'm afraid I wouldn't know anything about that. I knew Luna only when she began attending Alfea. I don't know much of her life before then."
The fairy bit her lip hesitantly. She still had lots of questions, but she didn't want to be too blunt or too rude. "So it's you… Baxtor… Nova… and Clementine. And everyone else is adopted?"
Lux nodded. "Polyamory was definitely weird at first but, we all love each other equally. As for the kids, it's more of foster system. We've taken in so many kids. Most found their forever homes, these babies are either to young to leave or just haven't found home yet."
"Or me, who would rather stay here than were I was from" Brooklyn cut in, making Lux smile and nod in agreement. Lux looked backed at the hologram files.
"I'm sorry to cut back into talking about Luna, but I remembered something." Lux said, opening up a video of Nova and Luna. Luna's hair appeared to be brown with a Blonde strike, the two looked like young adults. "Is this your "friend"?" The two were laughing and smiling, Luna appered to be less uptight.
"Congrats to Luna to making it into Alfea! I'm so proud of you" Nova said while drinking a glass.
"Stop, stop it."
"Let me be happy for you hun!" This was Luna, before Alfea?
Farah bit her lip hesitantly as she listened to Brooklyn and Lux. The former’s comment made her think. What would it be like if she stayed? If she didn’t go back to the Otherworld? If she left well enough alone and didn’t need to worry about whatever the aftermath of Aster Dell was?
The questions were still swirling in her mind when Lux’s voice distracted her with another video of Luna. Farah’s jaw dropped open at the sight of Luna’s hair. “Oh my gods,” she breathed, watching the exchange. That was not the Luna she knew. Gods, Rosalind and Alfea had changed her. And not to mention her mother, the former queen of Solaria.
Luna was still dressed in proper attire looking like an elegant lady though she still had a very loose and relaxed attitude. The video stopped and Lux put away the hologram." Sorry to show you this, I thought maybe knowing more about Luna with help me find Nova… hey let me show you something. Lux took Sarah to the window." There is a thick cluster of Dusty purple fog seconds before exposing the crystallized neon light City that was Zona quartz. Looks mild as they Place their hand up against the glass. " I've called this place home for so many years. The chaos and the calm of this place made me feel safe. Whatever choice you make whether it's staying here or going back home I hope you know that you're safe with us. " Lux sounded genuine; Sincere, even though they've said this over a million times that tone will never change.
That confused Farah even more. "Find Nova? Do you think Nova could be in the Otherworld?" she asked, her tone slightly worried. If Nova was a blood witch and stuck in the Otherworld… they would be in significant danger.
Farah willingly followed Lux's lead and looked out the window. The sight amazed her, briefly making her forget about Nova, witches, Luna, fairies, and the Otherworld as a whole. Her eyes widened to take in the sight. "Wow," she breathed. The young fairy looked over at Lux, earnestness in her gaze.
"I can't make a decision right now," Farah admitted quietly. "I need to speak with Saul and Ben." She hesitated a moment. "If I were to decide to go home… but I wanted to come back… would that be possible?" she asked quietly.
Lux layout a deep sigh of disappointment." Nova is, at least what we presume to be in, is what most called the Light Realm. A small Pocket dimension between life and death. It's where the Reckless become peaceful. We know Nova isn't dead, if they were most of their magical artifacts with deactivated but they're still in functioning order meaning that they're still alive. Luna was one of the very last people who was able to speak to Nova before they went off into war. If there's any chance she knows how to get there you might be able to go back. " Lux filled with the ring on her finger, not ready to take it off. They're so desperate for hope. She coughed and attempted to brush the answer off like it was nothing." As for taking you back here.. well you came in through a whirlpool. Whirlpools and these oceans a random gateways to really anywhere they're really random and they follow the whole "The portal chooses you" trope. The only one here who knows how to Dimension hop is Brooklyn but" before less could finish their statement Brooklyn stood up and held the bar of the subway train.
" Don't bother asking me. I know how much you want to get home and I have a book that lets me Dimensions hop but that only works with this Dimension and mine, which is a very different place from the otherworld. Sorry but once you make a decision and you decide to leave your chances of coming back here or slim to none. "
(Happy New Year!!! Sorry fr the late response)
(Happy very belated new year 😅)
Farah listened to both Lux and Brooklyn's words. Hope had dwindled from her expression, and she sighed quietly. "It's alright. I supposed that, deep down, I figured as much. If I were to leave and go home, maybe I could speak with Luna about finding Nova?"
The young fairy's eyes widened suddenly. "Have you ever heard of gateway magic before?" she asked, directing the question at both, but more specifically, Brooklyn.
The two looked at each other, then back at Farah. "No, no we haven't." Lux said. Tiara picked up the hologram photos and started scrolling through them, by picked up meaning sliding it out Lux's pocket.
"Woah! That's dad! The look good."
"What the- aye?! Give that back!" Tiara open a picture of a young Nova and Luna. Luna looks very different; More blonde in her hair, a blue royal dress, matching wired moon earrings. She was smiling as if she was camera. Nova in more brighter shades of brown instead of black, smiling like they fell in love with the first time.
"Woah, this Luna woman loo-" A slap to the back of the head cut off Tiara's sentence.
"You need to stop pick pocketing kid." Lux said, shutting of the photos for good. "Anyway, what is this about a gateway magic?" Turning attention back to Farah.
Farah's eyes caught on the next picture shown of Luna. She'd never known Luna before Alfea, but she hadn't thought the light fairy would be so… what was the word Farah was searching for? Bold? Rebellious? Different?
The blond streak was what shocked Farah the most. As long as she'd known her, Luna had entirely brown hair. So when had she gotten the streak in the first place, and when had it been removed? So many questions were forming in Farah's mind, revolving entirely around Solaria's princess.
She was pulled back into her current situation at Lux's question. "Gateway magic. Essentially, doorways to other universes. Its power is channeled into rings."
The young mind fairy paused and held up her right hand. On her thumb was an intricate, rose-gold ring with a large diamond in the middle and smaller diamonds set around the band. It glimmered with fairy magic.
"I've only ever used it to get from the Otherworld to the First World, and vice versa. I wasn't aware of any other worlds, like this one, that could have the potential to be traveled to…"
