“But… How? How could magic exist for so long and so many people not acknowledge it?” Elizabeth asked, shaking her head. “I know people have argued over whether the sun revolves around the earth, or the earth circling the sun and whether or not the earth is flat or round but… Magic? Not to mention the existence of an entire spec… Uh, group of people.” she said, catching herself before she accidentally offends Farah. “And you mentioned something about different types of fairies?”
Farah pursed her lips slightly. “Magic has not always been… accepted by humans. So, fairies have had to hide more often than not. There were times in our history when nearly our entire population was – how can I say it kindly? – wiped out because of exposure to our way of life.”
She noted the correction and smiled knowingly. “Yes, there are different types. Each fairy is born with a type, but it’s possible to learn other types through practice and study. Our abilities are based on natural abilities. I’m a mind fairy, by birth, but I’ve dappled in other kinds of magic…”
She left her statement open, almost like an invitation. Her eyes almost seemed to sparkle in the light.
Elizabeth winced at the reminder and briefly wondered how many fairies were involved in those old “witch trials”… “Right. Sorry.” she nodded.
She smirked a little at the obvious bait and shrugged. “As long as you as stay out of my mind… What other kinds of magic have you learned?”
Farah waved her hand dismissively. “Don’t be,” she said. “It isn’t your job to apologize on behalf of your entire race’s misjudgments.”
The fairy’s expression turned solemn for a moment as she nodded. “Of course. I don’t breach people’s minds unless they are willing to it or it’s necessary. With that being said…”
Her smirk returned, and she lifted her palms up. Her eyes changed colors again, and she created a bubble of water above her palm and a small plume of fire above the other. She dispelled both – the water bubble popping and the fire extinguishing itself. She then continued to show off her abilities by bending the light and causing a wind to sweep through the grove. Finally, bundles of daisies sprouted around Farah and Elizabeth’s ankles. She lowered her hands and her eyes changed back to their normal color. The light returned to normal, and the wind died back down.
“Mind, water, fire, light, air, and earth,” Farah said as if it were the most simple thing in the world.
“Still, I should have remembered that bit of history.” Elizabeth pointed out.
She let out a sigh and nodded gratefully at the assurance. “Thank you. I just… I have my own problems to work out.” she admitted.
Her eyes widened as Farah displayed the different types of magic that she was able to use, even jumping a little at the show of fire and the flash of light. “Whoa!”
“Wow! Alright, Avatar,” she smirked a little, teasing. “Is that all the types of magic? Or just the ones you can use?” she wondered, raising a brow.
“That’s understandable,” Farah replied, addressing two of Elizabeth’s remarks at once.
The fairy couldn’t help but laugh at the new nickname she’d earned through her demonstration. “Yes, both,” she purred. “Those are all six kinds of magic, and I can use all of them, to some degree. I’m stronger with some more than others, which is the case for anything really. But yes, I can use them all.”
“Wow… How long did it take you to be able to use all of them?” Elizabeth asked, wondering if there was a school for this kind of thing or if fairies were just long-lived and Farah had that much time to practice.
Farah pursed her lips, genuinely in thought. “Since I was… sixteen? Yes, that’s when I started at Alfea. Seven years. So not long at all, really.”
She discreetly curled her fingers into fists at her side. Not long at all considering I had a zealot teacher pushing her lessons down my throat so that I would be ready when I graduated, she thought to herself.
“Al-fea-a?” she questioned, testing the strange name. Though she was almost sure she mispronounced it. “So… You have a school where you learn magic. That makes sense.” Elizabeth nodded. “And it takes seven years to graduate? Or is that just how long it's been since you were there?”
Farah kept from laughing and only smiled instead. The attempt was kind of adorable. “Alfea,” she repeated. “Yes, it’s a school. It takes four years to graduate, but I was selected to be the protégé of the headmistress, so I stayed for several extra years.”
“Ah! So, you're very talented then.” Elizabeth hummed. “Does that make you a fairy godmother or more like the Blue fairy?” she asks, unable to resist making another Disney joke.
Farah couldn’t help but blush slightly. “I wouldn’t say ‘very,’” she corrected, “but yes, I supposed you could say that.”
Her eyes widened and flashed with amusement. “Neither, thank you very much! Stop comparing me to your First World impressions of fairy life.” Her expression gave away that she was only joking and wasn’t really upset.
Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh at Farah’s reaction to her tease. “Can't help it. When you grow up on that stuff, it stays with you.” she explained, still chuckling. “First World? Is that what you call this place?”
“Ah, yes,” Farah said, backtracking to explain. “This is the First World. Most fairies live in the Otherworld, accessible by gateways and gateway rings. It’s where Alfea is.”
She held up her right hand. On her thumb, a silver ring was noticeable. It had little markings on it and a diamond that caught the light and glowed wonderously. It even had a few plumes of light radiating from it, emphasizing its magical abilities.
(If you don’t already know… look up what a thumb ring means ;))
(Very nice! Did not know any of those.)
“Ah. So technically, you are an alien.” she teased again. “How different is your Otherworld from this nonmagical First World?”
Deep down, Farah knew the remarks were just to tease her. Still, she crossed her arms in slight annoyance.
“I am not an alien! And I never said the First World was nonmagical. It is. The magic just exists few and far between except when fairies are around. The First World is called that because of what it is – the first world created. To escape the persecution of our kind, fairies who possessed the most magical abilities were able to create and shape another world –the Otherworld – that is completely parallel to the First World with the exception of stronger magical conduits and the ability to practice magic freely and without punishment.”
Elizabeth put her hands up in surrender, not having expected such a passionate defense. Or the following lecture. “Ok. Ok. Sorry.” she apologized. “That's still pretty cool. That you guys were able to make your own literal safe haven. And able to make it so it's easier to use magic.”
Farah laughed and began to walk away from the clearing. The woman was fully restored and looked even better than she had when Elizabeth had first seen her. The magical conduit had made her better than new.
“Well, it was fairies long passed that made the Otherworld. I’m not sure I’d be able to manage such a task. My magic is only a fraction of the strength they had.” She wasn’t giving herself nearly enough credit, but Elizabeth didn’t need to know that. Farah didn’t intend on telling the woman why she was here in the First World and not back in the Otherworld. She doesn’t need to know. It would only make her see me as a monster.
Elizabeth quickly caught up with Farah and put her hands in her pockets. “Maybe so. But we're not that different on that point. I mean, I didn't make this nation or anything and, obviously, I can't use magic but… We both have skills that we use for the benefit of our homes.” she shrugged, her mind briefly taking her back to when she was in boot camp. A grueling but still fun time for her.
Farah nodded. “Yes, very true.” She fell silent after that, sensing Elizabeth had other thoughts on her mind. In turn, she tuned her awareness up and amplified every sense in her body. Her sight was clearer, her small sharper, and her hearing intensified. Her eyes changed color to signal the use of her magic, but otherwise, her outward appearance remained the same.
Elizabeth shook her head, forcing those thoughts back before they could take her… She sighed and walked with Farah. She didn't need, or want, to think about further down that road. Not now. And maybe not for a while yet. “So…” she clears her throat, “what brings you to this place anyway?” she asks casually. “First World, I mean. Are you just visiting or do you have some nonmagical friends that you're here to see?”
Farah jumped a bit as the woman spoke up again, and she withdrew her magic. It felt surprisingly dull to be limited with her sense again.
But the question Elizabeth asked made the fairy’s throat tighten and her stomach turn with nausea. She was hoping this conversation wouldn’t happen for a while, but she was obviously wrong. “Just visiting, I suppose,” she replied simply, vaguely. “Waiting for some things to… clear up back home.”
“Sorry. Didn't mean to scare you.” she quickly apologized when Farah jumped. “I just… I prefer to talk when I'm walking with someone. Otherwise… It just reminds me of things I don't want to think about.” Elizabeth shrugged, kicking a rock.
She listens to the way the Fairy answers and nods, not prying for more. “I get that. Do you have a place to stay then?”
Farah understood completely. “Yes, I know what you mean. I just wasn’t expecting it, that’s all. My senses were heightened. I was checking for the bear, making sure it didn’t circle back around near us again.”
She appreciated Elizabeth leaving her remarks alone without questioning for more details. Maybe I can tell her more someday. Maybe not.
“I’m afraid I don’t,” she admitted. “I’ve been out here for the past few we— days.” She quickly changed her words, not wanting the other woman to be worried. It had been at least two weeks since Farah had temporarily sealed herself in the first world.
“Ah.” Elizabeth nodded, impressed by the ability and perhaps a little jealous. There had been plenty of times in her service when something like that would have come in very handy.
She raised a brow as she caught the quick change in words. “I see. Well, I'm sure a Fairy of your caliber would have no trouble surviving out here for as long as you wanted to.” she smirked playfully. “I actually still remember a lot of my survivalist training…” she trailed off, quickly shaking her head. “But, if you’d prefer to have some company, I have a spare bedroom in my apartment. It's not much. Especially compared to this. But after a while, being alone starts to get to most people.”
Farah noted the playful smirk, and she returned the expression for a moment. “I’m sure,” she murmured, but she found herself surprised at the woman’s offer. “I… wouldn’t mind that, actually,” she said, quasi-accepting the offer. “As long as you’re sure it won’t be any trouble on your part. I don’t want to be an inconvenience to you.”
“No. No inconvenience at all.” Elizabeth assured. “I’m still neat as a pin. Mostly. I have a few things semi-scattered around but I haven't touched the second bedroom.” she said plainly. “I’m a pretty decent cook and I have a job at the library three days a week. It would be nice to have some company when I get home.”
“That’s alright, no one is perfect.” Farah smiled warmly. “Well then, I suppose it would be rude to turn away such a kind offer. Lead the way back.”
She was glad to hear that Elizabeth was a good cook because for some reason, the universe had not bestowed the gift of cooking on Farah Dowling. She couldn’t make a meal to save her life, and she hated touching the textures of food while preparing it.
