Dragonscales

Chapter 49|Google Slides on How Not to Die

A/N: I honestly can't remember if I've shown y'all my drawing of Thistle. Anyway, here it is.

Ave finished loading the saddle of her peryton. Amare wrapped her arms around me. "We'll see you later, Prickly." Small tears formed at the mention of my childhood nickname. They were referring to the small thorns that grow on my namesake. "Have a safe flight, my friends. I'll see you soon." I hugged Ave, then sent them on their way. It was a long flight by peryton, but they had made the journey before. 

I climbed the stairs up to one of the board rooms, where Khepri and I were to hold an informational meeting about the fairfolk. An attack loomed. We were lucky to receive no hostility for a period of time, but it wouldn't last. Not while my mother was still at large. Khepri was already in the room, being assisted by Bruce to prepare the presentation. Velveteen horns poked out of Khepri's golden hair. Their antlers were just coming in, a sign of an adolescent fairy. Bruce and Khepri finished preparing the presentation. 

Khepri and I took our places in front of the projector while the Avengers took their seats. Even Loki and Marigold got a chair. Tourmaline got her own beanbag to curl up on. "The earliest known recordings of faeries have been in Celtic myths. They were worshiped until Christianity became popular all over the world. After Christianity became popular, faeries were then thought to be demons." I began. Upon my signal, Bruce pushed a button to show the next slide of the presentation. Khepri cleared their throat. "Faeries are known for their trickery and association with nature. In Elizabethan Europe, faeries were believed to control nature." "Sounds like you would get along with them, Reindeer Games." Tony muttered. Loki rolled his eyes. Bruce flicked to the next slide. 

"We do not control nature at large, but faeries do have nature magic. Jessamine, Thistle's mom, is very gifted with plant magic. I have been gifted with a connection to the sun. I can still do plant magic, but I was born with a natural inclination with the sun." Khepri snapped their fingers to cast a spell as an example. A small ball of light floated above their hand. Heat emanated off of the sphere. Khepri snapped their fingers and the spell dissipated. "Faeries are not connected to the different magical elements like elves are. For example, I was born as a moon elf and I can't do other magic out of my element. However, since I'm half-faerie I can still do the different faerie magic." I made a small clicking noise with my tongue to let Bruce know to turn to the next slide. 

"Faeries do have weaknesses, though. We aren't all powerful. Iron burns us like fire, so anything mostly iron will hurt. We can also be tricked and outsmarted like any other creature, it is just harder because we have spent eons polishing the craft of trickery and deception. Also, be careful to never owe a faerie anything. They will hold that against you. Never give them thanks or your name, they will also hold that against you. If you want a faerie to know your name, say something like, 'I will not give you my name, but I will tell you it is Steve.'" Khepri explained. "Why did you use my name? I'm not an idiot!" Steve said. "Because you are very polite and the fairfolk can and will take advantage of that." I pointed out. Khepri nodded in agreement. The patriotic human made a small "oh" noise. 

"That concludes our presentation. I encourage you all to do research on your own. Any questions?" I twirled my finger around the thistles braided into my hair. Everyone shook their head no. "Very well, you are all dismissed." I waved my hand. The Avengers filtered out of the room. Loki grasped my hand. "Would you like to go for a date?" "Of course." We left the tower hand in hand, snow crunching beneath our boots.