Fairy Dust

The End of the World is Nicer Than You Think

The blackness shifted into a blue green haze.

Mirth's eyes adjusted and they could see small pockets of light spattered around like starts. It made the shape of a half circle around them.

'It's a tunnel leading off from the main cave. The lights are algae that live off the bat guano. We collected it and put it in the walls. They'd grown from there. We still have to feed them sometimes. It's gross but a small price to pay for a secret home,' the driver said, guiding the bike through the dimly lit tunnel.

'I'm Doxod,' the driver said, twisting his hand back to wave politely.

'Why did you save me?' Mirth asked with awe covering their suspicion. It didn't matter but they wanted to know.

'Because you and me and everyone in the Underground are the same. Our wings glow and we didn't want Dust Co. to take that from us,' he said simply. And then the end of the world opened up.

It was much smaller than the World outside, but the cave was still very tall and lit with glowing gems of all shapes and sizes.
Inside were mushrooms being used as tables, chairs, places to attach other lights otherwise the cave, this other world, was dim, the atmosphere hushed. It smelled of earth, decay, oil and something else. Maybe that's what hope smelled like?

There were other fairies in the cave, about 30 total from what Mirth could see. Some were working on other bikes with spheres, one was cooking slowly at a big pot. Was the oil smell coming from there? They all wore the grey clothing like Doxod, but not all wore the coats. Each of the set of wings that Mirth could see was glowing faintly, and shifting in and out like the butterflies that would sometimes be sent by Isgawen as messengers of hope. At least that was the myth. Why else would they come so infrequently? These wings at rest reminded Mirth of those gentle giants, sitting on the Roots lost in their own wisdom.

As the engine cut off, the chatter of the room quietened and some of the closer fairies stood.

'The big fairies over there is our head mechanic, quixiup. Fae created the wheels using the Grey worm skin, and the crystal wheels. Fae even worked out how to change the hover bikes into motorbikes using Faer motor and Faer special recipe mushroom oil. I wonder if there's grey worm blood in there, but I wouldn't say that to Faer. quixiup can be a bit sensitive around faer secret recipe.'

Mirth nodded and held up a hand as the large fairy grew close. 'Do you put grey worm blood in your fuel for the motor? I've been trying to work out a Dust replacement for over a year. What is a grey worm?' They said with a wide smile, their wings flapping cheekily.

Quixiup looked Mirth up and down, an eye patch over one eye. 'Grey worms are giant worms that move through the cave walls. Their drawn to movement and sound but not open spaces. I lost this eye when a grey worm attacked our home in the Shrooms. That when I found out my wings glowed; when I stabbed that soil sucker and uses its body to make wheels and fuel for my motor. I had a lot to use, you know?'

Mirth burst out laughing. 'I'd love to see a grey worm! See if I can get enough blood to make my own fuel. I'm Mirth by the way. I work at Sander's Junkyard. She'd love to see your motor!'

Quixiup smiled, showing uneven and broken teeth, Faer own wings black with white spots and splashes covering them, much like the butterfly Mirth saw. It felt like a sign, but as Mirth knew, Isgawen didn't send signs. You had to make the change you wanted, yourself.

'So you're one of us. You going to sell us out to Dust co?' Quixiup said, pulling Mirth into a bear hug. Fae squeezed out a gurgle from Mirth before letting go.

Mirth shook their head to get some balance back from the total back alignment they'd received and combed through their messy green hair, trying to get back into a semblance of a mohawk, but knowing it was just going to flop around the shaved parts of their head however it wanted. It was a useless detail, but meeting a new hidden group made Mirth want to show their best side and the dirty sleep slip wasn't that side.