Fairy Dust

A Lot of Things Happened Very Quickly

Most of them slept.

Sander and Aurora slept in turns, wanting to be ready at a moments notice for when Dust Co. came, but seems flying in the middle of the night doesn't encourage people to run to report you.

Sparkletouch stayed awake a few hours more to talk to the people she was confident wanted change, only to find some of them weren't that keen. They liked talking about change, like she had, but wouldn't give up their dust, especially not the amount that Sparkletouch suggested, for that change. So Sparkletouch went home for the first time in a long time, not just to change, but to sleep.

No one was there, and that felt normal. But after that family dinner not so long ago, it felt lonely and not something she wanted anymore. Sparkletouch, the blessed Canopy fairy hadn't realised how lonely she was until Aurora had given her the genuine attention she'd wanted. Maybe that's why she did so much. She thought she was special to Aurora, and really she was just a way to help her child.

It didn't feel cold or hollow. It just was.

And having connected with mother Ysgawen, she wanted more. Resting in her bed, her makeup taken off completely, she felt her larger, stronger wings under her and knew she'd do anything to protect the Tree and the fairies who were still strangers, but now meant something to her.

Doxod and Mirth slept in his bed again, just sleeping. Nothing more. When they'd come back to the Underground, they'd grabbed more tea and head out again to the Shrooms and found Lenel and brought her back.

Mirth was torn as Lenel woke up to herself, her willowy beautiful eyes opening wide and looking at Doxod with warm and love. Doxod nursed her through the initial confusion, talking to her parents, explaining what they were doing. He gave them some more of the powder, explained how to make the tea, and told them to carefully go to any hollow they knew and let them know. This was the whimpering start of their revolution. In return, he asked them and Lenel to go find the brain mushrooms. He gave them one from his own head, blood still on the roots, and told them where his family had found them. He told them to get as many as they could and he'd be back tomorrow for them. Awed at the return of their daughter, who now wept for being alive again and talking to Ysgawen who told her to live and live unashamed, they all readily agreed. And then Mirth and Doxod had gone, thoroughly worn out, to bed.

And Zennick? Zennick stayed up with quixiup looking at the worm skim coats they had, and the collection of beetle shells, talking deeply with fae. Together they sewed with hardened needles into the night and the early morning. There was no way Zennick was sending someone into a revolution without armour.

And when his strength failed him, he took a sip of Giant's tears mixed with tea and went to look at Ysgawen, so he knew what to expect. He fell asleep watching everything, hoping for a day when he didn't need to watch anymore.

Dust Co. came exactly at noon. Both Aurora and Sander were ready, and took the chasing fairies on a long, merry dance, yelling at the top of their voices that Dust Co. were going to take their wing's energy for Dust. And that things had to change. Ysgawen had to be protected and that people should be on the look out for something they'd never seen but had secretly waited for.

The people of the Roots came out in droves to watch the flying fairies and the hover bikes chasing them. At first the residence watched in apathy, knowing the end was near. Then they watched with worry, recognising who the flying fairies were. Then in fear and anger that this was happening at all.

Then the cheered and yelled. Encouraged them to fly higher, faster. To avoid those pollen suckers with everything they had. If the fairies flew close, they'd get a roaring ovation. And the persuing bikes would get screaming boos and told to leave. When a giant Punker got on his bike and intercepted the path of the hover bikes, the gathered crowds went wild, supporting the Punker.