Of Fairies and Noontime

Farewell

Just outside the castle, the party was already in full swing. Every fairy in Ofan Village joined them for the meeting of their new leaders.

Hadley stood next to Ellabelle at the front of the white castle, glancing over at her every so often. She was so happy and proud of her best friend. After everything she'd been through, she deserved this night. She deserved to lead fearlessly with Lue after being surrounded by fear her entire life. She was finally seen as the person she really was, not as a criminal or a rebel.

Just as everyone arrived, Ellabelle lit up her wand so she could get their attention. She hadn't prepared anything to speak, but she felt the need to.

"Hello everyone, thanks for coming to our celebration." Ellabelle began, smiling. "I never expected any of this to happen. I was orphaned at a very young age, cast out of my society with practically no friends, I got my wings severed off of my back... and somehow, I'm now talking to you all as a newly crowned princess? It's just unfathomable. And I owe all of it to every single one of you." She addressed everyone, spreading her arms out wide. She pushed through the incoming tears. Hadley set a loving hand on her shoulder. "Since my first decree was to have the Magic Council banished, I feel a good follow up for that will be to have a bonfire."

Ellabelle handed Lue her wand, gesturing towards the Enchanter's Library.

Lue waved the wand gently in the air. The doors of the library wooshed open, releasing a pile of books. After they made their journey across the evening sky and landed in front of them all, the other fairies could read the covers. Each and every book was from the Human Resources section of the library.

"I want to prevent the spread of misinformation as much as I can. These are the first to go if that's the case. I want to be an open book." Ellabelle explained, grabbing the white wand and pointing it at the pile of books. Instantly, the pile burst into flames, and the seemingly endless crowd of fairies cheered.

"Now, go have fun, all of you." Ellabelle said with a wink, placing her wand at her side. Almost immediately, music from an undefined source began to play, and the villagers began dancing with one another.

Hadley remembered the teleportation ring that Ellabelle had given to her for battle. She took it off, turning to Ellabelle.

"I almost forgot to give this back to you," Hadley said, holding the emerald ring in her palm.

Ellabelle looked down at the ring, then back to Hadley.

"Keep it." She said simply, a twinkle in her eye. "You want to go back home, huh?"

Hadley hesitated. She didn't want to go back home. Not where her parents hardly paid attention to her. Not where she wouldn't have Ellabelle and Lue and Catra.

"I don't," Hadley admitted. Sure, she felt a small essence of homesickness still, but now that she'd grown so close to the village, she didn't know how to say goodbye. "But I know I have to."

"Well..." Ellabelle began, using her own hand to close Hadley's palm. "You don't have to go home forever. We'll always be right in your backyard, or... per se, right at your fingertips." She pointed towards the ring.

"Wait," Hadley stopped her. "I can use this thing to travel between our worlds and stuff?"

Ellabelle shrugged. "I'm still as new to this magic stuff as you are, kid." She told her.

Hadley felt tears coming to her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Ellabelle, and she didn't want to let go this time. Not after all they'd been through together. "It's worth a shot. Magic will always be there for you, even if I can't be." Ellabelle whispered through Hadley's messy brown hair, trying to console her through the tears.

"Promise me you'll come visit my home too," Hadley said between sniffles. "Promise me."

"I promise," Ellabelle said, holding onto Hadley tighter. In that very moment, they became even closer. Their unspoken connection tightened its ropes, tethering human and fairy together once again. Finally, they could be wingless in peace with each other. No security fireflies or council members could ruin their friendship now.

Hadley finally found the courage to let go. Ellabelle patted her friend on the back, then gestured back to Dask, who was leaning against the castle wall.

"Now, go have fun." She told Hadley. "Let's go have fun together."

Hadley was on the verge of blushing as she walked up to Dask.

"Hey," She began, just loud enough for him to hear her. "I, uh... I wanted to ask you to dance. Um... with me?"

Dask smiled, brushing his dark hair out of his line of sight. "Sure," He said, trying to remain casual.

Hadley grabbed his wrist carefully. She liked the way it fit within her own hand. She took him out on the grounds where the other fairies were dancing, then gestured for Ellabelle and the others to come join them.

"By the way, I really love your hat." Hadley whispered to Dask.

They penetrated the night. The village had never been so alive as it was on that evening. Everyone was so excited for the Eos siblings to be their prince and princess.

The bonfire lasted almost all through the night. Afterwards, a huge pile of evil ashes remained in place of the disturbing pages of the Human Resource books.

The happiness of the night ended all too soon. Stars began fading into sunrise, and more and more fairies left the celebration early to go back to their homes. Ellabelle and the gang stayed awake all through the night and until the morning, dancing together. For once in their lives, everything felt like it had happened for a reason. Everything they'd done had led them to that moment, and they felt like they were on top of the world. It was finally their time to shine; not as two separate species, but as one entirely new creation.