Of Fairies and Noontime

Not the End

Bartholomew croaked the moment Hadley returned to Ellabelle's house. She picked up his cage and held it close to her chest in an embrace.

"I missed you, buddy," She told him, closing her eyes. "Sorry, Ella and I had some important things to do. Becoming a princess, starting a brand new kingdom from the ground up, that sort of thing."

Hadley turned around, looking at the room that had been foreign to her at first. She set Bartholomew back on the desk next to her teleportation ring, pacing around the room. She opened the closet, revealing the white cloak she'd used to cover her wingless back on the first night she'd arrived.

"What good use that was put to, Larkdale just sliced Ellabelle's wings off anyway." Hadley said under her breath, closing the closet once again. She ran her fingers along the walls and felt Ellabelle's sheets, wishing she could go back to the day she'd first discovered the hole in the oak tree.

After sitting on the bed, Hadley heard a knock at the door. She looked up at it, seeing Dask through the window. She stood almost immediately and opened the door, giving him a hug.

"Hey, Hadley." Dask greeted her, running his fingers through his hair. "Are you... almost ready?"

Hadley looked around the room behind her, seeing the teleportation ring. She grabbed Dask's wrist, bringing him inside. Dask almost spoke up in protest, but he couldn't bear to watch his best friend's heart crumble like that. He followed her inside.

"Hello, Bart," Dask said, petting Bartholomew's head with his pointer finger. Bartholomew closed his eyes in reply.

"This is my home away from home." Hadley told him under her breath. She walked over to the closet and opened the door, stepping inside of it and poking her head out. "It's not fair. Why can't we be the size of pebbles all the time?"
"We just can't," Dask replied softly. Somehow, though, it came off a lot harsher than he'd wanted it to. He took a breath to rephrase, leading Hadley out of the closet. "Sorry. It's just... I was so worried about you. Before, I mean. Before I knew you were here. And now that I've found you, well... I just want you to be safe." He set his hand on Hadley's shoulder. "I can't lose you, Hadley."

Hadley blinked back tears. She didn't understand. "We could be safe here. It could just be us, with no fences in between us. We wouldn't be called strange and I wouldn't have to deal with my parents not loving me." Hadley said in desperation.

Dask shook his head. "I know our lives aren't what they should be, but this is no place for two humans to live."

"But it could be! Ellabelle and Lue are in charge now, they want the fairies to befriend our kind!" Hadley retorted. She wasn't going to give it all up, not after she'd just found everything she could ever want. Great friends, magic, and most of all, love. People loved her here. She wasn't about to throw it all away.

"What if I forget everything that happened here, when we go back home?" She asked Dask between sniffles.
Dask looked down at the floor. He didn't know how to answer that question. He hardly knew anything about the magic between their world and the fairy world. "I don't think there's any way anyone could ever forget everything you've been through here, Hadley."

Hadley knew that was probably the truth, but that didn't make her want to go home any more. She gave Dask a hug, her tears falling down her face. His heavy brown jacket encased her like a cacoon, and she wanted to stay there forever.

Finally, Ellabelle made it back to the house, opening the door with a tired smile on her face. She had her more casual dress on that morning, but she still looked like a princess. Immediately when she saw Hadley's face, she knew that she was upset.

"Hadley," Ellabelle said to her. She went over to her and gave her a quick embrace, then pulled back to stare into her bright green eyes.

"I don't wanna go," Hadley cried out to her best friend. "Please let us stay."

Ellabelle pouted. She didn't want Hadley to leave either.

Then, she saw that the teleportation ring was on her desk. Ellabelle went over and grabbed it, holding it between her two fingers.

"You see this ring?" Ellabelle asked, twirling it around so all the emeralds danced in the light. Hadley nodded, her eyes swollen. "This is a teleportation ring. This ring is yours, if you recall. And that means that you can come visit us anytime you want."

Hadley took the ring from Ellabelle's hand, wiping her nose on her hand. "It won't be the same," She whispered.

"I know it won't, I know." Ellabelle tried consoling her. "But everything around us is changing. It's going to kill me to see you go, but your life is so much different than mine. You have to finish your school year. You have to grow up the normal way. You have to be with your parents."

Hadley wanted to argue with her, but she let her continue.

"But listen to me: summer is almost here. Soon, you'll be able to come see us whenever you want to." Ellabelle said with a smile.

Hadley wrapped her arms around Ellabelle again, crying at least three tears at once.

"Grab Bartholomew and your ring. I have a little goodbye party waiting for both of you." Ellabelle said, gently elbowing Dask.

The two friends closely followed her outside. Hadley had Bartholomew's cage in one hand and her ring in the other.

Just outside Ellabelle's house, Lue and Catra were waiting there. Hadley smiled, but it was bittersweet.

"We wanted to send you off with flying colors." Lue said. He held out a box made entirely out of bark, which he handed to Hadley. She opened it, revealing the book Garivo. She smiled up at Lue just before giving him a hug.

"Thanks for everything," She whispered to him.

"No, thank you." He replied. "I'll save you a dance for next time."

Hadley let go as Dask tried not to roll his eyes. Hadley turned to face Catra, who instantly held out her arms.

"Come here, girl." Catra exclaimed. She gave Hadley the warmest bear hug she ever could've imagined, then pulled away. "Don't forget about us flying folk, ok?" She asked with a wink.

Hadley laughed. "That won't happen anytime soon."

Then, Ellabelle tapped Hadley on the shoulder. Hadley turned around and gave her the most heartfelt hug in the world.

"We are connected, Hadley." Ellabelle whispered. "Which means that no matter how many worlds apart we are, we'll still be together at heart."

Hadley could only nod. She couldn't have cried any harder if she tried.

Catra smiled, on the verge of tears. "Group hug!" She announced, bringing everyone in to join Hadley and Ellabelle's tightly knit moment. She noticed that Dask wasn't in on it. She glared at him. "You too, hat boy."

Dask reluctantly joined the hug. They all stood together before Ellabelle's house, all woven together with one another. The fairies all wished that Dask and Hadley could stay there forever, but sadly, the humans' reality was different from their own.

Finally, the hug fest was over. Hadley and Dask gathered up all their things: Hadley's books, Bartholomew, the teleportation ring. Hadley looked long and hard at the ring, knowing what she would have to do.

"We're all here for you, no matter when you need us." Lue spoke up, smiling at Hadley.

Dask touched Hadley's shoulder. He could feel all of her emotions emanating off of her. He knew her too well.

Ellabelle stepped forward, holding out her hand. Hadley took it, not knowing exactly what to expect. Ellabelle took the teleportation ring, ready to place it on Hadley's finger. Ellabelle smiled anxiously, leaning close to Hadley's ear.

"If you ever find Kira, tell her I remember her." She whispered.

Before Hadley could retaliate, Ellabelle slipped the ring on Hadley's finger. In an instant, Dask and Hadley were forgotten from the world they once stood on.