⋆｡ﾟ☁︎｡⋆ 𝐒 𝐩 𝐞 𝐥 𝐥 𝐁 𝐨 𝐮 𝐧 𝐝 ｡ ﾟ☾ ﾟ｡⋆

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟔

༘˚⋆𐙚 𝐂 𝐡 𝐚 𝐩 𝐭 𝐞 𝐫    𝟏𝟔 ˚˖𓍢ִ໋⭑.ᐟ  

The two girls sat on a bench in the village park, eating what Felicity had called Nectar Drops, as they watched the bustling activity around them. Fae had never been so excited in her life—there were magical creatures everywhere. They had passed by a stable of alicorns and a few gnomes earlier, but the main population consisted of fairies. The stars shone brightly in the night sky, adding to the enchanting atmosphere of the lively village.

"See what they're doing?" Felicity pointed to a group of children dancing in a circle. Fae watched as the children moved freely, their faces lit up with joy while onlookers smiled warmly. "Wanna learn?"

Fae turned to Felicity, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "Can you teach me?"

Felicity, usually so composed and cool, seemed more carefree here in her home. She pulled Fae up from the bench and led her closer to the dancing children. "Most of the dance is about letting go and having fun, but there are two basic steps," she explained. "One step forward, one step back, spin under both arms, and then switch partners. Got it?"

Fae tilted her head, a bit lost, but Felicity just laughed at her friend's confusion. She pointed to two younger girls—one a fairy, the other an elf—dancing together with infectious laughter. They effortlessly performed the steps Felicity had just described, making it all look so simple. Fae nodded, finally understanding.

With a smile, Felicity called the children into a circle, and a few older kids joined in as well. Holding Fae's hand, she guided her as the dance began. It started off slow, allowing everyone to get into the rhythm, but soon they were spinning and switching partners with increasing speed.

Passersby clapped along to the beat, cheering as the group of dancers moved with joyful abandon. Fae's laughter echoed through the night as she made her way around the circle, her heart light and full. She had never experienced anything so fun before. When the music finally came to a stop, the bystanders clapped enthusiastically, and the dancers bowed playfully in thanks.

Fae immediately turned to Felicity, giving her a side hug. "That was amazing!" she beamed, her face glowing with happiness.

"You are a fairy now, so you might as well enjoy all the perks," Felicity said with a smirk. "You missed out on a lot, and I'm not going to let you skip the fun stuff. Consider this your crash course in fairy culture." Fae smiled gratefully at her friend.

The two walked over to a nearby bakery, where Felicity purchased some fresh bread using a currency called Vileria. Fae eagerly took a bite of the warm, delicious snack as Felicity led her down a more secluded path in the village. The sidewalk gradually gave way to a dirt road, and the forest around them seemed to grow darker with each step. They walked for what felt like an hour, the trees appearing to close in on them, and the only sound breaking the silence was the crunch of dirt beneath their feet.

Finally, Felicity came to a stop. "We've arrived," she announced. Fae looked around, confused. There was nothing in sight except for more trees.

"What am I supposed to be looking at?" Fae asked, her brow furrowed in puzzlement. Felicity let out a small chuckle, then raised her hand and pointed into the darkness ahead.

"Ostend," she cast with a smooth flick of her wrist.

Suddenly, a simple yet charming house materialized before them, its warm light glowing softly against the darkened forest. Fae's eyes widened in astonishment.

"I don't think I'll get used to this fairy stuff anytime soon," she muttered, still in awe.

Felicity gave a soft scoff, a hint of amusement in her voice. "You will, eventually."