Wicked [Super 4]

XXXVI.Words

The alternative title for this chapter would be "Yapping". Because it's what it's all about. Yapping about feelings.

External narrator

The fairy and the knight would've passed as statues had their chests not risen and fallen rhythmically while the peaceful chirping of the birds from Enchanted Island's forest was interrupted time and time again by the sobbing of a prince, dying down only after several minutes.

--Feeling any better now..?--Twinkle carefully asked, her voice barely a whisper of concern.

The only response she got was her friend nodding against her shoulder, wet from his tears. She was feeling overwhelmed herself, but a sigh of relief managed to break through nonetheless. The worst of the situation was over, in her eyes.

--Sorry--A disheveled, generally messy Alex apologised as he reluctantly raised his head and stepped away from Twinkle's embrace--. Sorry, I'm supposed to be better than that...

In truth, he wasn't feeling like a prince. He never really did, but this time he wasn't even feeling like a real knight. Alex hadn't even glanced at the sword that laid upon the softly coloured grass of Enchanted Island. It still had the faintest tinge of red in the very tip, subtle but solid evidence of the boy's outburst.

For around half a minute, the only thing that could be heard were the gentle noises from the forest's creatures, heavy silence lurking over both of the friends' voices.

That was until Alex finished wiping the last tears off of his face, weakly speaking up:--Did we really... Did we really make you feel like...--He paused, trying to find the right way to express it--. Like we thought you were lamer than us..?

He anxiously awaited a response, not even daring to look at her face. Because if she confirmed that she thought the nonsense Rock Brock had been spilling was true, then that'd mean he had failed as a leader and a friend and not only as a knight. Twinkle, on the other hand, was debating internally what she should say.

If she denied it, she'd be lying. And lying was not proper for a fairy, not in the slightest!

But the confirmation could hurt Alex. Just the possibility was already having that effect on him, so it would absolutely get much worse if she told him that yes, she felt belittled and underestimated and misunderstood and weak and pathetic and useless and-

--A little bit--The words seeped out as if they had a mind of their own.

She could hear Alex's breath hitching, as if someone had thrown a rock at him.

--I don't know about Gene, but I... I never actually thought that--He quickly explained, hoping that it didn't sound too much like an excuse, since it wasn't--. It's true that I tired making everything easier for you, but it wasn't because I think you're weak. I've seen you do amazing things with your magic ever since the first time we met, but you have to understand... I wanted to keep you safe. You're the youngest of us and you also were my first real friend. I didn't want anything to happen to you.

The last thing Alex expected as a reaction was laughter. It wasn't mocking, nor loud, it was just a bubbly melody from the fairy.

--Alex, silly--Twinkle said--, you don't have to save me all the time! Yeah, maybe you and the others have had to a few times in the past... But that's the thing about us! We save each other all the time!--Her chuckles died out as a slightly more serious expression took over her face--. I don't want to be safe, I want to be helpful.

"Of course," the knight thought. "Of course she'd want to help. Alex, as if you didn't know her already! And like a fool you ignored that you had magic on your side, too..."