Be Winged

Prologue

Nine Years Ago...

It was the seventh night of the seventh month. A little girl about the age of seven is with her beloved grandmother to celebrate a Japanese holiday.

"Granny, I'm done writing my wish. Can you please hang my tanzaku on the Wish Tree now?" the little girl asked while giving it to her grandmother, her smile wide and teeth with gaps showing.

"But of course! Anything for you, my dear Yana-chan." The grandmother replied then goes over to the Wish Tree, and as she was tying her granddaughter's tanzaku she accidentally read what was written.

"I want to see lots and lots of fairies."

"So she wants to see fairies, huh?" she said mostly to herself and smiled.

"Granny! Please hurry! I want to eat some ohagi."

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At the dinner table, they ate some homemade ohagi happily when the grandmother brought up her granddaughter's wish.

"You will see them someday," she said with a smile. "You just have to believe in them."

"What are you talking about granny?" Her granddaughter asked while tilting her head.

The her eyes widened, "Wait -- you didn't read my tanzaku, right? Right?"

The grandmother grinned.

"Granny!" whined the granddaughter.

"Maybe, just a little peek. However, Yana if you really want to see them, you have to believe in them first or at least have an open mind."

"What's an open mind?"

"Having an open mind means you are willing to listen or consider."

"I see." Then the granddaughter squirmed a little bit. "Do you believe in them Granny?"

"Of course! And since you're so interested in them, I'll tell you a story. Once upon a time, a little girl about your age was always made fun of by the other kids her age. Why? It is because she claimed that she can see what others cannot."

"Oh! What is it, granny? What can she see that others cannot?" The granddaughter asked eager to hear the rest.

"How about let's get you cleaned up and tucked in bed first, then I'll tell you the rest of the story, what do you say?" Her granddaughter nodded and willingly complied.

Once the granddaughter was tucked in bed, as promised the grandmother continued.

"Where were we? Oh right, what others cannot see but only she can are, fairies. She can see fairies."

"Woah!"

"She doesn't care if the other children are making fun of her. She only cares about her beliefs. This worried her parents, though. Her parents then asked the other children to let their daughter play with them. Even if they have to force her, so they did."

Her granddaughter gasped and asked, "What did they do?"

"One day, the little girl decided to give her fairy friends a gift. She went into the forest and planted her favorite flower under the tree which was the home of the fairies when suddenly, two of the town children who promised to the girl's parents, noticed her and asked if she would like to play with them and that they brought fireworks. The girl declined of course but the other two insisted and lit a match. The girl begged to put it off because it's very dangerous especially when in the forest. However, the two just laughed at her then lit the fireworks, the fireworks blew up but unexpectedly got caught in one of the branches. The tree, which was the home of the fairies caught on fire!" The grandmother made her voice loud to add suspense.

"Oh no!" cried her granddaughter. "Then what happened?"

"The fire grew and grew, the other two children ran away to escape. Whereas, the little girl stayed to alert the fairies of the disaster. She managed to save the fairies and their queen. Once they were all out, the queen of the fairies thanked the little girl and she asked her if there was anything they could do for her since they can do magic. The little girl shook her head, declining their kind offer. The queen insisted for it was the least they could do for their savior. Then again the girl declined, so queen acknowledged the girl's decision but whenever the girl will be in need of the fairies, the fairies will help her with anything they can. All she have to do is chant their secret incantation."

"Wow! The little girl is amazing, granny." The granddaughter gushed, "Did they live happily ever after? Do you know their secret inc-incat-in, or call? Who told you this story? It's so superb!"

The grandmother laughed, "I think so even if they separated ways, they were happy. Know their incantation? Hmm, maybe or maybe not but that's another story to tell my dear. It's almost past your bed time, now go to sleep."

The granddaughter pouted, "Aw fine~ Good night granny."

"Good night sweetie." Her grandmother replied and kissed her forehead.

The grandmother went downstairs to the engawa to have a little fresh air; to reminisce. Just as she was about to sit down she felt something, an unmistakeable presence she know so well even when exactly 64 years have passed.

"Megumi..." a high pitched yet relaxing voice called out.

The grandmother, her actual names is Megumi, was surprised by this. She looked around looking for the source of the voice.

"M-marguerite? I mean --" she said ever so softly.

"Megumi, how are you?

"What brings you here? Wait, where are you?" Megumi whispered.

Marguerite showed herself her smooth golden-brown hair

"I just wanted to visit you, to thank you once more for saving my daughter and my kind," the voice replied. "You know Megumi, you can still take up on my offer if you ever change your mind."

"Hmm, I think I do have a wish in mind."

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A/N: So what do you think of the prologue?

Note: This is where I write descriptions about some of the italicized words found above.

tanzaku - small pieces of paper where you are supposed to write your wishes during "Tanabata" (a Japanese festival, meaning "Evening of the seventh")

Wish Tree - it is usually a bamboo with decorations and is often set afloat on a river or burned after the festival.

"name" - chan - one of the honorifics attaches to the end of people's names

ohagi - a Japanese sweet made with sweet rice and sweet azuki paste.

engawa -a wooden strip of flooring immediately before windows and storm inside traditional rooms. Recently this term has also come to mean the outside the room as well.