World of Make-Believe: Chelsea's Story

A Confrontation

Falling to her couch Chelsea let out an exhausted groan, turning to glare at Devon who was now raiding her fridge. It had been her first day back at work and the routine had been comfortable, reassuring. The only exception to the distraction had been the new boss replacing Mr. Jones. Chelsea had discovered 'she' was one Devon in disguise.

The fae had taken a twisted delight in pointing out all the other monsters who were lurking around the city to her when they were alone walking to and from work during lunch. Chelsea appreciated the knowledge but was overwhelmed at how many mythological creatures had been hiding around New York; gargoyles, succubi, nymphs, her mind reeled. She found out that those glowing balls she had mistook for fireflies were actually pixies; very sneaky, tricky creatures who weren't truly evil but were terrible pranksters according to female Devon. Their cold laughter still rang in her head.

He had even pointed out a troll. At first glance the being seemed to be a normal Hispanic man selling sunglasses for just a couple dollars. Dream Robin stood beside her in his busy lawyer form, snapped his fingers and the disguise melted away. Chelsea had almost screamed, but she noticed no one else had seen the gruesome transformation.

"Trolls," Dream Robin had explained, "will do anything for a buck. You see," He grasped her arm, dragging her away, manicured nails digging into her bare forearm. "There are different kinds of us fae- no, that's not even the right term." He amended.

"Creatures?" Chelsea suggested as they strolled along the streets, sipping on her sweet coffee, looking back at the massive Troll peddling sunglasses and hats.

"Hm," He nodded, flicking his long hair over his shoulder. "Creatures. They come in all different shades. For example unicorns are good, therefore white. Trolls are sort of good and bad, a darker shade of grey. Vampires are evil. So darker morality. And I'm just generalizing. Vampires are, in general, known as evil... but they can fight against it just as a unicorn can be twisted and deformed by cruelty."

Chelsea stopped walking, "Really? That can happen?"

"Oh yes, they become Night Mares." He grinned, obviously pleased with the play on words, "Usually mares ridden by witches. When they cross your path or by your window they give you horrible visions in your sleep. Otherwise known as-"

"Nightmares..." Chelsea whispered. "This is crazy."

"Wait till I try to tell you about the different cultures." He looked to her, "You're Hawaiian. You have Asian ancestry, right?" She nodded. "I figured as much based on what I encountered with your adoptive mother. Polynesian don't have 'creatures' like that. So the Asian bloodline is where you got your fae blood." He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, straightening his pencil skirt, cutting off her next words, "Fae is a term from Gaelic or Celtic backgrounds. For people of Asian descent you would have Tennin blood running through you, which is the Japanese Buddhist term. European descent, primarily American's, call it fairy, Spaniards say fada... I mean, c'mon!" He opened his arms big and wide, "we're everywhere!"

"So because of the little, teeny, tiny bit of Asian I have in me, I have some... Tennin blood?"

He turned to her, "Honey, it's nearly impossible to not have some fae blood in you these days. Especially in America. And fae trumps mortal every time." He craned his neck as two ladies walked past. He motioned to them with his thumb as he turned back to Chelsea, "Selkie and Mermaid."

Her mouth dropped, "What? How can you tell? What kind are they, good or bad?"

"Selkies have a generally better nature than mermaids... but neither is truly one or the other." He frowned, "some of what they feel the need to do is simply in their nature. Mermaids have to drown men to live, Selkies can't help that their very soul calls them to the waves." He turned to her sadly, "fairies can't help their manipulations, pixies can't stop being tricksters. Unfortunately, it is who we are." He turned back to the skyscraper he had been admiring, "I can tell because I am fae. I can see part of who they really are inside them just like I can tell you're a mostly good being and Alex was a mostly bad one."