The Diary of Joy

Babysitting

22. Peace, the year of the Phoenix

Dear Angel,

I have decided recently that I should do something to help the beings around me. Mom and dad unknowingly helped so many people, so I can't help but wonder what we can do if we make an effort. However, after today, I am not sure if I chose the right thing to help out with.

I am still very young and inexperienced, so I can't change the world as much as they did. Still, I wanted to start with something small. Something that I thought of as small, to offer a helping hand but also to make sure that it is not too difficult for me.

So, having in mind that I love the young ones, whatever they are called in different magical societies, I decided to offer to take care of them when their parents are busy. For the ease of recounting what happened, I will use a human word to encompass all the different magical beings and their youngs, babysitting.

Today was my first day and... Well, let's just say that now I understand why mom and dad asked me so many times if I was sure I wanted to do that. I thought it would be easy, but of course, my parents knew better. After all, I have three siblings.

When I first arrived to take care of the little pixie, I thought the baby would just sleep, maybe eat, but I was wrong. No matter how cute the pixie babies look when they are sleeping, trust me when they are awake they are the little devils with the faces of angels.

As soon as her parents flew away, the little pink cocoon that was the sleeping pixie opened up, and the little one started yawning.

At first, I thought it was the cutest thing ever. The small baby's wings opening up like flower petals and fluttering gently, soundlessly. I was simply in awe at her delicate beauty.

That was of course until she spread her wings and started flying around the room like an angry wasp, almost hitting the walls more times than I could count. It was such a shock for me that for a moment I just stood there like a statue having no idea what to do.

Soon enough, I snapped out of my frozen state, flapping my wings, trying to catch up with the energetic pixie, but it proved to be quite a challenge.

First of all, she is so small that even when I got close to her, I couldn't catch her quickly. Also, since she was smaller, she was faster so it was very tiring to try and catch up with her.

You must be wondering why I hadn't used my magic. Well, I'll tell you why. I was scared.

Generally, I am not to shy about using my magic, but I've never used it on a pixie before, especially on a baby. What if I hurt her in some way? Or turned her into something even worse?

Besides, she was whizzing by me so fast that even if I tried to aim my magic at her, it was more likely that I would hit the ceiling or the furniture. Even worse, I could have hit the nearby mirror, and the magic could have bounced off of it and on to me. No, thank you.

But honestly, if I couldn't catch her, and I was afraid to try to use my magic, I had no idea what to do. How do you calm down such an energetic child? I mean, I was left alone with some young ones before but they didn't have wings so taking care of them was much easier.

I started realizing how much trouble my parents had gone through to raise me since not only did I have the wings, but I was also not afraid to use them. In many ways, I was similar to the little pixie that I was taking care of, and I have no idea how they managed it.

It must have required a lot of energy and cunning. Thinking about the cunning my parents had to have to raise me, gave me an idea. It wasn't the greatest idea but it was an idea nevertheless.

I remembered that even small pixies loved eating acorn bread and simply couldn't resist its delicious smell. It sounded like the perfect lure to trap the little one.

I dashed to the kitchen as fast as I could, and of course, like any decent pixie household, they had fresh acorn bread. It was even still warm since her parents must have taken it out from the oven just before they went out. That was very convenient for me since I've noticed that the smell of freshly baked bread is always stronger and more appetizing.

I went back to the bedroom, to the hyperactive pixie flying around the room, bouncing off walls and furniture never seeming to get hurt.

However, the moment I stepped into the room, she froze mid-flight. Her tiny nose started twitching until she was able to register where the delicious smell was coming from.

Once she realized that I had her favorite treat, she flew towards me with blinding speed and barely stopped herself from smashing straight into my face. I saw that as an opportunity to slow the little one down.

"Snowdrop, if you settle down for a moment and sit on your bed, I will give you the treat, if not I will eat it myself," I told her.

If I am being honest, I don't like acorn bread, but she didn't have to know that. I needed her to think that I was serious, and she believed me instantly. I feel like the possibility of someone not liking her favorite treat didn't even cross her mind.

The moment I said that, she sat back on her tiny bed looking at me with those huge blue eyes of hers, waiting for her treat. However, I knew that before I gave her the treat, there was an important thing I had to do.

So, I quickly cast a kind of tracking spell that allowed me to find her and reel her back to me if she ever strayed again. It was similar to catching fish, the human way. I could use my magic to pull her towards me and in that way stop her from flying around without thinking.

After that, I gave her the bread, and she was so happy to have it that she ate the whole thing in the blink of an eye. From the happy sounds she let out, I could tell that she loved the taste very much.

However, the moment she finished devouring her favorite food, she started flying around, but this time I was ready for that. I reeled her back in slowly and started trying to get her attention.

Finally, she started listening to me, and I could start telling her one of dad's stories that never failed to put me to sleep. The same happened to the energetic fairy. The moment I was sure she was asleep, relief washed over me, and I managed to relax a bit until her parents came.

All in all, it was more exhausting than I thought it would, but I guess all is well that ends well.

Anyway, I better go get ready for sleep, or I might fall asleep right here and right now.

Love,

Joy