Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

April 25, 2025

A young heir laid on his throne, which is literally a bed shaped to be like a yacht, as he typed furiously on his ipad, looking for answers that no one in Dimmadelphia could ever think of. All of this while he is inside a modern-day castle that is suffocating him already.

But what felt even more suffocating was the fact that today is Friday. A day where kids were supposed to have fun and relax after five days of unnecessary school torture. A day to welcome the following weekends ahead.

His father took Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays as an opportunity to make more sales. More people flocked around the Dimmadomes, the mall, the five-star resorts and restaurants he owned or sponsored. For all he knew in his young life of 10 years, Dev just knew that his father was out and about getting the bag, even though he had way too much money that Fort Knox couldn’t even hold it in.

Dev would end up saying that at least his father, the well-known tycoon of Dimmadelphia, Dale Dimmadome himself, doesn’t lack any of their financial needs. At least he isn’t the type of father who would spend all their money for drinks, gambling, or with other women or men.

The bad thing about this is that his father has been so focused on earning the prestige, the fame, the wealth, that he barely had time to at least register that he himself is also a human. He only speaks of love when he is talking about money and power, but anything else? It didn’t pique his interest.

Dev’s mother was a surrogate, Dale needed an heir to inherit his fortune and continue his legacy, so Dev was kind of right with his gut feeling, that he wasn’t entirely born out of love, just an accessory to further improve his father’s reputation. 

Come to think about it, the weekends were the loneliest because that’s where his father is at his busiest, leaving him alone at the Dimmadome Tower. His father would leave him a platinum card or two, tell him to enjoy his weekend before he goes off to another one of his business ventures. 

Just when Dev thought that he won’t be entirely lonely for the weekend, that’s when things fall apart. His 10th birthday from last year’s November broke the camel’s back. He had hoped that his father would at least show his love and appreciation to him for his special today. If Dale was that busy, all Dev would ever wished was for him to hire a Prime Meridian cosplayer, just like how Dev always wanted… Seriously, that’s all he ever wanted.

But instead, he got a party princess named Vicky, with a long history of child abuse and child endangerment hidden in her pocket. Not only did she went out of the way to torture him, but she even went out and about treating his classmates the same way.

Thanks to his (ex) best friend, the beloved Hazel Wells, and her fairy godparents, Cosmo and Wanda, not only were they able to kick the suspect out of his birthday, but they eventually found a tiny loophole that got Vicky fired from her job as a party princess. She would then be arrested after the police raided her apartment and had gone through her history of torturing younger children ever since her teen years.

Cosmo and Wanda are relieved that the nightmare is over. No more wicked babysitters or party princesses repeating the cycle all over again. They’ve learned this the hard way, no thanks to being godparents to their dear Timmy Turner, who also happened to be one of Vicky’s unfortunate victims, further worsening his life. This somehow piqued Jorgen’s interest and assigned the green and pink duo to become Timmy's fairy godparents… It was like things had gone full circle.

But despite all of that, it just opened a can of worms that cost him the one genuine friendship that he had with Hazel.

Apparently, Cosmo, Wanda, and his fairy godfather, Peri, found a high-tech lair where Dale would often plan his next money-garnering ventures, but instead, Dev found something even more disturbing. Not only was his father working on “Project H” which was meant to dissect Hazel’s so-called “anomaly” because she has fairy godparents, but it was also revealed that Hazel, at some point, “wished” that she would understand Dev. She reasoned out that she didn’t exactly “wish” to be his friend because everything they did together was not a result of magical wishes, but rather through genuinity and patience.

But the damage was already done. 

His birthday? Ruined. 

His friendship? In shambles.

His love for his father? Hanging on by a thread.

His belief in magic? Almost nonexistent.

Months passed by, building himself a wall, an arrogant persona, for fear that anyone who even tried to come close and be friends with him was merely just a result of a wish, not because they genuinely liked him or something. Maybe his classmates feared him, being the son and grandson of one the world’s wealthiest tycoons out there, but maybe establishing friendships was way out of his league… His father never had friends, neither did his grandfather had some… They do have colleagues, but that’s just it, just a business exchange for their personal gain… No warmth, no love… No other friend out there like Hazel Wells.

Peri, his fairy godfather, was the only one he had for now. The only problem was that he always stuck to the rules. He had all the magic in the world that he could ever ask for, and yet someone was always there, policing him on what he can or cannot wish for. Dev knows for sure that he can’t blame Peri for that, oh how he just wished it was easier said than done. If there’s anything else, that darn Jorgen and the Fairy Council (that he heard a few times by Hazel’s fairies, and a lot of time from Peri himself) were somehow keeping an eye on Peri and his progress. Not to mention, he just graduated a year ago as well, practically 13 years older than Dev, too young to be considered a “father” in that sense.

Da Rules, added by Dev yearning for his own father’s love and his now strained relationship with Hazel, made it harder for the two of them to come into terms. Dev partially blames himself for that because he had particularly made all of this difficult for Peri. He thought that if he acted more bratty, then Peri might give up and just cave in to his wishes, but being a smart fairy himself, Peri refused to, knowing that Dev will get himself in trouble for making such wishes. Dev would like to think he just wanted to protect him, and that’s a fairy’s job, to make sure that their godkids are well protected, but where was the fun in all of those?

Things went downhill as of last March when there was a Rock-Paper-Scissors Competition at Dimmadelphia Enrichment Academy. After he and Peri had a fight about wishes, rules, and Peri not caving in again, the fairy went off to temporarily quit and collect his thoughts. And that’s when Dev found a new reason to believe in magic once again.

In comes Irep, who seemed to match everything Dev would ever want for a magical guardian. He grants every single wish, even the ones that could possibly give Jorgen a cardiac arrest. It was so much easier this way; Irep had granted all the things he could ever ask for in a few days than Peri did for months. Dev even showed him around at Dimmadome Tower, where the two would eat some junk food, gossip about Peri, and wish for more ludicrous things.

He did make one fatal flaw, and that is he wished to win the Rock-Paper-Scissors Competition. Dev wished for that so he could get back at Hazel after what had transpired from his birthday party. He expected Hazel to lash out, cry, be upset for failing the competition…

Instead, she accepted defeat with grace and congratulated him… After all this time, a part of Dev was quite touched by her patience. They never talked ever since the events of his birthday party. But there was something at the back of his mind, reminding him that “she wished to understand him”, and that maybe the reason why he was still secretly fond of her, why she is cordial to him after everything else, was because of that particular “wish”. At this rate, he can’t tell if they liked each other because of a “misunderstood wish” or if it was actual genuine feelings.

That was enough to break the dam. Dev would end up admitting that he cheated at the Rock-Paper-Scissors Competition and that he was not expecting for her to react that way. Almost immediately, Cosmo and Wanda would poof themselves into the scene, surely they did not expect their sweet Peri to just grant wishes that involved cheating. That’s when Irep intervened and formally introduced himself to Hazel as Peri’s anti-fairy counterpart. 

The best part about having an anti-fairy godfather (or a scary godfather even) is that there are no limits when it comes to wishes. Whatever Dev desires, he can get it in a snap of a finger. Why wasn’t Irep assigned to him in the first place? Why wasn’t he a godfather anyway??

Oh…

Dev slumped, dropping his ipad on the mattress for a moment…

Anti-fairies were known for bringing in bad luck, particularly during Friday the 13th… They are basically separated from the Fairy World and were forced to be placed at a lower hierarchy, inferior to the fairy species… Anti-fairies had long lost their privileges on godparenting, so now, all the godparenting jobs were given to the fairies instead… A very horrible political decision, if Dev were to say so himself.

And with Irep roaming around on Earth, following the rules and breaking them at the same time (following in the sense that he has granted exactly what Dev asked for, but crossing boundaries on the types of wishes he was supposed to grant), it didn’t take too long before Jorgen would storm in and reverted everything that Dev wished for during Irep’s guardianship. As for Irep, Jorgen threw him back to Anti-Fairy World, eventually returning Dev under Peri’s guardianship.

To say that Dev was upset is an understatement. Not only did he lose his best friend, but even Irep, whom he only knew for just a few days but had already grown attached to, was taken away from him… All because of Jorgen and his dumb rules…

It had been almost two months already, but Dev isn’t backing down. He tried to go all over the internet, raiding libraries and all, just to find a way to know what anti-fairies are and how he could possibly reunite with Irep. Despite being such a cool scary godfather, there is still quite a lot that Dev doesn’t know about him, except for just a few things whatsoever.

“What does your father do?”

“Well… Tycoon and business stuff, constructing new places to bring in more people, which will bring in more money… I don’t know but, yeah…” Dev would say like it was usual schtick, “What do your dad do?”

He remembered how Irep nodded mischievously, most especially as the anti-fairy observed the statues and vases made of gold, “Oh, my papa? You would be surprised by this… He is the leader of the anti-fairies.”

Dev blinked upon hearing all of that, “So… Like a president or a monarch?”

“Well, it kind of worked both ways, but he is in charge of a lot of things... Imports and exports for the Anti-Fairy World, establishing peace and order within our homeworld, having meetings with the magical council, Jorgen, and other leaders from other worlds because we are still trying to find a way to reclaim our freedom and equality… Orchestrating every Friday the 13th too, which is his favorite part of being the leader…”

“Geez…” Dev recounted, thinking that if he were to trade places with Irep, he might not survive all of that work. “Must be a lot of pressure on you…”

“You tell me!” Irep chuckled, “But to be fair, I’ve long wanted to be the next leader. I’ve been to all of his meetings ever since I was in diapers. Then when I started in college, I would be my dad’s right hand and sometimes he’d give the floor to me so that I could apply what I’ve learned from university, sharing some of my ideas that could help Anti-Fairy World. I mean, that stuff is difficult and demanding, but I am up to the challenge.”

The 10-year-old remembered being like Irep at some point in his life, being so excited to take over their business and continuing the Dimmadome legacy, just like how his father did for his grandfather. He would go to his father's meetings and write down his ideas on crayon, begging for his dad to at least keep it in his suitcase. First, Dev had that ambition because he genuinely wanted to be a tycoon very soon. But eventually, the ambition died down, rather, he just wanted to take over the Dimmadome business just so his father could give his attention to him. There is nothing more than an ambitious father ever wanted than an equally ambitious child, and that’s what Dev did… 

“... You and your dad seemed to be… Close…” Dev said meekly, and for a moment, he could see Irep’s expression turning from that of joy to that of sympathy, his lilac eyes doing most of the explaining.

Irep would then explain, hoping that he doesn’t sound arrogant or insensitive , not especially in front of a kid who may or may not have a neglectful father, “Yeah… Still the strict old man that I knew since I was a kid, but I love him.”

“And your mom?”

“Well, you might’ve known Cosmo by now, right?”

“Ughh, yes, obviously.”

“You see, just imagine an anti-fairy version of Wanda, then put all of Cosmo’s craziness and foolishness in her, on top of using her own feet to make sandwiches and cook food… May have killed someone at some point, but she still has that protective Mama bear senses and the best bear hugs.”

“Woah…” Dev would say, but more in fascination this time, “I was expecting that you and Peri had lived such different lives, but thinking about it right now, you guys kind of have something in common.”

The young boy would notice how Irep would hesitate for a moment upon mentioning Peri. Come to think about it again, Peri has never even mentioned having an anti-fairy counterpart. Was his fairy godfather afraid of Irep? Did something happen between the two of them? What kind of relationship did Peri and Irep have before he got Peri as his fairy godfather?

It wasn’t long before Irep would clear his throat, checking on Dev’s backpack and pulling out his report card that he got from Dimmadelphia Enrichment Academy. 

“You got straight A’s. I’m impressed.” Irep smiled proudly, which reminded him of how Peri also has that same smile when he is proud of Dev’s achievements, “Also, why would you wish straight A’s when you got this without wishing?”

“Peri sits and helps me with my studies. He says it is more rewarding and I’ll learn a lot from it.” Dev groaned, “I just wanted Dad to notice how good I am, but what’s the use of studying to get straight A’s when he is gonna ignore me anyway? I’m better off playing video games, reading manga, or playing the saxophone, then I’ll ask Peri to give me straight A’s without all the effort. It’s better that way.”

Irep nodded as he returned the card back to his backpack, “Huh… Still the same old Peri that I knew.”

Dev almost stopped himself there, “Was he usually like that from the start?”

“Don’t tell him I said this, but…” Irep would look around, as if making sure that no one is snitching on them (even though it’s just the two of them inside the Dimmadome Tower), “Your fairy godfather is an absolute nerd.”

“Finally! Someone who can agree with me!” Dev praised, raising his hands up in the air.

“He was always like that ever since the beginning! He was practically everyone else’s Golden Boy back in Fairy World. Real popular kid in high school as well. He gets high grades while doing ballet and musical theatre, and several other clubs. Long story short, everyone loves him, and in their eyes, he can do no wrong. So much for goody-two-shoes.” Irep just said casually, before rolling his eyes in feigned disgust.

“So by that logic…” Dev tried to turn the cogwheels of his brain, anything else that his 10-year-old self can comprehend, “Would that technically make you the high school outcast like in the corny rom-com high school movies? Because that sounded really unfair.”

Irep would just chuckle at the young boy’s interpretation, “I like your spirit, but I forgot to mention to you that just because anti-fairies are the opposite of fairies, it does not mean that they are entirely opposites in the whole aspect. There are different types of fairy and anti-fairy connections, think of it like how humans have different blood types.”

Dev has never been more interested about magical beings, and most especially about anti-fairies… Before he even got Peri, all he ever heard were fairies here and fairies there… No one mentioned that there is such a thing as an anti-fairy to begin with. He crossed his legs and rested his chin on his hands, as if he was listening intently for a storybook.

“So yes… Cosmo, Peri’s dad, is the opposite of my dad, Anti-Cosmo, because stars forbid, if Cosmo were to be the leader of the fairies, then Fairy World would be in shambles!"

Dev laughed at this… For someone who is supposedly “wicked”, Irep does have a wicked sense of humor.

“And Wanda, Peri’s mom, who I think is the voice of reason sometimes, is the opposite of my mom, Anti-Wanda, because my mom is always the voice of chaos.”

Irep fixed his dark denim jacket. Even Dev could tell that there was a stark difference between the way Peri dresses in comparison to Irep's fashion sense.

“Between Peri and I, we’re quite an interesting case… We do have a lot of differences like your typical fairy and anti-fairy. I’d rather have chicken cordon bleu, he preferred roast rump. He likes a lot of romance stuff, well not me though. He is afraid of needles, but I am not afraid of any of those because of my piercings and my tattoos. He does ballet and broadway and I can’t beat him with that because I can’t dance nor sing to save my life… But I can beat him in a hockey competition and an orchestral contest… Strange, isn’t it?”

Dev just bit the inside of his cheek.

“… If Peri has a pet bunny, then you have..?”

“A pet snake.” Irep grinned, “His name is Arsenic.”

The young boy almost lit up in excitement. He never wanted a dog or a cat, but he definitely wanted to have a reptile as a pet. It’s a shame that he can’t have one because his dad seemed to hate snakes and geckos. 

“Wait a second. Did you and Peri name your pets from the periodic table?”

“… Huh…” Irep seemed to pause from his conversation, as if he realized that just now, “It didn’t occur to me until you mentioned it… Fairy and anti-fairy connections really are strange after all.”

“What are some things that make both of you… The same?” Dev would ask, knowing that he is more likely to fall into this rabbit hole. A twisted side of him wanted to make use of this knowledge, particularly tracking down Peri’s weaknesses so that the young boy could get his wishes without repercussions.

“Well, we both like music, food, we got some piercings and tattoos except I have more than he does, and we both have sleep problems… What else..?” Irep tried to think, that is until he realized that they had somewhat strayed away from their original Tedtalk, which is basically about high school cliques. “Oh, and by the way, about your grades...”

“Oh my god, I thought you weren't like him?” Dev made a plaintive moan, although Irep could hear the hint of sarcasm in his pretend woes.

“No no… Let me get this straight.” Irep just said, giving Dev a teasing look, like an older brother about to snitch on his younger sibling, “I will give you all the straight A’s without having to lift a finger. But, since I also care about your well-being and your future, why don’t you give me a shot where I can help you study instead?”

If it were possible, Dev almost looked back at him with an alarming look, so much so that he had to remove his shades. Last time, Hazel told him that her fairies told her that Peri graduated from a prestigious college as Summa Cum Laude. Dev may not care that much about grades, but not entirely like that. “Uuuhhmm… Lowkey, give me a reason why I should be studying with you?”

“Oh!” Irep feigned a surprise look, almost clutching his chest like the drama king he is, “Dev, sweetie! I thought we already had a talk about this earlier!”

“Oh geez… My bad… I can’t just assume everything about y’all since fairies and anti-fairies are complex, right?” The boy put on his shades again… Way to go for being a bit insensitive at times. 

“Nah, I’m just messing with you! And take off your shades, you have really lovely eyes and you don’t have to hide that.”

And so, Dev Dimmadome took off his shades with a rather shy smile on his face… Peri had long complimented his eyes, and for a while, Dev used to think that Peri was just sugarcoating the whole thing, but if Irep (a literal anti-fairy) complimented how lovely his eyes are, then maybe Peri wasn’t sugarcoating at all… 

Huh. Fairies and anti-fairies do work so similarly yet so differently…

“Now… I can help you study in the easiest, most fun ways you could ever think of… I’ll grant you more wishes and take you to adventures wackier than Hazel and her fairies would ever go to for every high grade you get. And if you don’t like my studying strategies, then we can go back to the original plan. Easy A’s with little to no studying. Simple as that!” Irep said as he returned Dev’s report card to his back.

But it didn’t take long for Irep to continue again, “With that being said, I have the same academic capacity as Peri. It’s a blessing and a curse. I love it when I wipe the smirk off of their faces every time I get to answer every difficult question they throw at me, or when they’re forced to call my name and announce that I have the highest score in their classes, but I also hate it when they pit me against Peri, it’s always an emotional and mental turmoil…” Irep looked visibly uncomfortable for a moment, but he just pushed that outside like it was a small inconvenience.

“Just like Peri, I recently graduated from a prestigious college as Summa Cum Laude. Majored in Political Science, minored in Music, not to mention I was given a special ‘Athlete of the Year’ award’ and several other awards.” He would continued. 

Dev’s jaw dropped, in an instant, he is now clinging on to the anti-fairy’s denim jacket. Although Dale had slight connections with Dimmadelphia’s politicians, Dev could definitely make use of Irep’s knowledge so that he can actually contribute something for Dimmadome Global in the future. Also, did he just say that he also minored in music? He finally has a nearby buddy to listen to him play the saxophone! “Irep… I am not a nerd and I don’t wanna be a nerd like Peri. But if I ask you to help me study and play the saxophone better, would I count as a nerd or not?”

“Of course not!” Irep said as he patted the boy’s back, “Smart kid is the new cool kid after all.”

“And what happens if they try to take you from me because, well, you are granting wishes that are not supposed to be granted?”

“Well then I’ll just fight them back. You’ve seen me grant those wishes like it’s nothing. I can handle magical disputes with ease, been doing it since I was a babe.” Irep said in a pish-posh manner, “Peri had such impeccable magic but he was too afraid to use it for fear that he might screw up. Not to mention, he always had Jorgen keeping a watchful eye at him. But you never saw me hesitate like Peri, right?”

Dev shook his head, “Do you think Jorgen would find us?”

“Well, as long as Jorgen is busy entertaining Peri and his surprising decision to quit, he’ll be more focused on him than any of us. Besides, it’s in Da Rules that someone had to take another godparent’s place if they were to quit, so that will be another time to think about.”

The two sat at Dev’s bed for a moment, letting the silence embrace them for a while. He only had Irep as a godfather for only a day and he could tell that he preferred Irep even more. But Dev had to be considerate… Anti-fairies weren’t given any godparenting privileges for thousands of years (unless the Fairy and Anti-Fairy Council will ever consider abolishing this ancient rule), in addition to that, Irep is set to be the next leader soon; it might add more pressure and stress to carry all of that responsibility while taking care of a human child…

The 10-year-old also had another damning realization. 

“Does your legs… Hurt?” Dev asked as he was reminded how Peri had that interesting condition.

Once again, Dev observed how Irep seemed to have some slight look of concern written in his eyes. So it turns out that Irep may be aware of what condition Peri has, or perhaps, he may have something similar to the fairy as well. 

“No… That’s Peri’s job hissing and whining about his legs… My job is to hiss and whine about my upper extremities.” And with that, Irep took off his jean jacket to reveal what was in store. 

His arms were filled with beautiful faded-white tattoos, leaving Dev in awe. Flowers bloomed from their own stems and leaves, a few caterpillars were present, some were hiding in their cocoons, waiting for the completion of their metamorphosis, and then there were butterflies and moths… It’s like an artpiece, permanently painted on his skin…

The only thing that ruined the tattoos were the shiny black tapes that Irep specifically placed where it hurt the most. There were a lot on his upper arm, a few on his elbows, and even more around his wrists and fingers. Dev knows what they are.

“Is that AthleMed KT?” Dev pointed out, “Peri also has those! He would buy those every time he went shopping back in Fairy World. He told me these work better than the ones here on Earth.”

“That’s because our biology is different from yours.” Irep said with a quick grin, ruffling Dev’s hair before putting back his jean jacket.

“How bad do they hurt?”

“From a scale of one to ten? That depends… Most days aren’t so bad. Sometimes, you can feel that dull ache seeping through your bones and flesh and it gets annoying. Then there are days when the pain is too much. Sometimes, I have to come back to the doctor and change the dosage of my medication just to ease the aches.”

Dev just looked at his own hands while twiddling them. He recounted those days when he and Peri would have breakfast together at the cereal bar, and as the young heir waited for his second bowl of cereal, he would notice how Peri would have a vial of potion (which he now knew as medication) next to him as the fairy prepared his breakfast.

“It’s for my legs, Dev.” Peri would say, smiling patiently at him as he set a bowl of honey granola cereals with apple chips (a proper breakfast for Dev) right before the fairy would poof out a brush to maintain the young boy’s hair, “You know how I have to use my wand-cane sometimes? This is where I’d be needing my medication. I drink it so that my legs won’t ache that bad.”

Dev gulped, back to the present, “He still does ballet and performs musicals… Won’t that be painful for him?”

“I don’t know about him.” Irep shrugged, although it sounded like he was in denial, “But are you really that concerned? Aw, then I guess you’re not gonna like what you’re about to hear next.”

“Oh no, Irep.”

“Guess who is still playing for concertos and competing in Hockey competitions? Me!” Irep pointed proudly to himself.

“Noooo!!” Dev moaned, “Noooo! Why would you do that? That’s gotta hurt! Your arms and your hands!”

“Ah, Dev. Nothing but a little physical therapy and medication could help. I’m still doing great, seriously. If there’s anything else, you should be more concerned for Peri, his legs hurt even more than my arms were.” Irep rolled his eyes.

And as much as he and Irep shared that same annoyance for Peri, he could still tell that behind those gossips about Peri, a part of Dev could tell that there is something… Interesting between the two of them…

“What happened between you and Peri?”

“Ooohh that’s a hard one.” Irep tried to avoid eye contact, “I’d rather you ask him about what had happened, lil’ guy.”

Dev stared at the screen of his ipad… Ever since Jorgen threw Irep back to Anti-Fairy World and Peri’s position as his fairy godparent had been restored, he had been doing his own research about anti-fairies. Irep had left him a lot of answers, and yet, there were still a lot of questions that needed to be debunked. 

With Irep out of the picture, his old conversation echoed at the back of his mind.

“I’d rather you ask him about what had happened…”

Peri knew something he didn't. Maybe it is for the best, considering how uncomfortable Irep looked when they would bring up Peri in certain talks. Will Peri feel the same way if he comes up and asks for more answers? What if he uses this information to his advantage? Not just to get Peri snap out of his goody-two-shoes self or stick entirely to the rules, but to challenge Jorgen and the Magical Council on why anti-fairies cannot be godparents, when clearly, Irep had shown great capacity to take care of him?

Was he really that needy? Was he really that demanding for love and affection that he needed not just one but two magical beings to provide everything he wanted or needed? After all, Hazel has two fairies, this “Timmy” boy also had two fairies. And sure, a fairy and an anti-fairy may still be a "controversial" topic, but… What if..?

His thought process was almost disturbed when he felt a thump on his bed. Dev shot up from his bed and groaned upon seeing the familiar, curly-haired rabbit, hopping excitedly among the sheets.

“Ughhh… Aurum!” He whined, “Get off my bed!”

But the bunny had other plans. Aurum would poof herself on his chest, facing him with those beady eyes and somehow drooped ears. Dev will admit that the rabbit is kind of adorable, but still, he’d rather have a snake. At least Irep’s pet snake isn’t annoying, unlike Peri’s pet bunny.

“Come on! I just wanted to chill!’ Dev groaned as Aurum went up and began to nuzzle herself on his cheek. He had nowhere else to go. If she wants cuddles, then she must have one.

“Fine, fine! Geez. You always meddle on everything, just like Peri.” Dev sat up as the rabbit settled on his lap, forming herself into a loaf; Peri told him that it’s a sign that Aurum trusted him… Well at least she likes him even though he is being a bit bratty at times. For a rabbit, she had a lot of patience… Just like Peri, again…

His moment of annoyance seemed to fade when he carefully stroked the bunny’s fur. Pets in Fairy World kind of looked different compared to those on Earth, and Aurum’s fur felt so soft and silky on his fingertips, but what’s life without a little bit of magic? Oh how he wished it was that easy.

Dev looked at the smart watch that his father primarily made for him… It is now 5:45pm. Peri left at 5 o’clock and promised that he’ll be back in an hour or so. He even left Dev a small phone where he can contact Peri in any case he needed something… Dev didn’t need any wishes, all he had to do was wait at any minute from now… 

He needed some answers instead.

Chapter Text

The Sublime Ballet and Theatre, Fairywood, Fairy World

In a special room found at the 4th floor of The Sublime Ballet and Theatre, heavily guarded with time-travelling magic that is only reserved for cram classes and for dancers with strict schedules… A wide array of magical creatures, young and old, danced into the rhythm while maintaining such poise and grace, exerting strength and agility through various leaps and spins. From that specific, magically-encased room, they have already practiced and warmed up for almost 5 hours, but from the outside world, only 20 minutes had passed. 

As soon as a magical being earned their college degree, they have now unlocked a new magical power, which is to manipulate time if they needed to. Time travelling and time manipulation is a sacred yet controversial type of power; there’s a reason why time-sensor cameras and time-monitoring squads were sprawled all over the magical realm, to detect who is abusing their ability to time travel or manipulate it for their own benefit. 

Crammed-Timer Rooms in particular are used by students who needed extra time to study for their incoming entrance exams, for workers who had to finish a month’s worth of paperworks in a day or two, and various other occupations that required more time crammed in at a 24 hour rate. 

This includes several other dancers of The Sublime Ballet and Theatre who had other duties aside from being dancers. There were doctors, lawyers, architects, stay-at-home parents, convenience store workers, tailors, DJs, and many more people dancing in these Crammed-Timer Rooms, allowing them to practice and perform 4 hours or even more, at a real time of only 20 minutes or so. Those are just one of the perks in the magical realm, particularly in Fairy World. Sometimes, these Crammed-Timer rooms were out of order for fixing, that is to ensure that the magic in these rooms are stable. 

Among the people, with different jobs or stories to be told, Peri can be seen dancing along with them in his costume.

The Sublime Ballet and Theatre are going to perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on May 10. They have already assigned roles for the dancers, and Peri was more than ecstatic to receive his role for Puck; mischievous, silly, playful, likes a joke or two, practically the reason why the entire events of the ballet went on like that… He is as loveable as he is silly, and Peri was honored to have that role.

“They made me Puck!” Peri remembered calling his parents, his eyes brimming with tears of happiness after seeing his name on board with his designated character. His parents would then treat him over for milkshake and fries, and he would bring Dev with him (although Dev is most likely to eat the fries instead).

Truth be told, this isn’t the first time Peri performed for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. Back when he was 19 at college, he was assigned the role for the main butterfly of the ballet, but Peri never really cared for roles, he just loved to dance. That was the reason why their dance coaches, Sir Froggy and Madam Torte, chose him for the role. They claimed that he resonated playfulness with a bit of sass, so he would make the best Puck out there. 

And so, Peri always did his best in everything he did, even though sometimes he felt like he was not doing the best job at all, yet he would push through with that smile on his face to be better. That’s what he is doing right now, not just with this ballet… But also, with Dev.

Dev had been distant ever since Jorgen intervened between him and Irep, just a few hours after the Rock-Paper-Scissors Competition. The following days afterwards brought a newfound struggle for him, where Dev would constantly bring up how Irep seemed cooler than him. Peri will face the fact that he was also at fault here. What kind of fairy says that they’d quit being their godparent? 

“It's your first time at your job, Peri.” Jorgen would say while he removed his reading glasses amidst the pile of papers in his desk, “A lot of fairies would temporarily quit in a week or so before they return to being their godparents. The fact that you made it this far with him says that you are indeed trying to understand his situation, but Dev is already a different and difficult case. This is the part where you have to be creative with your techniques.”

Peri calls it bullshit. His parents never quit when they took care of their very first godchild, Erg. They most definitely didn’t quit when Timmy would have his moments at times. Just because Dev was being difficult doesn’t mean he had to show his frustration like that. Peri could feel that blame eating inside him, even though he and Dev are slowly coming back to talking terms. Peri would review and re-review his past studies on godparenting, wondering if he had missed a crucial step.

Eventually, Peri tried to be “cool” so that Dev would feel more comfortable with him. Peri had no idea what “cool” is like on Earth. He was already considered “cool” in his own homeland since birth, that’s how easy it was for him, he never really had to try just to be considered “cool”. The human definition of “cool”, however, mostly equated those with exquisite fashion taste, those who are wealthy, those who do sports, might have tattoos or piercings… 

And the funniest part? He tried!

“Woah.” Dev gaped, one morning when Peri was cooking breakfast for him just two weeks ago. He is cooking some eggs, bacon, hashed browns, and a glass of orange-carrot juice (the only way he could get Dev to eat his carrots). 

But Dev was more fascinated by Peri’s appearance today, “You didn’t tell me you have…” The young boy trailed off, almost too embarrassed to point it out, but he couldn’t help but stare a bit longer.

“Morning, Sunshine. Did you have a good sleep?” Peri greeted as he set Dev’s breakfast, before sitting on Dev’s right side, having his own share of breakfast as well.

“Yes…” Dev croaked, trying to process if this is just the result of him staying up late at night playing Cuphead or if what he’s seeing is actually real.

Almost in an un-Dimmadome fashion, he craned his neck like a snake to get a much better look, while Peri just smiled, taking a bite of a hash brown.

“Did you have..? Oh my god…” Dev said in astonishment. His fairy godparent, always the stickler to Da Rules, has piercings! He has what seemed to be a curved barbell piercing on his left eyebrow, purple nose studs on the sides of his nostrils, a tiny golden nose ring pierced through his septum, and a side labret just on the lower right side of his lip. 

However, Dev’s jaw slacked upon noticing his ears. Peri had his earlobes pierced as a baby, which showed his trademark star earrings, but today, he had more than just star earrings. He also has a daith piercing, a few more along the lower lobe, the outer conch, the flat, and the helix as well. Some of the earrings bore his gemstone (amethyst), while the others had the shape of an 8 pointed star and a crescent moon. 

It may not be as crazy as Irep’s piercings, but it is definitely something. For some reason, not only did it make Peri look a bit carefree, but his choice of jewelry and piercings fits him so well. Not too loud or overwhelming, not too plain or boring, but classy and carefree. 

“When did you have those?” Dev tried to form the right words.

“I got these when I was 19 and 20, but I had to remove them before I officially became your godparent because, well, we are requested to look professional.” Peri would then clear his throat, “But I realized that sometimes, some kids don’t really care about appearances that much, so maybe I should bring these back. It would be a shame on my part for wanting to pierce these only for me to hide them away.”

A part of him ached upon saying those words. Not only did he make it sound like Jorgen was the bad guy (definitely not a bad guy, just someone who couldn’t even question the ways of the Fairy Council), but he definitely left out another important piece about these piercings… He made a bet, and now he had to fulfill it, which is basically getting piercings and tattoos to hopefully overcome his fear of needles, and also, for the sake of remembrance.

Speaking of tattoos…

“You know, I also have some tattoos.”

Dev’s jaw dropped to the floor, the bacon from his mouth almost fell out as well. Peri couldn’t help but laugh at his godkid’s reaction. From the surface, it looked like he was trying to be as “cool” as Irep, hence the piercings and the tattoos, but that wasn’t the case. He had to ease himself from following Da Rules too much, and if that includes having to break a few rules (such as wearing his piercings and embracing his tattoos), then it would be a good start. 

“No you don’t…” The much younger Dimmadome shook his head, almost as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Oh, it may not look like the ones you would expect for a tattoo, but I doodled some of these and asked the tattoo artist if he could recreate it.” Peri just said before taking a gulp of juice.

Dev looked like he was about to lose it! “Okay, I can’t take it anymore. Show them to me!”

“Alright, your majesty…” Peri would answer back jokingly before he unbuttoned the first two buttons of his burgundy cardigan, good enough to show his clavicle and his left shoulder. In it were a bunch of stars and constellations, sprawled all over his shoulder and collar bone in black and dark brown. It complimented his freckles as well. Come to think of it, Dev didn’t even know that Peri has freckles!

“So here they are. They go all the way from my shoulder, then on my upper back, then on the other shoulder and back to the other collar bone.” Peri would explain as he retraced the tattoos, showing them to Dev, whose fascination cannot be contained.

”But that’s not all.” The fairy would say as a cherry on top. He would pull up his dad jeans to show the side of his right knee, where some flowers and leaves were tattooed on his skin. He would do the same thing with his left leg, revealing a wrap-around vine tattoo just above his left ankle. “I have some tattoos on my knee and ankle. Did it hurt when I requested to have these tattooed on my legs even though I had a long history of leg aches? Absolutely… Did I regret it? Nope, and I’d add another one very soon if given the chance.”

The young boy looked back at Peri with a dumbfounded look, before staring back at his legs and ankles, then back at the fairy’s face, so many things the child wanted to say but couldn’t.

”How, why, what the- Why didn’t you tell me anything about these?!” Dev sputtered, his silverware clinked on the plate, even more incredulous than earlier, “You would’ve looked so cool with all of those and you kept that a secret from me?!”

”Professionality, Sunshine. We are required to hide them all once we get into the godparenting field. And besides, I preferred it if you asked me first if I had some. It would be very rude for me to go around with piercings and tattoos without knowing if my godchild is comfortable with my appearance or not.” Peri finished while patting Dev’s head. 

Dale Dimmadome is a very critical man after all. He had disguised long enough as Dev’s earphones or brooches for every time the young lad was forced to be in his father’s meetings. Most of Dale’s colleagues looked prim and proper; no hair dyes, no crazy piercings, no tattoos, and definitely no fun in those meetings. So Peri somehow added this in his mental notes to hide away the piercings and tattoos.

Dev returned to eating his breakfast, looking somehow satisfied to see Peri in his rather true nature, but he hasn’t made a single wish ever since Irep was thrown back to Anti-Fairy World. It’s understandable… The young boy would rather have Irep grant his wishes because he matched with Irep’s chaos… And if Dev were to wish something, it would be the same wish all over again; either bring back Irep or let him have his father’s approval, which Peri can technically grant (he definitely would in a blink of an eye) but couldn’t because not only would it revoke his license, but the entire Fairy Council will be after him. Not even Jorgen could save him this time.

With the weekend starting, no Hazel for him to talk or play with, and no father to bond with, Dev is stuck with his still seemingly boring godfather and his not-that-affectionate AU Pairs. The lad knew that having Peri is a much better option. 

“... I will wear my shades less often if you show off your piercings and tats some more.” Dev would announce after Peri went to wash the dishes. In almost an instant, their godparent looked back at the kid, not being able to contain his smile. Dev is once again willing to come out of his shell, even after all the shit-show that had happened, from the birthday to Irep’s exile.

“Alright kiddo. I’ll make sure to do that.” Peri said as a promise.

And so, the duo went to the nearby arcade and bought some (dairy-free) snacks, where Dev went all out without his shades. Meanwhile, Peri kept a good eye on him and played along with some games, all the while feeling confident with his piercings. In exchange, he wore some knee length shorts instead, to show off his tattoos.

Dev’s definition of cool might contrast to how Peri looked recently.

Now, Peri looked at himself in the mirror, having put on the outfit that he will wear as Puck for the ballet. They had their early dance rehearsals so that they could break in their outfits and get used to dancing in them so they all wouldn’t feel stiff or awkward dancing.

Peri is currently wearing some near-transparent tights, a dark brown loincloth with some dried petals and leaves, vines that were attached to the waistband of the loincloth before it went to wrap his shoulder like a sling. It reminded him of when he did Acteon’s variation where all he ever wore was nothing but some tights and brown loincloth (no joke, that’s how dancers are supposed to dress if they were to perform Acteon’s variation).

That costume was the most revealing one he wore in his entire life. The difference between that and his current Puck costume is that at least they added more flare with Puck’s design so he doesn’t look bare. Flowers, vines, and all things magical were added. The small antler horns fit perfectly with his periwinkle curl, styled into a french braid with some stems and flowers. He changed some of his regular stud piercings to flower-shaped ones. He even had his wings turned into chiffon cloth and wrapped it around his wrists. He actually looked like a fairy in a Shakespeare story turned to a children’s vintage storybook. 

It felt like years ago, he was looking at his younger self, when he could barely walk without stumbling or complaining about his leg aches every 10 minutes. That one kid who would mourn for his brother’s departure. That one kid who used to be so close to someone special in his life…

At least the tights are kind of transparent enough to reveal his tattoos, and he is currently wearing transparent kinesiology tapes to keep the aesthetic. The company isn't too strict when it comes to tattoos, as long as they’re not offensive. They’re only required to cover those if the tattoo doesn’t fit the character’s personality. Sir Froggy and Madam Torte jokingly said that if Puck were to get tattoos and piercings, he might’ve had the same ones as Peri has.

Body image aside, Peri looked from side to side, the tattoos and his current appearance reminded him of Dev and their conversation from last time. Dev has never seen him dress up in anything else except for his “work” clothes, which is mostly long-sleeved shirts, suspenders, and dress pants. If he is not feeling it, he always has his beloved argyle sweater vests, cardigans, contrast shirts, and overalls. He doesn’t have any idea what his fashion sense was, but Hazel once said that he is giving off “light academia” and “soft boy” for some reason.

If Dev sees him right now, he might laugh, point his finger, and say that he looks like a dork going too far for a cosplay. Dev has a very interesting sense of humor and use of words… It’s no wonder why Irep never seemed to struggle bonding with him, although Peri had to hand it to Irep, that guy knows how to take care of kids.

Peri would then wonder if it was a good idea to ask Dev if he wanted to see him perform on May 10. There’s a huge possibility that his parents would bring Hazel to watch the ballet with them. Although rules about bringing godkids to Fairy World have become stricter ever since Timmy had his memories erased, The Auditorium still remains a heavily guarded place, so no godkid would ever pull off unnecessary wishes that could possibly ruin the show.

But it isn’t the ballet that Peri was worried about. It’s basically Dev and his now strained friendship with Hazel. Hazel has been wanting to reconnect with him ever since the birthday incident, she never stopped asking about his whereabouts or how he was doing, even after he went on an all-you-can-wish spree with Irep. Dev continues to shut her down, avoiding going to places that she’s most likely to visit, like the manga section of the bookstore. He made it clear from the start, he doesn’t want anything to do with Hazel, a mixture of anger and guilt in the young boy’s voice.

He must respect Dev’s “wishes”. If Hazel decides to come with Cosmo and Wanda, then Peri’s option is to go without him, but he cannot leave Dev in his own tower while he does the ballet. He also cannot afford to take him to The Auditorium and have a scuffle with Hazel if she happens to be there as well, because not only will it completely ruin what was left of their friendship, but Dev will stop trusting Peri in return.

Whatever….

Whether Dev liked ballet or not, Peri chose to bring him along for his safety, and maybe, for a change in scenario… And if Hazel arrives…

The fairy exhaled, shaking the negativity out of his body, “Dev will overcome this… I know he will… I know he and Hazel will work this out…”

It didn’t take long before he let out a soft laugh while looking at the mirror, his frame shook slightly as he remembered how his friendship with Irep ended on such horrible terms. It was so bad that even both of their parents were traumatized by what had transpired. It’s not just an ordinary scuffle that can be resolved over time, but it was something much deeper than that.

It wasn’t long before Peri would sit on the floor, his back against the mirror, not wanting to talk for a while but for some reason, he had a strong urge to vent. News went across Fairy World and from the other magical worlds that he had an altercation with Irep, and one that involves his godchild. No one brought it up yet, but when he was at the bathroom earlier, he had overheard Gale gossiping with another guy all about the hubbub and whatnot.

Something along the lines about him being too young to be a godfather and why it was the reason why “that spoiled brat” couldn’t even bother being nice to him. How Jorgen should’ve considered giving away Dev to someone with more expertise rather than choosing a newly graduated, barely 25-year-old fairy with an inflated ego because he always gets everything he wants on a silver platter.

There was a small pause…

“Maybe he’s right… Maybe I am too young and not ready for this.”

Just another spoiled little fairy who thinks he got it all figured it out.

Peri tried to shake himself from his deep, rather dark thoughts. He tried to pry himself every single time that he had these negative aura surrounding him for no reason. It was easier to shake them away back when he was still a teen, but no? These thoughts are getting more and more relentless as he grew older, and the fact that he "quitted" and then had an encounter with Irep just made this even worse. 

Sighing to himself, he grabbed onto the nearest bar and pulled himself up. They practiced at the barre, did allegro and adagio, then dressed up and did the 1st and 2nd act. Last thing he heard, Aiah and Vahnnie will be dancing at this exact moment, so he left the dressing rooms and went to the dance studio.

The second act also took place somewhere in a palace rather than the forest. Sure enough, Aiah and Vahnnie are currently performing their pas de deux as Hippolyta and Theseus respectively, and their costumes fit their setting; faded pink, with hints of white and gold. It is a huge difference compared to the floral themes from the first act, but that’s what makes the entire ballet so magical in the first place. 

The rest of the dancers that were dressed up as the fairies, the bugs, the mechanics, and the lovers sat on the sidelines, cheering for the dancers. Aiah and Vahnnie continued on with their performance with a smile on their faces, the rest of the corps de ballet following en suite. Sir Froggy was watching, repeating the ones, twos, threes, and nodding in approval for every right move. 

From afar, Peri saw Daphne sitting on one of the stool chairs while William sat on her lap. The young changeling was grinning from ear to ear, letting out “woahs” every time Vahnnie lifted Aiah off the floor. 

Daphne Luminara happened to be an older fairy than Cosmo and Wanda ever was. However, she made the tough decision to quit fairy godparenting when she met the then 5-year-old William and became his mother. She explained how he was neglected and abused by his adoptive parents after they had their own child, planning not to give him up and train him to be the child’s nanny instead. 

William barely spoke, except for when he read those storybooks about fairies, or when he would say “thank you”, “please”, “I love you, Momma”, and “take me with you”...  That’s all it would ever take for Daphne to keep him under her wing and officially adopt him as her son. As soon as the adoption papers were done, he can now undergo certain procedures to become a changeling.

William is now 7-years-old, he still rarely spoke because of the deep-ingrained trauma he developed, but he is now coming out of his shell ever since Daphne took him in. Since she is also a full-time ballerina, she was given the role of Queen Titania for the ballet, which is fitting because they needed a young changeling as well, and that’s where William got the role, now he gets to perform with his momma. 

“Bro!” William squealed as he hopped off from his mother’s lap and ran to the sides, being polite and minding the other people sitting and watching the performance. He did so until he got to Peri, his arms wide open and expecting to be carried… Again.

“Hey, bud.” The fairy took him in his arms with a wide grin. As an adult, Peri now has the strength to carry some weight, but he could only carry small children. As Puck, his job is to also find a way to retrieve the changeling from Queen Titania and have him taken to King Oberon instead.

There were certain parts where Peri had to carry around a giggling William while they were surrounded by “fairies” as an attempt to escape. The young boy already had his costume on, which consisted of a tunic made of dried leaves that reached to his knees, a leather belt, some dark green tights, and a pink flower hat. 

It wasn’t long before Daphne, dressed up in royal pink and her wings converted to a long cape, poofed up to him with a rather concerned look, “Oh William dearie! It’s not yet time for you to be carried yet! And you must consider Peri’s legs, they might be hurting right now.”

“Oh no need to worry, Miss Daphne.” Peri just shook his head with a kind smile, not minding it if he gets to carry a sweet child like William after all, “Besides, William is a real nice kid. Everyone loves him here.”

“Yes, I can say that everyone is fond of him, but he is fond of you even more, Peri.” Daphne said, her crystal blue eyes glimmering as if she is trying her best not to cry tears of joy, “He was too afraid to talk to anyone at first, but he feels safe with you around, so now he is trying to get along with everyone else here. Earlier, he said ‘I am happy to have this many friends’ and I almost lost it.”

“Yeah, don’t want you ruining your makeup, right?” He joked, making the mother laugh instead.

With William in his arms, all Peri could ever think of was Dev. He is already 10, technically old and quite heavy enough to be carried, but a lot of kids loved to be carried either way, a solid reminder to never take their childhood for granted… 

Dev admitted to him at some point that his father stopped carrying him when he was 4. The AU pairs did the carrying for him; it was cute and good for the family image when he was still being carried as a baby or a toddler, but it’s not so cute anymore when he is now past the age of 3. 

Dale’s excuse was that he didn’t want Dev’s shoes to dirty his white work attire, and it gives him chronic back pain. Peri snuck into Dale's office once and found no records of him having back pain (no diagnosis, no medications, no physical therapies or massages, no doctor’s appointment, no ergonomic chairs or ointments, nothing), hell, the man would play tennis at the country club on certain days, so there is no way he would be having back pains. 

Peri should know. As someone who had horrible leg aches that would sometimes radiate through his lower back, he would call off practicing, even lessening his hours of ballet or musical theatre, opting to go to the doctor to inquire for a change in medication or proper physical therapy so he could move properly. Fairy Godparenting also offered ergonomic classes if he found himself in situations where he had to carry a child without magic. And here he was, having carried Hazel once, Dev a couple of times, and currently William, without complicating his lower body problems… Dale is a perfectly healthy man with no physical issues, and he couldn’t even bother carrying his son unless it’s only beneficial for his image…

His parents carried him as a kid, and Peri looked back to those fond memories of his childhood days. It didn’t really matter if he was wet from the rain or from the puddles he jumped into or from the paint that he used for arts and crafts. It didn’t matter if his silly mess left a stain from his daddy’s white shirt and his mama’s favorite yellow blouse. He is more important than any form of clothing. Cosmo (bless his soul) carried him to the hospital when he had a seizure in their car and was unconscious afterwards…

The fairy shook his head. He couldn’t believe that out of all the memories that he had to relive on, it had to be that specific date, that specific night that changed everything for him… And Irep…

“How do you do it?” He would ask.

“What is it, honey?” Daphne said, like the caring mother she’s always been.

“Well, godparenting in general.” Peri looked down while William played with his curls, “He is a good kid, I believe that. But sometimes, it’s so hard to bond and discipline them when you know that the source of their problems stemmed from their parents, or the people who failed to show them love and kindness. They didn’t ask for this. You can’t be too lax because you are setting them up for harm and danger… You can’t be too hard because they’ve been through everything, and it just worsens it… Sure, not all kids are the same, but you know that there’s a pattern, right? So how did you do it?”

The much older fairy sighed as well, fixing her pink ballet dress that was inspired by the regency era, “I just did what I can do what’s best for them. Not all kids are the same, but the end goal is to help them in every way you can.”

Daphne just smiled at him, that same mellow smile that a mother would give to her child, “My very first godkid was a rather destructive one. Her name is Dorothy, and she would throw things and was rather ostracized by her family. She had so many wishes in her pocket but most of those wishes were prohibited according to Da Rules. And every time I had to say no, she would throw something at the wall. Dorothy’s parents would beat her very often, considering that corporal punishment was normalized back in the 1600s.”

Peri could feel the chills run up and down his spine.

“I told her that I did all of those, not because I was following Da Rules, but because…” She sighed, trying to be strong to share her story, “But simply because I care for her, her welfare, and her future. There comes a time that she’ll have to forget everything about me and how she used to believe in magic from the past. But the best wish I ever granted for Dorothy wasn’t a new dress or a new doll, rather, it’s the gift of love and resilience.“

In the midst of lovely instrumentals and the dancers’ shoes making sounds on the floor, Daphne would continue with her talk, “It took us 3 years before she finally knew that I was trying to help her this entire time. At 11, Dorothy called for me and cried on my lap, saying how sorry she was for being a horrible goddaughter and how I was the only one who truly loved her. She promised to be a good girl, she does have her slip ups, but slowly and surely, I watch her grow to become one of the prettiest souls I’ve ever met. Have I mentioned that she wanted to be an artist?”

“No, apparently.” Peri said, his smile forming upon hearing that rather touching story.

“Oh she is a wonderful artist. She painted portraits of me and begged that I take one to Fairy World as her token of gratitude.” 

Then, Daphne’s voice went grim, “Then the Great Plague of London happened in 1666; it wiped her entire family, one by one. I tried everything to protect her, but it got her last… She was only 14…” 

The much older fairy sighed as she wiped a tear from her eye, “She thanked me for being the mother she never had, even on her deathbed...”

Peri stood almost motionlessly while William was humming, adjusting the flowers in his periwinkle curls. One moment, he was hopeful for Dorothy turning over a new leaf, then the next moment, he was devastated after hearing an awful event that ended what could’ve been the start of her new life. 

“I grieved for her and I felt that I haven’t done my job as her fairy godmother… I quit being a fairy godparent for more than a hundred years, until I looked at her painting one day in my bedroom and realized that even in her very short life, I left an impact on her… So I returned to the godparenting field once again to help and provide what those children lacked. I encountered kids who have worse tendencies than Dorothy ever had, but that didn’t change my view towards them…” Daphne ended with a hopeful smile on her face, patting William’s head that made the changeling giggle in return.

The younger fairy looked at his ballet flat shoes, taking a moment to process what he had learned from one fairy godparent to another. He couldn’t help but be reminded by another one of his parents’ former godkids, prior to his birth.

“You know, my mama and daddy used to have a godkid named Maryann… They loved her dearly; she is smart, much smarter than most of the girls in her class, but she is cunning enough to start the first world war. Jorgen had to remove her from their guardianship because what she started was incredibly dangerous; he even erased her memories and all of that.” Peri continued, recounting their rather wacky stories. Daphne just nodded along, completely understanding the whole situation.

“And then in 1918, Maryann caught the Spanish Flu; she was 14 at that time. Jorgen prohibited them from ever coming back to her, but they snuck past him and pretended to be one of the nurses at the hospital because they wanted to comfort her, even in her last breath.” He meekly shook his head.

“The things we do for them.” Daphne explained, “They may not be our children by blood, but the bond remains stronger over anything else. “

The two silently watched as Vahnnie held Aiah by her waist, lifting her off the floor oh so gracefully, her tutu sparkled and casted prisms of rainbow all over the studio. 

“You still have a long way to go, Periwinkle, but I think you are off to a good start.” She said, giving him an encouraging smile, “Nobody is perfect on the first try, but your concern for your godkid is proof that you are willing to make a difference in his life. I hope you and Devin will see that someday.”

Peri had no idea what to do after hearing this certain part of Daphne’s life, let alone her struggles and her successes as being a fairy godmother, and how she is right here in front of him, giving him the courage and the patience to push on. He wanted to cry, but he maintained his composure by straightening his back, “Thank you so much, Miss Daphne… I really needed to hear that, and I’m glad to know that I wasn't the only one, rather it’s a universal experience for us godparents.”

“I appreciate that, Peri. Also, thank you for listening to my story about Dorothy… I don’t usually talk much about her because her passing still hurts me to this day, but I still remember her by heart… She inspired me to be a better godmother for my past godkids, and a better mother to my William dearie.” She would coo at the end as she booped William’s nose.

“Yes! And you’re the best momma ever!” William confirmed with a toothy grin, causing both Peri and Daphne to burst into small fits of chuckles after such an emotional, heart-to-heart talk.

“Yes, you could say that.” She sighed, wiping a tear from her laughter, “What do you think about Peri being Puck, sweetie?”

“The best Puck ever!” William just said without hesitation, making Peri chuckle at his reply.

“Right, right, the best Puck ever.” He just chanted along, “And you’re the best dancer around here.”

“Awww shucks!” The youngster would say as he shyly hid his face with his hands. 

It wasn’t long before Sir Froggy clapped his hands, calling everyone’s attention to get into position as the previous dancers from the first act will enter into the scene again, “Alright! Butterflies, bugs, creatures, and the rest of the fairy court; get into formation right now and prepare. As soon as Aiah, Vahnnie, and the members of the royal court make their exit, all of you should enter the stage as we practiced. Daphne, William, and Bien will enter next. And as soon as they leave the scene, Peri will follow last.”

“Oh! That’s our cue!” Daphne said excitedly once Peri set down William to the floor, “Come on, Will. Bien is waiting for us on the other side.”

“No more carrying?” William asked, looking up at the youngest fairy with those beady eyes that made him almost lose it. Why was this little boy so adorable in the first place?!

“Oh, Will.” Peri just said patiently, kneeling on the boy’s level (although he almost grimaced when he felt his joints cracking), “That one will only be on the first act. I won’t get to carry you again for the second act, but that’s alright because you get to hold Bien’s hand and your mother’s hand as well. Won’t that be fun?”

The changeling thought about it for a moment, before he would end up nodding at him like he is willing to give it a chance, “Okay! Momma, I’m ready now.”

The fairy watched as Daphne and her son made their way to the other side of the studio, but not before he felt a slight nudge on his shoulder. It was a nymph named “Fiero”, one of the butterflies for the performance. Fiero gave him the goofiest, shit-eating grin as he handed him over the broomstick, “By the way, Bien told me that he is sorry for kicking your ass a bit too hard earlier.” He replied.

Peri almost lost it as he held the broomstick, trying his best not to laugh even more, coupled by Bien’s unexpected message. “No no… Tell him not to apologize, honestly I think it was hilarious!”

Bien is designated to be King Oberon for the ballet. There’s a part where Puck mistakes Lysander for Demetrius and poured the flower juice on the wrong person, thus creating a rather messy love rectangle, and then King Oberon was so pissed by Puck’s mistake that he kicked him off to the next wing… Which is exactly what Bien did to him (although Bien didn’t really kick him that hard).

“Anyways, I’m off to get into formation with Fallon. Good luck with the last part.”

“Hey, I’m not the only one dancing on the last part, Fiero. There’s gonna be you, your sister, and a few other dancers in the background!”

“Yeah, whatever. Ciao!” He waved off as he ran to his twin sister Fallon.

And so, Peri looked at his broomstick, since this is one of the last things Puck will hold at the end of the ballet, telling the audience that perhaps, everything else they saw or witnessed might’ve been a dream… Thus, the name of the story, the title of the ballet…

Damn… 

Everything about what had happened between him, Dev, and Irep, was one bizarre dream indeed. Peri used to have those dreams where he and Irep were back in that duelling dome, where their bond died and a brand new life was formed, for better or for worse. It worsened after their last interaction back in March, except it felt more real… More morbid as well.

Does Dev ever dream of shapes and silhouettes made of violet or blue, arguing on who is more capable of taking care of a child? The godfather just hoped Dev doesn’t get nightmares from that at all; he has already been through a lot.

As soon as Peri changed into his regular clothes, having taken a breather because Time-Crammer Rooms can sometimes give him the mild cases of time lag (which is kind of like jet-lag but happens when they manipulate time and such), he opted to use his wings instead so that he could give his legs a rest, and maybe a cold glass of soda as well. He deserved it after all, and with their incoming performance in May, he had to get proper rest so that his legs won’t hurt a lot during their ballet.

That one is easier said than done. 

When he was in college, he kept himself busy at times, save for Sundays, Christmas and Summer vacations though. Being in a prestigious college and at the same time having some sort of a privilege (thanks to his reputation as Fairy World’s first baby in 10,000 years) gave him the opportunity to make adjustments for his schedules so that he doesn’t burn himself out. He had his schedule all organized, and he kept reminding himself that he will take it all, one moment at a time. True, college was a surprisingly good experience despite the exams, the homeworks, the projects, in addition to ballet and broadway. 

He majored in Godparenting, and though he excelled in that field, it was a rather lonely experience because majority of his classmates are fairies who are probably the same age or older than his parents. The majority were past degree holders from other fields who opted to find a new purpose by being godparents, and some were fairy godparents who had to restart and undergo the whole major again as requested by Jorgen. 

Most of his friends were either from the college’s Tutor’s Society, the performance arts department, and some of the clubs he attended. He couldn’t possibly bond with the fairies from the godparenting course because either they have their own families, friends, and interests that never really aligned with a much younger fairy like him who was 18 to 22 at that time. 

And because of that, he kept himself low-profile yet productive. It was tiring but it felt rewarding on his part to be able to attain a lot despite his very young age. Eventually, it helped him transition from his once busy college life to an even more demanding life as a fairy godparent and a performer on the side. But not even the promise of high achievements could guarantee an easier godparenting journey, he knows that for sure.

Peri looked at his watch and realized that they had managed to cram 5 hours of training inside the Crammed-Timer Rooms in a span of 25 minutes. No wonder he felt quite loopy for a moment. Looks like he’ll need some soda to perk himself up. At least they’ll be practicing tomorrow in their regular studio rooms without the need for time-manipulating magic, so no risk of having time lags again… He can bring Dev with him since he knows a place where the young boy can enjoy some of the arcade games.

As he flew by the hallways, he could see the silhouette of his parents and one particular girl that he had also grown to love as a godsister…

He now has a godsibling as well… He has never heard that word in a while ever since Timmy had to go, and though Hazel is far different from Timmy, he is glad that she gave his parents another purpose in their life to resume their duties as fairy godparents. 

“Hi Peri!” Hazel ran as her shoes echoed throughout the hallway, ready to give him a hug.

“Hazel, sweetie! You better not hug me that much, I literally reek of sweat and newly worn costumes.” He explained with a fond smile. Peri spent the first 7 years of his life being Timmy’s baby godbrother, the next 15 years as his parents’ only child, and now he is an older godbrother to Hazel. The surprising shift of family roles is a bit of a surprise to him when he first met his parents at the museum and was introduced to this spunky little girl. Either way, he welcomed her like the baby sister he never had.  

“Huh… You really don’t smell that bad, Per.” She then took his hand, “Also, did you change your piercings? They look so pretty on you!”

He didn’t realize that he hadn't changed his flower nose studs for his regular ones, “Oh, thanks for reminding me. I changed them for our early dress rehearsals.”

“Peri-Weri!”

Oh here it comes…

The young fairy almost yelped when his parents, rather than walking towards him, poofed immediately by his side and hugged him like he had just returned from war, his mother gave him a huge smooch on his cheek while his father ruffled his hair.

“Guys! I literally just got out from a 5 hour practice! I smell like a soppy gym towel and I haven’t washed my face yet from all the make-up!” Peri gasped, although his parents never minded at all.

“Soppy gym towel or not, you always deserve a warm welcome, sweetie!” Wanda replied, pinching his cheek.

“Also, do you want to go somewhere else to eat? Maybe you are hungry right now from all the dancing.” Cosmo added, poofing his handkerchief so that he could dab Peris’ forehead that had a trickle of sweat. The hallways were kind of warm after all.

“There’s a cafe on the second floor. We mostly buy our food there if we don’t have time to pack lunch or cook dinner after going home. Maybe you guys might find something you’ll like. It’s gonna be my treat.” He said after his parents let him go. 

“Oh no.” Wanda waved her hand while Cosmo opened his wallet to check their money for today, “Let me and your father pay you for dinner, sweetie.”

“No seriously, I got this.” He insisted. Peri got a decent pay as a fairy godparent, in addition to him being a performer on the side. Though his parents spoiled him a lot as a child, they taught him to be wise about his finances. Not to mention, the prize money that he earned from all the contests he competed in, the money he earned from his university's Tutor’s Society, and the extra financial aid he received from elementary to college were saved in his bank account in case he needed something.

But even though he is a fully independent adult who knows what to do next, Cosmo and Wanda couldn't help but still spoil their now adult son. He is their baby after all.

Peri would then hold Hazel’s hand while the family of (now) four made downstairs for the cafe.

They are now at “Sublime’s Cafe”, the indoor cafe of the building. Peri even met a few of his ballet friends and introduced them to his parents and Hazel. The young girl was particularly charmed by Daphne and William, her changeling son. 

The place had a few herbaceous plants in hanging planters, wafted with the smell of lattes and pastries, and the sound of soft bossa nova songs in the background. They took a table of four and began with their orders. Peri as usual chose their roasted rump, his parents felt like they wanted some pasta for tonight, and Hazel really wanted their fish and fries (although she is looking more forward for the fries instead).

And while the family chatted and talked about their day, it would take some time before someone had to bring up Dev into the conversation. Cosmo and Wanda didn’t want to intervene with their son and how he godparents the young Dimmadome, but they couldn’t help but be concerned for the two of them, especially after having a squabble with Irep and Jorgen additionally.

Peri asked Dev a moment ago if he wanted to go with him, but the youngster said that he wanted to stay at the tower instead. Dev opted to play Minecraft instead because according to him, “Can’t a young boy chill by himself?” 

He couldn’t argue since a lot of godkids do want their own privacy. And besides, he has been Dev's headphones since 8:30 am, so maybe a few moments just for Dev alone to decompress would be beneficial. Peri made sure to give Dev a phone so that the kid could contact him if he needed anything. 

The downside is that Dev wouldn’t get to eat dinner with him and his family. Maybe he dodged a bullet because Hazel tagged along with them. Peri loved Hazel as much as he loved Dev, but if his godson doesn’t want to see (let alone speak to) her, then he had no other choice but to respect his wishes. People tend to say hurtful things when they are still mad or guilty about something, so maybe it was a wise choice on Dev’s part to separate from Hazel for a while… Like how he had to separate from Peri after the whole shitshow that was his birthday.

What hurts is that similar to Dev, Hazel was also suffering. She tried calling him but the young heir had changed his sim card. He even blocked her from messenger, avoiding sitting with her during lunch hours (because according to Dev, Hazel is still fine because she has Winn and Jazmine anyway). 

Even Winn and Jazmine could sense the tense nature between Hazel and Dev. But the young heir was a few steps ahead of them, blocking them all as soon as he blocked Hazel, because he knew that they would try to “fix” their now strained relationship. One time, Dev was frustrated because Harper managed to get into his Minecraft server just so they could ask him if he’s alright. The messages died down afterwards… 

This time, however, he isn’t as verbal as when Hazel first set foot at Dimmadelphia Enrichment Academy. Back then, Hazel recounted how Dev made his status as a Dimmadome heir his whole personality, how he bragged that he was the coolest in their school. 

Now, he is all quiet; no teasing or nicknames that started with the letter “H”, no bragging about how he was better than anyone in their school... Just avoidance and silence, which Hazel described as even worse than their first meeting…

“You know, I preferred it when he would still tease us and rub his popularity on our faces because at least I know what he’s on too… But when he was all quiet… I don’t know… I can’t tell if he is mad or sad or just not in the mood… It’s much harder this time than before.” Hazel sighed as she ate a french fry, and another one. 

Peri also sighed with her, “Hazel honey, I’m really sorry that had to happen between you and Dev. Trust me, I am also trying to get him to talk to you, but only on his own terms…”

“Does he know that I still wanted to be his friend after all this time?” Hazel asked, “Does that make me a bad person for wanting to help a… Bad friend?”

The much younger fairy let out a small chuckle, he really admired Hazel’s kindness… Oh bless her sweet soul…

“Well, you’ll be a bad person if you just follow whatever bad thing someone does. What makes this different is that you wanted to help him because you knew he had a heart of gold. Bad people will let their friends continue to do bad things, and you don’t want that for Dev, so don’t beat yourself into thinking that you’re a bad person, Hazel.” Peri explained.

“Sure sweetie… Some friendships take some time to form, so it’s not always that easy.” Wanda would explain as she dabbed some tissue to clean herself.

“Yeah! Look at me, it took me a thousand years to befriend Philip. And now, we are absolute besties!” Cosmo explained as he raised up a wine glass filled with cranberry juice, as if giving himself a toast to his success. This just made Wanda laugh and slightly smack his shoulder. Meanwhile, Peri groaned in embarrassment upon hearing that blasted name again, covering his face with his hands.

“Woah! Must’ve been so rewarding for you Cosmo! Who is Philip by the way?” The young girl asked.

“Philip is Dad’s coin.”

“Oh… Like a sentient, magical coin with wings that can grant extraordinary wishes or something?”

“No, sweetie… It’s just a regular nickel that Dad found years ago.” He whispered low. This made Hazel giggle in return, truly her fairy godparents may be loveable but weird. Good thing because she loves weirdness!

Afterwards, Peri would re-open the menu once again. He is planning to take out some food for Dev. One of these days, he feels a bit rebellious enough to try cheese options despite being lactose intolerant. The thing is, Irep was the one who instilled in the young boy’s mind that he can have certain types of cheese, and that gave Dev a bit of hope to try some food that has cheese in them, as long as it doesn’t contain lactose. 

And so, Peri had to do some research and find some perfect items that Dev would like. The cafe also served some breakfast meals 24/7, so who doesn’t even like breakfast for dinner? There’s a cheese omelette with sausages, which is something the young boy would like. The big question is, can they substitute the cheese for another type that is lactose intolerant friendly?

“Are you getting something for Dev, honey?” Wanda asked as he scanned through the menu.

“Absolutely.” 

“Uh, Peri. You do realize he is lactose intolerant, right?” Hazel asked since she was sitting next to him and she could tell that he was looking at the menu that literally read “Cheese Omelette”.

“Some types of cheese don’t contain lactose, Hazel.” Peri let out a sheepish chuckle, “… I know I am not supposed to give Dev some cheese to be safe, but he really wanted to break free from his rather boring meals…”

One of the most outrageous wishes Dev asked from him was that he’d no longer be lactose intolerant, which is something Da Rules have prohibited. Incorporating magic and human health is a risky business as it can backfire and can potentially cause another form of disease instead, an irreversible one by nature. Peri tried explaining this to him before, which only frustrates the young boy even more.

And then, Dev once told him that when he was under Irep’s guardianship, the anti-fairy made him some grilled cheese sandwich which surprisingly didn’t trigger an upset stomach. Irep’s response?

“I learned a lot about GI issues and what you can eat to avoid such problems, so here we are… A grilled cheese sandwich, cooked perfectly safe for you!”

Peri excused himself for a moment and went to the server who was making some milk tea. He asked about the menu and narrowed down his options until…

“So yes... Use a small amount of butter and remove the cream when you cook the omelette. Maybe almond milk could work but water makes it fluffier anyway. As for the cheese, please use the harder aged cheese that you have right there; parmesan and sharp cheddar would work.” Peri tried to explain while the server just chuckled and smiled at his surprisingly specific way to cook an omelette, although she took note by writing it down on her small notebook. And the more he explained, the more his cheeks and ears went red. 

He could’ve saved all the trouble by cooking some at home, but hard aged cheese is expensive as its own. And if Peri did purchase some hard aged cheese, then Dale will have a lovely surprise waiting for him when he opens his huge fridge and finds some cheese that he didn’t like (that man preferred mozzarella and american cheese slices, which is something his son couldn’t have). 

Come to think of it, Dale didn’t do his research well and restricted Dev to only food options that do not contain dairy… No wonder that poor boy didn’t want to do something kind for Pizza day, because if he can't have pizza for being lactose intolerant, then no one else will have pizza. 

“Sure thing, Sir.” The server shot him a small wink, “We’ll make sure to make this lactose intolerant friendly as possible.”

“Yeah…” Peri blushed, almost shuffled his wallet, “I’ll give you extra pay for the hassle, I’m so sorry.”

“Oh no need. Pay it as it is, Sir.” She said with a kind smile, but not before Peri could overhear her talking to another server who was busy plating some chicken pesto…

“Remember Fairy World’s youngest fairy? He’s right there! He’s grown so much!”

The other server tried to make a quick glance at Peri before he went on to shave some parmesan on top of the chicken pesto, “Gosh! That’s him already? I can’t believe it! I’ve never seen a face as pretty as his!”

“Yes! He looks like an absolute cutie when he blushes! You’ll definitely get lost over his doe eyes and how he bats those pretty lashes.”

The fairy almost faltered then and there, his wings stopped flapping as his feet returned to the floor, legs suddenly weak that he could barely hold his weight. Thank goodness, Peri recovered quickly by poofing his wand cane, keeping himself balanced. People and even random strangers had complimented his looks, telling how pretty or handsome he was.

But that part…

Why did it remind him of…

“Stop it…”

“Stop what?”

“... You know damn well…”

“I don’t, Irep…”

“You're doing it again!”

“What?! What did I do?!”

“... Looking at me with those doe eyes of yours and batting your pretty lashes… And then I’ll have no other choice but to be wrapped around your little finger again, just like how you did with everybody else…”

“Peri, sweetie?” 

He took a deep breath as he balanced himself by his wand cane. Cosmo was now patting his back, a concerned look all over his face… It is painstakingly familiar to him, like he has seen this look from the past, the past that Peri didn’t want to relive in… Hell, he wouldn’t even wish it upon his worst enemy.

Peri shook his head as he glanced at his mother and Hazel. The younger girl is now showing Wanda some different hairstyles that she found on Pinterest, telling her that she can give Hazel that hairstyle by tomorrow. At least they didn’t see him have that type of “hiccup”.

But seeing Hazel and hearing her talk about Dev gave him a familiar ache in his chest.

“Are you okay? There’s an extra seat right here, sweetie. You can sit and wait for your take out.” Cosmo asked, firmly holding his son’s hand in reassurance.

But rather than answering his father’s current question, Peri would say, “Dev and Hazel’s current situation reminded me of how it ended between me and Irep.”

He would then look at his father, almost teary-eyed, “I don’t know Dad… I just don’t want them to go through the same path as Irep and I did… You’ve seen how much that hurted me and us, and I don’t want that to happen to them… But now Irep is banned from visiting Earth, Dev has been asking for him, I had to take asynchronous remedial classes, and I still have to sort out all of my papers about these circumstances but talking to Jorgen felt like talking to a brick wall, and, and-”

“Hey, hey. Take it easy, Son.” Cosmo quietly sat him on an extra chair, the pain settling in his knees that he grimaced in pain as soon as he sat down, “Remember? One moment at a time. Overthinking will not help you at all, and besides… Do you want some sorbet to feel better?”

He sniffed as he wiped a tear that betrayed his eyes, making a small nod as he shuffled once again on his wallet, that is until his father placed his hand on his as if telling him to stop, “Oh no need to do that. I’ll buy you the sorbet.”

“N-no, dad…”

“I insist, Peri. You paid for dinner, so at least let us pay you back in return, it’s the least we could do. Okay?” Cosmo said, smiling dearly at him that made Peri feel almost ashamed.

“You guys literally did a lot for me.” The son said, trying to crack a small grin even though he felt like he didn’t deserve such treatment.

“Of course, you’re still our baby after all! What kind of parent doesn’t love and spoil their kid every once in a while?”

“I’m 23…”

“Doesn’t matter. You deserve a little treat after all!” He would gently ruffle Peri’s hair, being mindful with the braid that he didn’t remove after dance rehearsals. The young fairy considered trying other hairstyles besides his low or high ponytail. In the meantime, all he could ever do was to take deep breaths… He just hoped that this time, he won’t blow things way out of proportion like how he did when he and Irep were both 18. 

As Peri watched his dad go to the freezers, choosing from the wide variety of sorbets, a part of him felt blessed to be given such parents like Cosmo and Wanda. It’s no wonder their godkids loved them… They are always willing to make sacrifices, they have raised him in a loving home, they have always stood by him, despite how fucked up it was for him to temporarily quit being Dev’s godparent at some point in his journey… 

“Here you go, sweetie! Strawberry mint sorbet, just how you liked it!” Cosmo would return with a cup of pink sorbet and a mint leaf decorated on top. It even came with an additional slice of strawberry and a mini-umbrella on the side.

Peri took the cup with a mild smile, “Thanks Daddy.”

”Aweee… I haven’t heard you call me that in a while.”

“I still do. Just not in front of the godkids…”

God do I sound like a fucking spoiled brat. Who on earth still calls their parents Mama and Daddy even as an adult..? 

Irep, probably… Last I heard, he still calls his parents “Mummy” and “Papa”, like he always does… But who am I kidding? I love my mom and dad. I wouldn’t have gotten this far if it weren’t for them and their neverending support.

And ironic how Irep’s parents, despite being anti-fairies themselves, still gave their son a warm and loving home… It’s funny how even anti-fairies, beings known for bad luck and misery, were far better parents than most human parents are. 

Peri took a small spoonful of the sorbet and was instantly hit by the feeling of nostalgia, reminding him of summer days when he was at least 4 or 5, when Timmy would let him ride on his back while they made their way to the amusement park for shaved ice and popsicles. It’s funny how times passed by… It was bittersweet…

”Sometimes, I feel like I don’t deserve this much praise or help.” He would say after a few moments of silence except for the clinking of glasses and the bossa nova music, “I’m just someone who excelled in school, good at singing and dancing, can do no wrong in Fairy World’s eyes because ‘I am the golden boy of the millenia’, was let go by Jorgen because ‘I have potential’… But I can’t even get through Dev, I can’t even help him without the risk of losing my license… I worked so hard for this and yet, I feel like I’ve never done enough.”

There were past instances in Cosmo’s life where he felt like his best was never “the best” that people expected from him. As a baby himself, people just saw him as an inconvenience, for being the reason why the other adult fairies cannot have children anymore since the baby ban was established. Growing up, he was the “dumb one” who can do no wrong yet still makes everything go awry. As a godfather and a father, he never wanted his godkids and his dear son to experience that same feeling of being useless… Peri looked up to him; he is a positive role model in his life, no matter how much other people would shit on him.

Without further ado, Cosmo went and held his free hand, looking at his son with that same loving grin he always has, “Son… Your mother and I never asked for a perfect child to begin with. We just wanted our baby to be strong and kind… That’s all that matters… You have a kind and strong soul, Peri. The way you talk smartly about cheese and cooking omelettes because you wanted Dev to enjoy some cheese without having a bad bathroom break tells us that you are willing to make it work.”

“You know, your mama and I knew quite a lot of fairy godparents who quitted earlier. It’s very… Emotionally draining… It takes a whole lot of patience to earn a kiddo’s trust. Do you think your mama and I had it easy even though we had like, I dunno, more than 9,000 years of experience? No!” Cosmo chuckled while patting Peri on the shoulder, “Just like your mama said, it’s hard at first, but it gets easier in time. So don’t expect anything in the next few months or so, because you have a lot of mistakes to think about before you finally get it!”

Peri’s smile went from hesitant to genuine eventually, “Wow, Dad… You and mom really do know a lot about these things… I wish I should’ve listened to you guys even more…”

”You always do, buddy!” Cosmo would say, before he would slowly retract when his son raised his eyebrow, “I mean, sometimes you don’t listen to me and your mama that much because you have ideas, and we respect you for that, but you still follow our advice always.”

”Most of the time, Dad… Not always…” He looked down at his half-eaten sorbet, like a toddler who was caught red-handed, “I’m stubborn as well, you know?”

”Yes. Our favorite stubborn baby in the whole universe!” His father concluded before pinching Peri’s cheek, making the young fairy whine at him, “Anyway, do you want to get some more sorbet?”

”No, but I think I could get one for Dev and Hazel.” Peri would say, “But this time, it’s gonna be my treat! I’ll be paying for those.”

Cosmo just made a low chuckle as they both got up from their seats, “Hehehe… See? You’re being stubborn right now!”

”Stubborn for a good reason! I am paying for their sorbets. You and Mama can use your money to get what you guys want. You deserve it after all!” Peri explained, but he could tell that he now sounded like a toddler trying to explain why ice cream at 3 in the morning on a school night is a good idea. 

“Alrighty then, Son!” Cosmo took him to the freezer, “Go ahead and choose here what you want to get for Dev and Hazel, I’m pretty sure they’d like anything!”

Peri examined all the options available, and was surprised to see the wide range of fruity sorbets that he could find. From the creamy avocados to the exotic dragon fruits, they are not lacking with these treats! Why didn’t he try these first?

”Hazel most definitely likes the berry burst flavored snacks. Didn’t she mention that before to you guys?”

”Absolutely!”

”Good! Well that leaves me to Dev… He has a very specific taste, if you know by now.” Peri went on while reading the labels while also looking back at his past observations with Dev’s diet. Another thing that godparents were trained for is identifying what a godchild wants to eat while still maintaining proper nutrition. They were taught about picky eaters, preferences, and trigger foods for those with extreme cases of allergies and chronic illnesses.

Right now, Dev wanted to try something beyond his comfort zone. And here is Peri, working double time…

”Dev likes apples, as it is or as chips, likes them as juice, but not as smoothies... Prefers his bananas as either banana bread or pancakes, hates it as it is… Hates oranges as it is, but likes orange juice, still hates orange flavored popsicles… Loves grapes when they are straight out of the fridge but they’re all out of grape sorbet… Not a huge fan of pears… Likes blueberries and raspberries as it is, but says that the popsicle version tastes like medicine… Strawberries are his favorite but he gets bored of them if served every day, I mean he had strawberries this morning… Hates avocados with a passion… Hasn’t tried dragon fruit but would be a waste if he doesn’t like it at the end of the day… Kiwi, too sour… Pineapple, says that it feels too prickly for his mouth..”

“Woah there! This is a cafe, not an inspection site!” Cosmo said in amusement.

“As I said, Dev has specific tastes, so I gotta make this good enough for him to enjoy.” Peri said as he placed his hand against the freezers, “Now where was I? Papayas, like them as it is, not as smoothies or anything… Watermelons, the same as papayas; good as it is, not as smoothies or popsicles… Melons, he would rather have watermelons instead, so melons are out of the question… Guava, that stuff is tough and the seeds are not it; honestly, I don’t like guavas too…”

And then, audibly gasped when he saw a tub of sorbet that almost made him jump in excitement.

“Oh? What is it?” Cosmo asked, “You found something?”

“Yes!” He would say, smiling ear-to-ear as if he just made a new scientific discovery, “There’s mango-lemon sorbet over there! I got to get it for Dev before anyone does, haha!”

He would then grab a small cup container and began scooping the sorbet almost smoothly. The cafe really did a great job making their sorbets easy to scoop so at least he won’t give himself a wrist ache just by doing it.

“During class last week, Mr. Guzman was teaching the kids about the food pyramid, and out of nowhere, Dev sighed and said how he missed mangos! He needed a bit of change in his outlook so maybe a different kind of fruit will help him… As for the lemons, he always wanted to try lemon-flavored stuff but apparently, his dad…” He paused, not sure if he should laugh at how ridiculous Dale’s tastes are or if he should be frustrated because the father would also project his dislikes onto his son… “Oh my god, Dale is one weird guy, but this takes the cake.”

“Spill!” Cosmo chimed in, not missing on godparenting gossip at any chance he and his wife would get.

“So one time, I decided to make some honey lemon iced tea for Dev, and then I made some lemon teriyaki salmon for dinner. He liked it and asked if he could have it for tomorrow's lunch, so I did. I kept the iced tea and the marinated fish in the fridge, and I thought things would be fine… Then Dale comes home at 1am, he goes to the fridge to get something to eat, and then he had a full-on breakdown because he saw the lemons on the fish and the iced tea.” 

“Well that escalated…” Was all Cosmo would say, equally dumbfounded as his son.

“I know right?! What kind of guy has a meltdown over lemons?” Peri almost felt bad for laughing if it weren’t for the fact that after the whole “lemons on the fridge” incident, Dale ordered the AU Pairs to throw them all out to the trash bin. He had to redo the fish marinade and the iced tea in his apartment at 4am eventually…

And then he promised to himself not to tell this incident to Dev, otherwise, that would mean he can’t have lemony food while living under his father’s roof.

After getting Dev’s takeout and paying the sorbets for the kids, Peri would then prepare himself to go back to his usual routine, which is taking care of his godkid and bringing his dinner and dessert. 

Just as he drank a glass of water, Wanda went and patted his shoulder with a real promising smile that graced her lips, “In case you haven’t heard it yet; you are doing amazing, sweetie. Dev is lucky to have you. Any godchild would want to have you as their godfather as well…”

He sighed, “I sure hope he is, Mama… I sure hope that’s true.”

His mother was slightly smarter than his father, but even she admitted to having struggles as a fairy godparent from the beginning. Her father, Big Daddy, never wanted her to become a fairy godparent because she has some capacity to work at their “garbage disposal” business, but she knew what was behind closed doors. She has singlehandedly witnessed some crazy shit happening within the mafia circle, so she carved her own path by becoming the fairy godmother she was today… The loving and caring mother that Peri looked up to.

“He may not see it right now, but your patience will be paid off very soon… Your daddy and I are so proud of you.”

Peri would smile as she gave him a quick peck on his forehead, “Anyway, we are going home now, sweetie. Be sure to call us when you need any help!”

“I will, guys.” 

“Bye, Peri!” Hazel said, and the purple-haired fairy couldn’t help but pat her head in return.

“Bye, Hazel. Be good to your fairy godparents, okay?”

“Duh, of course I will!” She sashayed like it’s her thing. Such a nice girl with a whole lot of attitude! No wonder his parents opted to come back to fairy godparenting after all.

And with that, Peri watched as his parents and godsister walked out of the cafe, leaving him at the table with a glass of water since he wanted to rest his legs for a moment… Perhaps, to recollect his thoughts…

He caught a glance of the server who described him as someone with “doe eyes who could bat his pretty lashes”. She smiled back at him as she went to clean the other tables, although there is a tint of red in her cheeks. This is not a rare occurrence when people talked about him behind his back, be it praises and fawning over how great he was at everything he does, or words as piercing as knives and javelins. 

He has heard their praises when he was but a little baby. There was a reason why his parents opted to stay in a cottage, far enough from the paparazzis, fairies, nymphs, elves, all magical beings, hovering over the miracle baby that was him (for goodness sake, all he ever wanted was some sleep), but at least not far enough to get to school on time. 

The praises and the talks didn’t stop when he got to Spellementary School, most especially from Ms. Powers and the principal of that school. The kids talked a lot about him, dragging him to their play circles, sharing their toys and snacks with him, clapping for him every time he got the correct answer when the teachers asked him questions. It was cute at first, but after a few weeks, Peri felt more uncomfortable than encouraged… They didn’t take the cue, raving and spewing cheers at him like an idol.

When high school rolled around (and a private high school as well), the superficial praises still continued. He wasn’t dragged into play circles anymore; teens asked him out to dates, lavish parties, late night drives, and cliques. He was the main target of the popular crowd, but for all the “right reasons”. The popular kids didn’t bully him at all, in fact, they all admired him too much. It didn’t take long before he knew what their intentions were, which is to increase their social power for befriending Fairy World’s very first fairy born in 10,000 years… 

Even when he reached college, the adoration continued to roll in… Although they are terribly old enough to be his parents, his classmates in the godparenting major talked to him like fans talking to a celebrity rather than a senior who just wanted what’s best for the younger generation. Some of his classmates are intimidated by the fact that a fairy, who was barely even 22 at that time, excelled in his studies and return demonstrations.

Aside from the fact that he majored in Godparenting, he minored in Dance and also joined in Fairy World’s Broadway Program, not to mention several other feats such as the Tutor’s Society, debate team, knowledge olympics, cheer dance, and in-campus pageantries. He was even hailed as the university's student president as of school year 2023-2024. All of this, he maintained a high GPA, eventually graduated as Summa Cum Laude.

Oh he was on the grind…

With praises came insults and backhanded comments… He knows this because of people like Gale Laces, Orion Sage Silkglass, Harrieta Marie Hadleton, and several others that he didn’t want to think about. They never physically bullied him, but it’s obvious that these people wanted to sabotage him for various reasons. They talk about how Peri got these perfect credentials solely because of his title, his status as the youngest fairy, the miracle baby… Fairy World’s golden boy, the one who could never do wrong in their eyes…

It cost a meaningful friendship between him and Irep.

Because some people never learned to shut the fuck up…

Peri looked at his watch… 

5:45pm… 

Alright, he’s got some time to buy his things from the drugstore, teleport himself back to his apartment, and then poof himself back at the Dimmadome Tower… He has been out for 45 minutes and yet Dev never bothered texting him. He can’t just force a kid to go to Fairywood if he is not in the mood… But maybe tomorrow Saturday will be different, hopefully.

Sometimes, Peri thinks that he isn’t a gifted fairy. 

Just someone with a crippling fear of not reaching everyone’s expectations around him.

Imagine all the trouble his parents and Timmy had to go through to bring him into the world, only for him to be a screw-up… A waste of a wish…

That’s what he learned when he flew out of the building and went straight to the nearest drugstore, which is a five minute flight all the way there. 

Speaking of the devil, a red shiny car slowly passed by him. He could hear loud music blasting from the inside, almost vibrating, but not before the driver rolled down the window that Peri could finally distinguish the song. Someone did an interesting cover of the song “Black Beatles” originally sung by Rae Sremmurd. The cover managed to maintain the R&B, hiphop, and rap elements of the original song, but some pronouns of the song has been changed, now what he heard was…

“That boy is a real crowd pleaser.”

Loud and clear.

Directed to him.

It wasn’t long before the driver would roll up their window and drive off like nothing had happened. Peri felt threatened by this at first, aiming his wand cane to protect himself from… Whoever the fuck that was…

But when he saw the license plate no. at the back of the car, he lowered his wand and felt more insulted than threatened. He recognized that license plate… It’s basically Gale’s car, a “gift” from his wealthy grandfather for his 24th birthday as of two weeks ago. Peri wasn’t there at his birthday party, and that’s because Gale Laces had a vendetta for him ever since he stepped foot in their high school.

Gale went to the same high school as Peri back in his teenage years. He also does ballet, but unfortunately, that will-o’-the-wisp was a ruthless bully back then. He answers with grunts and backhanded comments, only smiling when he is on stage but all snarky and competitive behind the scenes. He’s a master of rumour-spreading and defamation. He would also throw a hissy fit every time he was assigned to dance with Peri, or if someone got the main role for their ballets, especially if it was Peri. 

He thought he’d never see Gale again after moving on to college. When Peri crossed paths with him again five years later at The Sublime Ballet and Theatre, he thought that the once snarky and mean wisp would mellow down and change for the better… He was wrong, Gale hasn’t changed a single bit.

Perhaps, Gale was still pissed off about the whole kerfuffle for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. He was frustrated when they gave Peri the role of Puck, while he had Bottom instead. He hated wearing a donkey head prop while doing a stupid pas de deux with Daphne… He hated everything about it… That’s why they had an understudy to take his place in case he gets too upset to be Bottom for the ballet…

And this is what Peri gets in return…

That boy is a real crowd pleaser.

That boy is a real crowd pleaser.

That boy is a real crowd pleaser.

It was like Gale actually read his mind and decided to use that exact moment to play that specific song… Sure, Peri had his fair share of favorite hiphop and rap songs, but that one seemed to have rubbed him the wrong way, even opening wounds he never knew was there to begin with.

Apparently, even though he is 23 already, he couldn’t help but be a bit childish at times. He did something he always does to people from afar when he is pissed at them; pull up a middle finger and mouthed a “fuck you” in hopes that Gale would see it if he looked from his rearview mirror.

With that, Peri flew a bit faster until he got to Lofty St. Drugstore where he would mostly buy some snacks, drinks, ointments, his kinesiology tapes and even his medication. The drugstore adjoins to the Lofty St. Memorial Hospital, where Dr. Leng also happened to work, so Peri visits her office there for his appointments. He had known Dr. Leng ever since he was first diagnosed with this mysterious IS-FAC, but she relocated to Fairywood shortly after Peri turned 12. He was glad he got to meet his childhood physician once again now that he is an adult.

Upon entering, he felt quite unlucky to find out that Elnie and Nala, the pharmacists who were usually in charge of the drugstore, who asked him about his day and recommended him better kinesiology tapes or snacks, were not there. Rather, there were three new pharmacists whom he didn’t know, dressed in typical uniforms… Two were waiting patiently on the counter, while the other one was stacking up some energy drinks on the cooler fridges.

“Oh! Good evening, Periwinkle!” A leprechaun perked up when she recognized him from the glowing golden crown in his head and his wings, “Elnie and Nala talked a lot about you. They said that you are looking for this Athlemed KT tape, well the good news is that we are now back on stock, but only for a limited time.”

“Oh that’s… That’s really nice of them.” Peri answered, the smile returning to his face, although his eyes glanced quickly at the pharmacist’s ID tag, her name being “Eris”. Eris would then show him a roll of black kinesiology tape that had a distinct scent of menthol, and then another roll which looked like thin, transparent tape instead. His eyes lit up even more.

“Yes, I’m actually looking for those, especially the transparent ones. I’ll be needing that for next May.” 

“Got a ballet show to do?” She would inquire. The other pharmacist on the counter, a sprite with an ID tag that read “Lake”, turned his head like someone called him home for supper.

“Uhhh, yeah.” Peri just said, “Got to keep my legs alright and whatnot… And speaking of legs, when will Dr. Leng be available at exactly 5pm by any chance? I’d like to schedule one for next week.”

Eris would look at her monitor with a few clicks, “She had a lot of appointments to deal with, but you’re in luck! She’s available at around 5pm by Tuesday next week. Will that be alright for you?”

“More than alright. I’ll take it.” He said, while Eris continued to type down on her monitor, adding him to Dr. Leng’s schedule.

“Oh, and by the way, what ever happened to Elnie and Nala? They’re usually the ones I would meet every time I go here to buy something.” Peri asked, slightly concerned for them as well.

And this time it was another fairy who spoke, a fairy by the name of Rufus, who was currently in charge of stacking drinks to the cooler, “Elnie had to skip work today because it’s her aunt’s wedding anniversary and they are holding out on a small vacation somewhere… As for Nala, she attended her son’s graduation.”

Peri just nodded as he paid for the tapes, along with some energy bars and chocolate biscuits that he found in one of the stalls. Today was a good day after all. He got Dev's food, assisted him throughout school, had dinner with his family, had a heart-to-heart talk with Daphne and his parents, did wonderfully as Puck for the ballet (Of course, Sir Froggy and several of his ballet friends did not hesitate to praise him for his wonderful depiction of Puck)... Except for the whole “doe eyes, batting his lashes” and the song that Gale played literally a few minutes ago. 

There was some music playing in the background as well, and Peri greatly appreciated having to listen to such nice and mellow songs after a particularly loud and insulting song like the one earlier. Maybe Lake was in charge of the playlist since they are currently checking on the other monitor, shuffling song playlists that could fit with the current mood.

But just as Peri was about to get his things, the damn song started blasting through the radio speakers… That damn song that Gale played when he slowed down his car and rolled down his window, just so the youngest fairy could hear what he dreaded about himself the most. The intro alone was almost enough to throw him off because he knows what the next lines are. 

Sure, people will think that he is overreacting because of a song, but songs hold certain meanings and memories. Shit, after ending his friendship with Irep, he was stuck in his bedroom, literally blasting off to Joji’s “Slow Dancing in The Dark”, Clairo’s “Bubble Gum”, and the most embarrassing of them all, Meryl Streep’s cover of “The Winner Takes It All”.

Peri clutched his change rather tightly to his liking, trying to remind himself over and over again.

“For the love of God, Periwinkle… You are not a fraud… You are not a crowd pleaser… If you are, then you would have hated being a godparent, a ballet dancer, and a broadway performer… You would’ve traded lives with someone else without hesitation… You would’ve hated your current life, because you faked it ‘till you made it… None of this is fake, you worked so hard for this, you found joy with this even though there were struggles and setbacks along the way… You always find a way to make it work, and you always find a way to look at the bright side in everything you do…”

Exhaling quietly, he loosened his grip on his change and pulled out his wallet to put them in… Just as he had his composure back, a dreaded thought returned to his mind yet again.

What if the reason why you’re able to ‘make it work’ was because everyone pitied you? Their praises were nothing but lies, to feed your ego, and essentially, bring you to where you are today… You’re just someone with average skills, where Jorgen, his colleagues, his past professors and literally everyone else around him, pitied him for his mediocre skills and continued to sugarcoat everything for fear that his magic might go haywire if he finds out that he is not as talented as he thought he was… And look at that! No ‘gifted’ fairy would ever quit his godparenting job and let his anti-fairy take over his responsibility!

“Shut up…” He whispered to himself, dropping his wallet to the floor, the rest of the coins spilling out of it with loud clangs and clinks.

“Oh! Are… Are you okay?” Eris asked as she leaned off the counter to check on him. Rufus briefly paused from stacking drinks to helping Peri pick up his coins and his wallet, while the youngest fairy silently cursed himself for letting his thoughts get in the way of functioning properly. His legs hurt, he could barely bend them, he could barely squat and pick up his coins and his wallet.

Peri stammered, “U-uh, yeah! I am! Just caught off guard because I remembered something and, a-ahh...”

That boy is a real crown pleaser

Welp…

There it is… The universe was somehow telling him that he was just a chronic people pleaser at the end of the day, even in a place he least likely expected to hear that song again. He could feel his face turn red in embarrassment and frustration, all because of a silly Hiphop/Rap song that literally had nothing to do with him, except for one particular lyric that made him question everything.

With shaky hands, he thanked Rufus, grabbed his things and poofed himself back to his studio apartment, feeling rather nauseated by the whole thing. He doesn’t have to hear that song ever again, but it echoed at the back of his mind. He just hoped that they would not tell Nala or Elnie about what had happened to him. With this, Peri collapsed on a small couch, kicking off his shoes and letting his feet free from having worn ballet flats and work shoes the entire time. He just wanted to sink into the couch, to be enveloped by a well-deserved rest.

He opted to move here, because not only did Fairywood offer a discounted rent for fairy godparents (like him), but it would be easier for him to get to The Sublime Ballet and Theatre and to the Lofty St. Memorial Hospital for his appointments and physical therapy. He got a simple studio apartment with some decent space to stretch or dance a little, but nothing too fancy. Jorgen also mentioned that magic is more potent in this area of Fairy World, so Peri will not wear himself out after having a long and busy day.

With that being said, he just let this potent magic seep in his body so that he could regain what he had lost throughout the entire day of shapeshifting, basic magic, and physical exertion. It wasn’t enough, unfortunately… It feels like he is missing something…

“Ah yes.” He groaned as he tried to get up from his couch. He is supposed to take his medication after dinner. No wonder he felt rather shitty in a span of five minutes.

Peri flew to his cabinet and grabbed the medicine box where all of his medications were kept. There is even a small black notebook where he and his parents would keep tabs on his medication history, dosages, when or how often he should take his medication, and when to change his medication to adjust for his ever growing body and/or the severity of his leg aches. 

He is not planning to change his medication yet because he had just turned 23 as of last February 18, and he had an incoming ballet in May… Some medications come with side effects; he’s not going to like it if these side effects hit him on the day he has something extremely important to do. 

Peri pulled out a vial with pastel violet goop. It looks like ube paste, but he couldn’t say the same thing about the taste. At least he bought himself some choco-mint balls to combat it. He drank the entire medication, almost hurling his dinner on the nearby sink, but managed not to when he stuffed several choco-mint balls in his mouth. Peri sat on his chair while focusing his taste buds on the sweet treat, not from the ghastly taste of the medicine at all. Losing himself from the distant sounds of cars and music from afar.

What was he thinking exactly?

Why would he let such thoughts betray him that way? 

…

He really needs to get his emotions in check. He has never felt this way ever since Irep appeared in the picture again. It was like graduation leading up to the summer of 2020 all over again. It was supposed to be the happiest time of their lives, but shit happened and they were forced to face the brutal truth about themselves, how fairy and anti-fairy friendships aren’t made to last long.

This exact same dilemma has led him to question the authenticity between his and Irep’s friendship in the first place. Had people really favored him so much (even his mediocrities), leading to Irep’s bitterness of being overshadowed despite how skilled the anti-fairy was? Sure, everyone in Fairy World was always wary towards Cosmo, but that same level of wariness was much stronger when it was Anti-Cosmo they were talking about… Perhaps they are now projecting this towards him and Irep, but rather than wariness, it was now favoritism…

Peri stared at the counter where Dev’s dinner and sorbet were placed. The clock in his kitchen stated that it is now 5:57pm, three minutes before 6pm, just as he promised Dev. He is not going to stay longer in his apartment because he had a godkid waiting for him, and if he promised that he’ll be back at a specific time, then he will be back at that specific time. Besides, Dev doesn’t have a demanding bedtime routine except for a good dinner, a dessert, helping him with homeworks and studies, and then letting him enjoy some good leisure time if there is plenty of time.

Since it is Friday, Dev will be more on leisure time instead.

For now, making sure that Dev was well-fed and taken care of is enough for him to get up from his place and poof himself back to Dimmadome Tower. It will take his mind off of things. The fairy godfather grabbed the paper bag and poofed himself back to Earth. Back to business!

The evening went smoothly despite his mini-crisis a moment ago.

When he came back, he was rather touched upon seeing a lovely sight where his bunny Aurum was seen sitting on Dev’s lap, while the young Dimmadome gently ruffled and patted her. He was glad that his rabbit had grown to love Dev in return, or the fact that the young boy was showing his softer and loving side, the side he would constantly hide from the public.

And sure enough, Dev tried to backtrack and blame Aurum instead when he poofed into the bedroom out of nowhere, “She just hopped on my lap! That doesn’t mean anything at all!”

“Yeah, sure thing, Deverino.” He chuckled while booping the boy’s nose, “You’re clearly cooing at her, so that means you like her very much! No bunny would ever sit on someone’s lap if they think you are not friendly or something.”

“Whatever… I still wanted a reptile though…” He snorted as they made their way to the dining room so that Peri could set his plate, his utensils, and the food he brought for Dev. 

During dinner, the fairy godfather knew he had hit the jackpot when Dev’s eyes lightened up upon taking the first bite of the omelette. Not only is the food still warm and hearty, but it had cheese in it as well! It felt like the young heir had a spiritual awakening through cheesy foods, even though it doesn’t erase the fact that he is lactose intolerant.

“Woah…” He tried to get the words out of his mouth, “Is there… Is this…”

“Yes, Sunshine.” Peri chuckled, smiling even more, “The original recipe for that omelette included cream and even more cheese, but I asked for them to find alternatives for the cream such as almond milk or water, and then changed the cheese for sharp cheddar and parmesan instead.”

Dev looked at the omelette before taking another bite, his face full of thought, “Remember when I told you back then when Irep made me a grilled cheese sandwich?”

“Absolutely… Why is that so?”

“You know, when Irep made that sandwich for me, he also used sharp cheddar and parmesan.” This time, the younger boy smiled as he thought of the anti-fairy fondly, and even Peri couldn’t help but grin in return, “It’s interesting how both of you are so similar in a different way…”

Then Dev returned to his plate like he just said the most ridiculous sentence ever recorded in human history, “Bruh, does that even make sense? Similar in a different way?”

“Yes it does…” The fairy nodded as he watched Dev finish his plate, feeling satisfied by all of that. At this rate, Peri was more impressed and thankful for Irep rather than spiteful, because Dev finally got to enjoy real cheese without the cost of triggering his lactose intolerance.

And because the dinner was a huge success, he gave his godkid the sorbet. This time, Dev was even more incredulous than the omelette earlier. He recognized the color and the scent of the ice-cold treat!

“How did you know that I missed mangos?” He asked in between spoonfuls of the sorbet.

“Heard you talk about it last week.” The fairy said as he sat on an extra chair of the dining table, “I am trying to weigh down my options at the cafe and I decided to get this for you before others would.”

He looked at the cup of sorbet, a rather warm feeling developing inside him as he thought about what Peri said, “Really? Did I actually say that last week? Because I don’t remember that at all.”

“Yes, you did say that and I added that to my mental note… We fairy godparents have to keep track of what our godkid likes after all. The happier they are, the better they will be.” Peri said, giving him a patient smile.

Ever since the birthday incident and Irep’s takeover, it was hard for him to build back the bond that he worked hard for. Dev had two things in his mind; either he gets his father’s attention, or he gets everything he wanted in life. As a godfather, those are the things he cannot simply grant for Dev, and it has put a strain between the two of them, but no matter… Peri has been patient with him, learning even more about him and finding ways to make his day better, with or without magic needed.

Dev’s lips curved into a small smile, but rather than a mischievous one, he beamed with genuine thankfulness instead. He took another spoonful, savoring the fruity taste of the sorbet.

Then came bathtime, so while Dev was brushing his teeth, Peri set up his bathtub with lukewarm water, his green apple scented bodywash, and his bath toys which consisted of a yacht toy, a megalodon, and a sea turtle. While doing so, he would ask the young boy some questions if he had homework or an incoming exam to study for.

“Oh, come on! You were there for the entire week! I thought you knew what was up or something!” Dev whined, toothpaste foam covered his mouth.

“Of course, Sunshine, I got them all noted and written down in my extra journal. Just wanted to make sure I am not missing anything after all.” Peri explained with a playful grin.

“Geez, alright alright… Let me think about that…” Dev tapped his chin, “Okay, on Tuesday, we have to write 3 of our own haiku poetries.”

Peri nodded as he also used to write his own poems back in college.

“And on Wednesday, we have to pass an essay about the importance of dental health.”

“Oh!” Peri clasped his hand in excitement, “Dev dear, I can guarantee you, I know how to help you with that.”

“Yeah Mr. Smart Guy.” He rolled his eyes, “And lastly, on Thursday, we are going to bring an abacus to Math class.”

“Sure thing. Why don’t I help you with the haiku on Sunday night? Tomorrow, we will go look for an abacus, and then I’ll help you with the essay on Monday night; just tell me when you want to start with those.” Peri said as he flew off from the bath, “Anyway, I’ll be waiting in your bedroom to get you your pajamas. Have fun with your bath!”

When bathtime was over, Dev entered his bedroom with his hair wrapped in a towel while wearing his thick, white, bathrobe. The young boy has the tendency to doomscroll in his ipad while he is still in his bathrobe, therefore, dressing-up time may last from 25-30 minutes rather than three minutes instead. That’s why Peri was right there to get him dressed so that he can do whatever he wants afterwards.

“You know, you are kinda like me when I was kid, Sunshine.” Peri laughed to himself as he checked on Dev’s walk-in wardrobe which was much huger than his parents’ cottage. He had a sea of clothes, way too much for a typical 10-year-old boy, but he had to admit, his godkid surprisingly had a taste for fashion as well.

“What do you mean by that?” Dev said, not looking away from his ipad.

“You know that feeling that you went straight to your phone or gadgets while you’re just fresh out of the bathroom? Then you spend the rest of a few minutes or hours watching videos or chatting while not completely dressed? I was also like that! I also do the same thing when reading or drawing for fun, or working on assignments.” He said as he shook his head, “One time, I got out of the bathroom and went straight on doing our thesis during college… I fell asleep with my bathrobe on and my hair all wet and splayed around!”

A few checks on the wardrobe, here and there, and then Peri would ask again, “Any plans for tonight?”

“I dunno… Maybe a movie would work but I want something that I haven’t watched at all… Got any good recommendations?"

The godfather perked up, turning himself towards Dev, who was still playing his game on his ipad, “Ooohh, I have one! I highly recommend ‘Mamma Mia’! It’s like a cult classic for me and my parents!”

The boy nodded, as if considering watching the movie that his fairy godfather recommended to him, but knowing who Peri was, he immediately shot up from his sitting position, “Hold the phone! Don’t tell me this movie has singing or dancing and other mushy stuff in it...”

“Oh yes there is!” The fairy explained, “It’s a jukebox musical and the–”

“Noooooo!” Dev wailed, covering his face with his ipad before collapsing dramatically on his vanity chair, “Nooooo!! Anything but the singing!!”

“Hey! Don’t speak about the movie like that until you watch it! This may be your tower, but I do not tolerate ABBA slander at all.” Peri pointed out in a joking manner.

“ABBA?” 

“It’s a famous pop band, Sunshine! You know, songs like ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Money, Money, Money’, and literally the song ‘Mamma Mia’ were made by them. ABBA started first before the actual musical and the movie was created. Oldie but goldie!” 

The young Dimmadome scowled, “First of all, I don’t have problems with your old bands. And second of all, my only beef is movies that has singing in them.”

“Well you do realize that most Disney movies are musicals, right?”

“Oh I watched a lot of Disney movies… As long as it’s not all 90% singing, then I guess we don’t have a problem.” Dev said nonchalantly, “‘The Fox and the Hound’ is my favorite because I feed on angst.”

“Wow… So emo of you…” Peri said, which made the young boy laugh like he managed to fool him or something.

While doing so, Peri noticed a weird pattern regarding Dev’s clothing. A lot of them are expensive brands, even personally tailored by one of the world’s most famous designers, but they all have one theme in common… They had no prints or designs… It mostly consisted of cooler tones of colors, with the exception of gold and red, but there is no pink, yellow, or orange at all… It’s just plain… Even his pajamas lacked the fun patterns and all; while other kids have space, unicorns, superheroes, or abstract designs printed in their pajamas, Dev was stuck with plain colored pajamas instead. 

Where’s the fun in all of that?

“Hey Dev.” Peri would ask, “How come you don’t have any printed designs on your clothes?”

“Dad likes it plain and neutral.” He snorted, “Printed t-shirts and things with patterns with them are loud and distracting. Notice how most businesspeople never had any printed designs on their shirts and clothes, except for the brand, you know? So yeah, gotta look professional even in your sleep, I guess.”

Peri dug some more into his closet like he was trying to find something that screams “Fun!” while Dale is not around. It doesn’t matter if it takes him to Narnia by doing all that, but after minutes of scouring and searching, he found exactly the perfect area of, god forbid, "unacceptable clothes”.

And the unacceptable clothing in question is a pajama set made of soft fabric, with patterns of marine animals covered all around it. These sea creatures are doodled cutely, with their original name and their scientific name printed below them as well. Dev seemed to like marine life so much, because half of the clothes in the “forbidden section” have scuba divers, anchors, waves, and sea creatures alike. 

“What about this one?” Peri emerged from the closet, showing off the pajamas.

“Oh that?” Dev asked, this time, looking away from his Ipad and turning it off, “One of Dad’s colleagues gave it to me back at their Christmas party when I was 8. I was excited to wear this one, but Dad told me that marine biology seemed to be far off from my list of potential occupations. I don’t even plan to be a marine biologist or something, but I really do like the sea…”

“Well now you can enjoy the sea in the comfort of your bedroom.” Peri smiled mischievously as he removed the price tag from the pajama, a sign that this set will not stay hidden in the closet forever.

Dev was hesitant at first, but it had been two years since he last saw this pajama set… So maybe, while Dale isn’t around, he took the chance as he quickly grabbed the hanger and went straight to one of the changing rooms.

When Dev came out, he felt like a completely new person wearing the pajamas for the first time. It felt soft and comfy, but the doodles of the marine animals look so cute in them. Peri just watched in awe as the young boy looked at himself in the mirror, more relaxed and free-spirited than his usual get-up. 

“Ah, the Whale Shark.” Peri remarked as he observed the many other sea creatures from the pajamas, “It’s my favorite marine animal; one of the gentle giants of the sea. What about yours?”

Dev pursed his lips, before answering, “It’s not in this design, but it has to be the Giant Phantom Jellyfish. The quiet but big guys. I heard that their tentacles don’t have stingers, but they’re huge enough to tangle their own prey!”

Peri listened intently. He has never heard of that kind of jellyfish at all, but he did learn a thing or two from Dev.

But then, it was also the young boy’s turn to ask him about something in his mind ever since this afternoon… Something about Irep… As an appetizer, perhaps, “Hey Peri, do you think Irep has a favorite marine animal?”

The fairy felt quite nostalgic upon hearing that question, like he had known the answer for so long “I’m pretty sure it had changed over the years, but I knew that his favorite was the Manta Ray. I think I remember him telling me that if bats were sea creatures, then they are most likely to be Manta Rays. It’s the wings that give it away.”

The way he spoke about Irep held a sense of warmth and familiarity. Ever since the whole incident with Irep, Dev has been pestering him for more answers, but Peri was not yet ready to tell him all of that. Besides, what stays in the godparenting field, stays in the godparenting field. He doesn’t have the right to talk about their struggles with their counterparts because that is supposed to be the fairy and the anti-fairy’s problem. Godkids aren’t supposed to meddle on it either, but Timmy Turner was the first to question such things.

And now, here is Dev, asking him about something that gave him so much joy yet so much pain. Is it even possible to feel that way? Not wanting to experience that whole feeling all over again yet yearning for it at the same time?

As the silence stretched uncomfortably long (and the prospect of a movie long forgotten) Dev sat in his bed, setting aside his Ipad. It’s his way of being serious and honest, open-hearted even.

“Who is Irep?” He asked.

The correct answer, according to Fairy World society, would’ve been “He’s my counterpart”, “He’s my opposite”, “The soon-to-be leader of the anti-fairies”, “Someone we should keep our distance from”.

At some point, Peri started to fear that he was becoming like all of the other fairies out there, one where they felt threatened by their anti-fairy counterparts, what anti-fairies are capable of doing. Back in high school, he wasn’t jealous or threatened by what Irep could do that he couldn’t, but when this competitiveness involves the welfare of a 10-year-old boy, then maybe that’s where he had to draw the line…

God, he needs to get his emotions in check. Irep would never harm Dev… And Dev would never abuse that magic if he was given the chance. He knows that deep down, they never meant to hurt or harm anyone.

And instead…

With a small twitch on his lips, forming into a bittersweet smile, Peri answered…

“He’s my best friend, Dev.”

Chapter Text

Fairywood’s Philharmonic Orchestra, Fairywood, Fairy World

An orchestra was seen, playing to their heart’s content. The violins complimented the sounds of the cellos and the brass instruments, with some flare from the drums from afar. Prior to the Zappy Awards, the acting, the famous film festivals and TV shows, Fairywood was originally known to be the music capital of Fairy World.

Thus, Fairywood’s Philharmonic Orchestra has remained one of Fairy World’s oldest structures to have ever lived. Most famous composers in the human world (especially Beethoven) used to have fairy godparents who had a past degree in music, or literally anyone who had grown to love classical music.

The entire hall is filled with magical creatures, destined to be one with the music, from the elderly trolls and fairies, to freshmen college pixies and wisps. There are no limitations on who can or can’t play, as long as everyone shares a deep love for music.

In this case, Ms. Mericar moved her baton in accordance with how she wanted the musicians to strum and play their instruments. She puts emphasis on the louder and upbeat parts, slowing down when it had to be soft as a feather. Everyone went through the notes and the rhythm, each musician playing their part to create a unique symphony, as the familiar melodies of Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F major floated throughout the building, with people passing by and stopping for a moment to admire the music.

Of course, the orchestra won’t be complete without a musician to play a piano, and what more does Ms. Mericar ever had to ask if she can fully entrust Irep to be their pianist?

Irep is unlike any of the musicians Fairy World has ever encountered. Only 23 and had mastered every complex composition known in the human and magical realm, even as he is playing right now, he never needed music sheets as he knows Gershwin by heart. He was a multiple threat in every way. Need a pianist? Need a concertmaster for the violin? Need an extra hand at the cello? Need someone to play that organ? How about a bit of brass? Irep’s got it all taken care of. 

To think that just last year, before he was officially welcomed to Fairywood’s Philharmonic Orchestra, he had to undergo several other auditions before he finally earned his spot at such a prestigious orchestral company. Ms. Mericar saw past his status as an anti-fairy and welcomed him as a musician nonetheless, even though several other musicians thought that it was a bad idea letting an anti-fairy be a part of the industry.

Technically speaking, Anti-Fairy World also has their own orchestral company, but due to the constant scrutiny they kept on receiving by their counterparts and the entirety of the magical realm, they ended up turning on each other instead until they disbanded, and the company was long gone way before Irep was even born. That still didn’t stop the anti-fairies from ever competing in individual competitions, busking, and other musical gimmicks, although they weren’t given recognition for their talents.

Irep was a special case. He thought his welcome to Fairywood’s Philharmonic Orchestra would be short lived, but they all welcomed him nonetheless and acknowledged his musical prowess. Some would even walk up to him and ask for help. He’s got a good sense of hearing that he can interrupt their practice time and point out a tiny flaw that needed fixing, and they would never complain at all. 

Of course, there were a few other members of the company who were wary when he was nearby, even giving him backhanded comments that Irep was so sure was meant to be an insult. That didn’t stop him from playing and performing just how he liked it.

And in the middle of that, Irep’s ear perked up upon hearing something during their practice. His fingers left the keyboard as his eyes quietly scanned at everyone. Ms. Mericar seemed to notice his hesitation and paused from her position. 

“Oh dear. You hear something?” She asked. She kind of reminded him of an old professor in his previous college; probably the only professor who remained warm towards him while others looked at him with demeaning eyes.

He quietly stood up and went to her stand, “I think something sounded off from earlier…”

And with that, the conductor nodded her head and instructed the entire orchestra to repeat the previous sequence, while Irep stood by her side and listened intently. It sounded so close yet so far… Like an instrumental defect rather than playing the wrong note.

There it was again! It was hardly unnoticeable for anyone, but to him, he can tell.

He raised his hand to signal everyone to stop, now that he can somewhat tell where it is coming from, “Alright… Nothing wrong with the brass, woodwinds, and the percussion… Strings, can you do it again?”

This time, the violinists, the cellists, the people playing the viola and the double bass did it again. They are now at the point that they could practically trust an anti-fairy to ensure that the entire orchestra concert is in tune… Which itself is an incredible feat.

Now Irep can hear it this time, much clearer than earlier, “Okay… Cellos, violas, and double basses, you guys are fine. This time, I want to hear the 1st and 2nd violins.”

“Oh boy…” Said Donnie-Lou, one of his close friends at the orchestra who played the oboe. 

And as the violinists repeated the sequence for the 4th time, Irep finally found the culprit (not a culprit exactly, but he knows how to solve this). With a thoughtful look, he walked up to the 1st violins and greeted Roman, who was a bit surprised by him.

“Uhhh… I am following exactly as the music sheet told me to.” They said, rather concerned by this.

“And I know that.” Irep said casually, “Now you don’t mind if I borrow your violin for a moment?”

“Okay?” Roman raised their eyebrow as they handed the instrument to him. Roman never really talked much with the anti-fairy, but they were both cordial to each other at the least. 

Irep tried tuning the violin, then he observed one of the strings. His suspicion was correct, “Well Roman, looks like you need to change the G string pretty soon. Don’t want it to sound dull or, worst case scenario, break, do we?” He returned the violin with a little smile.

And with that, Roman looked at their violin a lot more dumbfounded, “You heard that?!”

“Absolutely.” Irep said as he walked back to Ms. Mericar, “Just a minor hiccup, Ma’am. Don’t want one of us having a welt on the face once the string breaks.”

She beamed in appreciation, “With so many instruments going off at the same time, I reckon none of us noticed it at all. That’s really brilliant of you, Elkniwirep.”

“Of course, Ma’am. Just doing my jo-“

The conversation was cut short when there was a loud snapping sound that echoed throughout the hall and a few couple of people shrieking as a result. As Irep turned his head, he saw Melai and Zaron ducking down, while Roman looked like they had just detonated a bomb. The troll decided to change the string of their violin, and upon doing so, it snapped out of nowhere, just like how Irep predicted it.

What followed next was some laughter, particularly from the 1st violins.

“What did I tell you?” Irep pointed with a low chuckle.

Roman gave him a thumbs-up, “Thanks man.”

“Well, now that we caught that earlier, shall we try that again?” Ms. Mericar asked as they all resumed in their spots, instruments ready. They waited for Roman to finish tuning their violin until it was all done.

Irep sat on the piano and waited for his cue; the music sounded even better now, it had more soul and color than it had earlier, thanks to Roman changing the string before it would even break. He knows this thanks to his past experiences with the violin and the cello, but that’s besides the point. Life seems better when people didn’t treat him like a plague, when they recognize him as someone who had a passion for other things besides being the king of chaos.

And speaking of chaos, the door behind them flew open with a resounding slam, causing everyone to stop reading their music sheets and stop playing their musical instruments. Even Ms. Mericar had a look of disapproval on her face. She is a kind and gentle fairy but had no qualms when it comes to people who couldn’t read the room.

By the door was Juna Jellycase, another fellow fairy who had more than 7,000 years of experience of music. She was like Juandissimo Magnifico except she flexes her skills on the violin and the piano, as well as her opera singing. It was ironic because she used to be an acclaimed musical artist and singer during her prime, but vices and money had blinded her, leading to her ultimate demise. 

It was hard to believe that her emotional roles and melodramatic compositions from the past contrasted to her stuck-up behavior as of today. To make matters worst, she is currently in her 16th marriage, and is unfortunately Ms. Mericar’s sister-in-law.

“Juna…” Ms. Mericar said, putting her baton down while everyone else started shifting in their seats uncomfortably, except for Irep, “We already talked about this.”

”How come they get to be at the first chairs?” She said lowly, eyeing at the first violins, “And you’re telling me that there were 7 newly graduated students here in this company? Back then, they wouldn't let you in unless you are at least 50 years old and above.”

”There are quite a few, Juna… But they have good musicality and are willing to improve everyday. They have more control in their 20s than some beings older than 50.” The conductor said in a firm voice, “Also, they are not tardy, something that you clearly lack.”

Irep has encountered Juna from the past, and to say that she didn’t like him was an understatement. She literally held a petition to have him kicked out for fear that his aura would taint the company in a bad light, ruining their reputation as a prestigious philharmonic orchestra for more than 10,000 years… Out of 500 musicians and members from the company, only a surprising 38 had signed, not even halfway the designated number… It still pisses her off.

To add insult to injury, Juna was originally supposed to be the piano soloist for Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F major. But due to her unpredictable behavior and her now busy life as a “trophy wife”, Ms. Mericar gave the position to Irep as the piano soloist instead. They let her be the 2nd violins out of sympathy, but it is clearly shown that she hasn’t changed for the better either.

“Bullshit. I’m your sister-in-law, I am literally older than you, and clearly, I have more experience with the orchestra than you ever did in your short life.” Juna sneered.

“And guess who is the conductor for this upcoming concert?” Ms. Mericar shrugged her shoulders, “It’s clearly me. You’re not the one holding the baton, so you don’t have the right to question me on who I chose to play for this concert next month…”

Irep could smell the scent of alcohol from afar, so clearly, Juna had been drinking too much and decided to barge in. He pulled out his handkerchief, almost about to sneeze.

”Besides, I already gave you the opportunity to perform for this concert, but you wouldn’t take being one of the 2nd violins. I guess I don’t have a choice but to kick you out from this company until you learn to straighten yourself.”

The anti-fairy made a small smirk, watching as all of the color from Juna’s face faded upon hearing Ms. Mericar saying that to her. For so long, Irep and a few of his musician friends have been wanting to get rid of Juna from the roster, but her compositions were still being practiced and played (on ballets, operas, or just as itself), so getting rid of her won't be easy. 

The fairy sputtered, her once pale face turned red in anger once again, “Are you kidding me? Are my ears fooling me right now?”

It was so hilarious seeing her having a full-blown tantrum that Irep would’ve fallen off from his seat and laughed himself to death. God, he wished he had poofed himself a camcorder to record every fucking thing! Even the other musicians are snickering in their chairs.

“Oh, I get… So if I come here late because I had an epiphany, all of you decided that it’s best to just kick me out! But if that thing over there decided to break several godparenting rules, was now banned from ever returning to Earth, and had limited time to stay in Fairy World as punishment, he can still keep his position here scott-free?!” Juna screamed as she pointed her finger at none other more than Irep.

Some musicians gasped upon hearing the much older fairy say that, a few decided to shut their mouths for fear that Juna might turn on to them, and others are now murmuring to each other in disbelief. If you want to talk smack about Irep, at least do it privately where he is not around (as if they had a reason to talk smack about him).

Paisley, another one of Irep’s good friends, was clearing her throat while setting down her french horn, loud enough for the nearby musicians to hear her but low as to not set off the alarms, “Take it back, Juna… I mean literally, take it back…”

“Oh shit…” Donnie-Lou was about to get up from his seat, “Irep, you’re gonna be fine—“

But Irep isn’t fine.

His fingers at least weren’t touching the keyboards, otherwise, his magic would’ve gone haywire and he might’ve covered the entire grand piano in frost. This will force him to replace the whole piano and buy another in return. Money isn’t an issue for him and his family, but it is rather how he behaves that remains to be the reason why he is trying his best to control his feelings.

At this very moment, no amount of control could ever make him let this slide down easily.

His expression was stoic, but he stood up and started walking towards her, his shoes echoing throughout the hall. He may be younger than her, than most of the musicians in this company, but he has a reputation, a title to keep. Magical beings would avoid anti-fairies as a threat or as a nuisance, but when you are bound to be the leader of the anti-fairies very soon, everyone seems to know their place.

And he could tell that when Juna began to slowly walk away from him, visibly threatened and regretting having to say such a thing earlier.

“Elkniwirep, child.” Ms. Mericar tried to calm him down, even gently patting him on his shoulder, “It’s alright. Juna is clearly drunk. We are not letting her be the part of the second violins at all because we do not tolerate that kind of attitude.”

Irep looked at her from head to toe… She is dressed in a typical fashion that could overpower Cruella de Vil, probably hoarding unto her new husband’s money so that she could wear and drink whatever she wants. She wore shades, probably to hide her red puffy eyes from the drinking and the crying as well. 

The shades painfully reminded him of how Dev would use it to appear cool, distant, or hide his red eyes when he gets mad (he cries when he gets mad sometimes)… The difference is that Dev wanted to be genuinely happy about himself for once in his very short life; Juna on the other hand had all the opportunities handed down to her and she clearly didn’t make the right choices.

But out of everything else, the scent is the strongest of them all. He could smell an expensive brand of perfume trying to hide the stench of alcohol, cigarettes, and something off-putting…

Irep looked at her silently before pulling out his black leather notebook. It had been filled with a list of names, names from people in Fairy World and certain humans with a life history that “piqued” his interest. He wrote down her name, “Juna Jellycase”, on the notebook… And without any shift from his face, from his voice, he spoke.

“June 13, 2025… Count your days…”

The washed-up star almost collapsed on the floor, it was like her peach colored hair had turned white overnight. Ms. Mericar looked like she couldn't decide between helping one of her musicians or her bratty sister-in-law. 

The whole orchestra let out some “ooohss” and hissed under their breath. It sounded more musical than the entirety of Gershwin’s composition. Irep could’ve sworn that he heard someone from the back saying, “Thank goodness I got into his good side.” Well they should be glad because this isn’t how he is when he was at his worst moments.

“Ma’am… I think you should leave.” Someone hollered from the brass section.

“Yeah, this is getting kinda uncomfortable for all of us.” Another one said.

“They’re right, dear. You’re clearly not in the right state to perform with us, let alone be here at this moment. And besides, the last thing we need is you upsetting the other musicians.” Ms. Mericar said, still maintaining her composure,

“Who?!” She screeched, “That ill-looking, son of a bi—“

“Oh who am I kidding?” Irep moaned, as he massaged his forehead, “I mean, she kinda had a point though. And look at this! I have an hour left before I have to return to Anti-Fairy World, otherwise, they’ll deduct my limited staying hours! It’s already a hassle.”

“No, no!” Donnie-Lou stood up this time, “No, Irep! You still got an hour, we loved it when you played the piano!”

“Yeah, this isn’t called Gershwin’s Piano Concerto for nothing!” Paisley added.

”Elkniwirep, I am really sorry you have to hear all of that.” Ms. Mericar said before diverting her attention back to her sister-in-law with a firm tone, “Juna, I swear to Titania and Oberon, if you are just here to pester us in the middle of practice, then I will not hesitate to call on the authorities. Not even my older brother could save you this time.”

That was enough to make the other fairy surrender bitterly. Without further ado, Juna Jellycase, former musician and opera singer, stumbled out of the door as the sounds of her heels slowly faded away in each step. Eventually, the hall is filled with awkward shifts from their seats and a few sighs of relief; all of them except for Irep, whose mood was somewhat already ruined by her unexpected visit.

“Well, at least that was settled.” Irep said as he poofed up his wand and retrieved his bag, “But seriously, I have to go now. I do want to stay long so that we can make this concert as perfect as it should be, but I can’t do much if I was only given 5 hours per day to stay here in Fairywoods.”

Jorgen said that he will increase his staying hours if he “improves”… Which is a big fucking lie.

“I understand, my child. Nonetheless, you did a wonderful job despite your very short time here. We appreciate your dedication and your talent.” Ms. Mericar gave him a rather warm smile, “In the meantime, we will be continuing our practice here. Do you have other businesses to tend to?”

”It’s my coach’s birthday. I am just dropping by to give him his present. Also, Dad is giving me the floor for tonight’s meeting.” Irep explained, like it was nothing out of the ordinary, especially the meeting part.

”Damn, Elkni… Do you ever get tired or something?” Porter asked as he had overheard their conversation. Porter is also a good friend of his when he got to college, and he is currently part of the viola section. To be frank, Porter long knew about Irep’s rather busy schedule since his college days. It’s not easy being their varsity star athlete and a blooming musician while being their top student and a member of several other clubs and feats. Irep’s unstoppable…

“Sometimes, but eh, where’s all the fun in that?” He just gave a small smirk before making his way to the door, “Tomorrow, same time as usual?”

“Sure thing. Bye!”

“Bye Irep!”

As he walked out of the hall, passing by several other musicians who just got there or were ready to head home, he silently made his way to the parking lot. If there is anything else, Irep was at least glad that Ms. Mericar didn’t admonish him for writing down Juna’s name on his notebook. He’ll be needing that so he can determine as to what degree of bad luck and karma he could return to others. No wonder why he grew to love and look forward to every Friday the 13th like his parents did.

But of course, the walk outside of the building wasn’t complete without the sight of Juna standing by a tree in the parking lot, looking ahead as they are now coming close to the end of the day. She lit up a cigarette even though the orchestra had a strict “no smoking” policy. Her shades are now gone, so Irep could see her bloodshot eyes clearly. And apparently, he is feeling kind of petty today.

“What are you smoking there?” He asked.

The much older fairy shot him a disgusted look, her face contorted as he walked towards her direction. That was her fault after all because she happened to be standing near Irep’s black convertible car; or what used to be Anti-Cosmo’s car. Irep really loved his father’s black vintage convertible so Anti-Cosmo decided to give the car to him as his 21st birthday gift; naturally, he took great care of it.

“I wouldn’t be smoking near my vehicle, if I were you.” Irep said like it was a regular conversation with a stranger, but of course, the stuck-up fairy wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Keep talking, brat.” She snarled.

“Brat? I wasn’t the one having a full-blown tantrum because he couldn’t take being the 2nd violins or something.”

“Just because they gave you the piano soloist part doesn’t mean anything at all. Eventually, they’ll find someone to replace you. Maybe not me, but definitely somebody out there.” Juna retorted.

Irep clutched on his chest like he had been jumpscared by a cheap horror game. “Oh how scary! Someone is gonna steal my spotlight! Oh no! Whatever shall I do? Oh wait…”

He unlocked his car, not breaking eye contact while his lips formed a smug look, “I had a music history professor back at Saturnio Mae’s College. He said that you tried playing Gershwin once during Fairywood’s annual Christmas party, and you made so many errors that you ended up looking like a deer in the headlights; you avoided Gershwin like it’s the plague since then… And you thought you had the balls to play it again?”

He could see her expression shift into that of embarrassment. Jackpot!

Irep leaned his arms against the hood of the car, “Wanna know how old I was when I mastered Gershwin?”

“I don’t know, nor do I care.”

He just returned with a shit-eating grin, “13. On my very first try!”

Irep remembered it as a beloved memory. It was also his 13th birthday when he first performed Gershwin at that time. After playing the piece, his parents, Sir Giagone, and his closest friends (there was a slight sting in his chest when he remembered Peri in it as well) were already there with some flowers and a black forest cake with dire cherries topped on it. 

She rolled her eyes, “Sounds like bullshit.”

“That’s on you if you don’t want to believe me…” Irep continued as he got inside his car, but not before rolling down his window to continue the conversation. “And also, I don’t care if there comes a time where they have to replace me for someone better. That shit doesn’t hurt me anymore.”

Another big fucking lie

“And besides, it will take a whole lot of work in order for someone to bring me down at the current level I am. If I do get replaced, then alright? I’ll see if you are worthy of that spot, but if not, I will find a way to earn it back… I can lose everything that I have today and come back tomorrow far better than before.”

Juna snorted like she had heard the worst poetry in existence, “Sounds self-destructive… I don’t know if I should let you be because some of us really do want to see you spiral out of control, but then again, I don’t know if I should be concerned because… What the fuck was that?”

Irep shrugged, “I guess this is what happens if you are born an anti-fairy. You just have to accept the fact that everything will be unfair for you.”

And as he cranked the engine, Juna would lean on his still open window, “It won’t be so unfair if you were a nepo baby to begin with.”

“Hey, at least I am making use of my family’s wealth! Finished college, got a degree, literally the first anti-fairy to secure his position at Fairywood’s Philharmonic Orchestra. What did you do with your new hubby’s money anyway? Hmm? And could you please get rid of that cigarette? You're getting the scent inside my car..”

She made a small “tsk” before chucking out the cigarette to nowhere, “I may not be better than you in terms of musicality, but God, won’t it be so funny if that fairy counterpart of yours proved himself to be better than you? Because if he did, then you’re no different from all the other anti-fairies out there.”

Irep just let out a low chuckle, “First of all, my fairy counterpart can’t do jackshit on musical instruments; Periwinkle is the type who can break all four strings of the ukulele before he’d even get to play it. Lastly, he may hate my guts, but he will probably hate your guts more than mine.”

Juna scowled before she walked away, still awkwardly stumbling along as she tried to find her chauffeur (that is, if the chauffeur hadn’t gotten tired of her antics and decided to leave her stranded at the parking lot). Irep made a run for it and went off. He had practically wasted 10 minutes of talking with someone like her… Grown ass fairy who couldn’t accept defeat.

As he was about to leave, his wand-mace buzzed. Someone had sent him a message, and sure enough, he decided to check on it before he could go to his next destination. Their own friend group chat; which consisted of him, Donnie-Lou, Paisley, and Porter; was going wild.

dun-dun-DON: so uhm hey, about the notebook… is my name there?

Irep just laughed at the chat that Donnie-Lou sent him.

I(replied): You bet it is. It’s in all caps, and in red ink!

dun-dun-DON: NOOOOOOO!!!!

Parsley: Goddamnit, Don. I told you not to ask!

USBporter: W-what about me 🥺👉👈

I(replied): Yeah, so are you! Because apparently, you bought the wrong brand of kinesiology tape. Now my arms and fingers are killing me overtime.

Parsley: I can’t with this groupchat y’all

I(replied): Nah I’m just fooling you guys! You’re all in the clear and I can’t find myself a good reason to put your names on the notebook anyway. 

Irep paused for a moment, kind of appreciating the transition from an afternoon to an evening in Fairywoods. The view looks good from here and he missed it so much. Without further ado, he had to stand firm in what he said earlier… By the time an anti-fairy was born, they have to understand that everything they have to do might not go into their favor, and that is alright. He worked so hard to get here in life, and he cannot afford losing.

I(replied): You guys have been really good to me… Even though I fucked up big time with that godparenting stuff and I can’t stay here for much longer.

Parsley: Oh, Ireeeeppp 🥹🥹🥹 

dun-dun-Don: My dude… don’t make us cry rn

USBporter: WHO THE FUCK HAS BEEN CUTTING ONIONS IN THIS GROUPCHAT

I(replied): Anyways, will chat once I am free tonight. Gotta drop Coach Diano’s gift and then book it back to Anti-Fairy World. Meeting, politics, and all..

USBporter: Sure thing, Reps… See you tom!

Irep looked at the dark black watch on his wrist, looking like a mini-hourglass with microscopic bits of sand dropping down as every second passed by. 55 minutes left in his time… He has 10 minutes to get to the resort, 5 minutes to talk and chat, and another 35 minutes to get to Tortuous Creek before he Could teleport his car back to Anti-Fairy World… He’s got 5 minutes to spare but he needs to be quick.

With a sigh, he drove off to Glitter Skies Resort.

Irep knew he was in big trouble when Jorgen poofed up to revert everything else Dev asked for. He knew he was in big trouble when he found out that Peri didn’t make a two-week notice. And he most definitely knew he would probably be dead meat by the time Jorgen threw him back to Anti-Fairy World. 

He had been into trouble way too many times, starting on the day he was born. But this is the lowest of the low to him. 

The following day after he was thrown to Anti-Fairy World (and was basically forced to live under his parents’ roof), he received a call from Jorgen that he must visit Fairy World, specifically to the Department of Magical Violations. He hasn’t been there for a long time, but it is not like he wanted to visit that place at all… At least he was glad that the Fairy Council weren't involved at all. They couldn’t say anything else because he is technically following Da Rules; in cases when a fairy godparent quits, another magical being has the right to take over the responsibility.

And that’s what Irep did. He had little to no experience on godparenting, but he definitely vibed with Dev’s craziness. They shared quite a lot of interests, from video games and sports, to music and their love for pulling off pranks, it is clear to him that he was also meant to be Dev’s “scary” godfather, even though the idea of godparenting a child seemed far off and foreign to him at first.

He and Dev spent a good chunk of days, talking and staying up all night, and listening to the young boy vent about a father who is always distant, a birthday bash gone awry, and a friendship turned sour. Irep was willing to be this child’s godfather because Peri failed to step up his game… That’s in his nature as an anti-fairy; taking what was supposed to be theirs…

But alas, that one was short-lived. Now, he is inside of Jorgen’s office and having one of the most brutal sermons he ever had. He had sermons like this when he started Spellementary School, was taken to detention way too much for his liking, and every single time, his parents would bail him out because being trouble incarnate is an innate trait in young anti-fairies like him. The other reason why Spellementary School couldn’t expel him despite his trouble-making behavior was his precociousness and his high grades.

Irep eventually mellowed down by the time he reached the age of 7, but that didn’t stop him from starting trouble when he felt like it, or when someone deserved it. They stopped giving him detentions because they couldn’t change his ways, but they did kept their distance.

Nonetheless, these are one of the instances where Irep isn’t entirely at fault because, according to him, “Da Rules says so.”

He may have committed several other crimes by granting wishes that were not supposed to be granted (such as cheating on competitions and making Dev a president), but at the end of the day, Dev was clearly having the time of his life.

But this is Jorgen, and he had been avoiding that fairy ever since he was born. 

Irep yelped in pain when Jorgen pointed his huge wand, blasting a type of magic that appeared much darker than his usual spells. And then, something white hot and black wrapped around his right wrist, like molten glass searing through his skin, embedding itself on it. It was a watch… Not the fancy type that Anti-Cosmo or Head Pixie had, but it had little grains of sand in it, forming into a shape of an hourglass that he couldn’t shift or move. This must’ve been specifically made by Father Time himself. 

The anti-fairy, being rebellious as he is, tried to pry it off, but his face turned into complete horror upon finding out that it had no buckle in it. This thing cannot be taken off.

“What the fuck is this?” Irep said as he had the huge urge to whack his entire wrist on the edge of Jorgen’s table just to get this thing off. 

“That’s a time-limiting device.” Jorgen explained while setting down his wand, “This device can detect if you are breaking protocols and your designated curfew hours. The Fairy Council and I originally wanted to give you house arrest, but knowing that you have other duties in Fairywood, we decided to allow you a limited time of only 5 hours per day in Fairywood instead.”

Irep knew about ankle monitors both on earth and in the magical realm. They are primarily given to criminals who committed offenses that didn’t require them to be fully taken to prison or to Abracatraz. There is the Maligno-Meter that creates a deafening beep every time someone has done too much trouble, and then the Distance Detector that grows heavier the more a person tries to overstep their limited range of distance. They were constantly worn on the ankles because they can be hidden and can be easily cleaned.

Wrist detectors on the other hand were known to have a strong grip on the person’s wrist that they could cut the circulation the more they tried to remove it. Coupled to the knowledge that this is a time-limiting device made it even worse. Not only will this device shock him every time he tries to teleport, use the Crammed-Timer Rooms, or use magic that involves time, but this thing is wrapping around his wrist like its life depended on him; literally one of the worst spot to be ever worn as someone with arm and wrist aches. 

A part of him broke, “Are you fucking kidding me? Right now?”

“Absolutely…” Jorgen exhaled.

Irep slumped back on his chair, his hands rummaging his hair, “Jorgen, do you have any idea about my schedule?”

“I know that full well, Elkniwirep.” He said, using his complete name now.

“Then why this?! I literally had a performance on May 8! Oh just give me the Maligno-Meter…”

“You are currently too wicked that the Maligno-Meters will malfunction once you wear them.” Jorgen bellowed, “ And you had the option not to break several fairy godparenting rules when you decided to take Dev! Seriously? You are a really smart one for your kind but you never bothered double-checking the documents where Peri clearly did not sign a two week notice, or at least understand how godparenting works. Your parents may be anti-fairies but at least they also did their research.”

“Oh who gives a flying fuck on the documents and research when you clearly see that Dev was not distressed under my care! That’s the most important part.” Irep yelled.

“But letting your godkid become the instant winner at the Rock-Paper-Scissors Competition will prove to be destructive for his growth. You’ve clearly violated the Code of Ethics in Godparenting, which makes it an offense. He will think that he can have everything in this world handed down to him on a silver platter, which is not what real godparents are supposed to teach their godchildren in the first place. ”

“Oh my god, Jorgen… That boy is literally rich, he already has and will have everything handed down to him on a silver platter. I don’t see you acting the same way with that Buxaplenty kid and that eye sore of a bodybuilder.”

“That Buxaplenty kid is a different case.”

I rep countered as well, “And so is Dev! If you don’t want me to take over the responsibility, then better yet tell Peri to up his game! I’m competitive as fuck, Jorgen! You know that full well!” 

Jorgen went silent, knowing that Irep was just trying to test his patience like he always does when he was still young. He shook his head, “Dev is none of your problem anymore, but Peri’s. Your main concern right now is dealing with your superiority complex while adjusting to your new life with the Time-limiting Device. You are officially banned from ever returning to Earth because this device limits your ability to teleport anywhere unless you are in your homeworld, and you might consider making adjustments to your schedule now that we’ve concluded that you’re allowed to visit and finish your duties in Fairy World at a minimum of only 5 hours.”

Irep’s jaw went slack… How is he ever going to recover from this? How will Ms. Mericar and Coach Diano feel about this new information? Most importantly, how will his parents react to this? Oh… His papa and mummy literally went through grueling courtroom sessions and papers just so that they could allow Irep to enroll in Fairy World’s schools and other activities outside of Anti-Fairy World, and now, he is restricted by up to five hours only??

“… Would that mean I will also be evicted from my apartment because I am only allowed five hours per day?”

“Yes…” Jorgen said coldly, “We’ve notified your landlord about your wish-all-you-can spree with Dev. You need to start packing your things as soon as the papers are done or once you’re notified.”

“Oh this is bullshit!” He screamed, throwing off the rest of Jorgen’s papers across the table.

The much bigger and buff fairy shot a disgusted look, “Be thankful that this is a mild punishment! You can still get to live under your parents’ roof! And last I heard, most orchestras and hockey competitions last for up to 1 to 3 hours. The 5 hour limit is more than enough.”

“What about training? And the early preparations? And the time it would take for us to go to a venue? Will I fit all of this in 5 hours? Not to mention, my physician and my physical therapy sessions also happened to be in Fairy World, so I sure hope I will…” Irep snarled.

He stood up from his seat, as he remembered one crucial note about these monitoring devices, “Does Peri know about this? Because if he doesn’t, then I’m not the only one at fault in this room.”

Usually, when a fairy or an anti-fairy commits a crime, their counterparts can decide on what type of punishment will be given to the suspect, ranging from a million years in Abracatraz to having violent sneezing episodes every time they hear the word “cheese” (the sky is the limit). This is important because some fairy and anti-fairy duos may have an IS-FAC or a DS-FAC. A certain type of punishment may not just affect the criminal, but also their counterpart in return if the IS-FAC or DS-FAC is too severe. 

He and Peri have an IS-FAC, so who knows if this Time-limiting Device would also affect Peri’s teleportation?

… And why is he thinking about Peri out of nowhere? That fairy might be doing just fine right now with his godkid, must be having the time of his life now that his counterpart is out of the picture.

Jorgen faltered for a moment, “He… Actually, he doesn’t have a say about your punishment…”

“Because you never asked him… He doesn’t know that I am being lambasted right now by his distant cousin, let alone that I am now forced to wear this cursed watch over here, am I correct?”

And for a moment, Jorgen softened down a little, “That’s because Peri will end up giving you a much milder punishment… You know how he is even after what had happened 5 years ago. The whole thing wasn’t easy for him. And then you coming back into his life just like that, while at the same time involving Dev, will most likely make this even worse…”

Make this even worse.

One of those dreaded sentences that had plagued him as a child and even as an adult, how it always punched him in the gut. Can’t let him join their game of tag because he’ll make it even worse. Can’t join their group projects because he’ll make it even worse. Can’t join the hockey team or the orchestra because he’ll make it worse… He just makes everything even worse…

Every.

Fucking.

Time.

At this rate, Irep doesn’t care if Jorgen will ever listen to him (chances are, he won’t), and he doesn’t care if he will have this cursed device stuck on his wrist no matter how hard he tries. He could feel his blood pressure rising, the ground underneath him shaking even.

“Jorgen, let me be real honest with you.” He smiled, all the while wanting to cry, “You thought Peri was the only one suffering at that time? Do you think I was at my parents’ castle, doing silly little dances because I can finally get to live my life without him in it?

Irep let out a small laugh, before he let loose through his greeted teeth, “I spent the first 18 years of my life playing second fiddle to that fairy, and I fucking hate it… Every single bit of it, every time he had to make an appearance, it always had to be about him, and I hate it so much… And it’s so fucked up that at a young age, I’ve learned that if I wanted people to at least look at my direction and give me a morsel of their respect, I had to work ten times harder than he does… I’d break every bone in my body just for people to see that I am more than just an anti-fairy, more than just a bootleg version of Fairy World’s beloved golden boy…”

The memories flooded back to him, memories before they ended their friendship, when things were so chaotic yet so fulfilling for them… Because they had each other, no matter what.

“But he is not like any of you… Peri is kind, smart, friendly, and he was the only one who saw me beyond the blue skin, the tail, and the bat wings. God… He was too fucking good to be true, and I hated it… I hated how he still loved me as I am, even though my jealousy is eating me up inside. And I hated how much I loved him in return, how he is so willing to make me happy, how he was the reason why I look forward to going to school every day, even though Fairy World didn’t want an anti-fairy going to the same school as his fairy counterpart was enrolled in!”

The tears continued and it was burning his cheeks, but his chest and his upper body burned even more.

“And while all of you are busy trying to keep the two of us apart, reminding me to remember my place in this society, you never considered listening to Peri for once! I don’t think you cared for him at all, except living vicariously through him because he has the potential that you don’t have! As soon as he slowly started breaking out of your mold of a typical fairy, you decided to shift the blame on me for being the reason why he is like that, thinking that my negative influence will ruin his future!”

He could pinpoint the exact moment where Jorgen looked like his persona was about to crack. Jorgen may be currently in charge of leading the fairies and the godparents, but that doesn’t make him the best one either. If anything, he is just as weak and cowardly as his counterpart, Anti-Jorgen. He never dared question the ways of the Fairy Council, just obliging and blindly following their ways; even though this caused harm not just to the anti-fairies but also to the fairies as well.

“And let me remind you, Jorgen. You have never been to any of Peri’s performances, you never helped Peri with his studies; you just told him to maintain high grades while simultaneously balancing ballet and musical theatre so that he’ll get a full-ride scholarship, that he’ll figure all of that out on his own, no actions, all words… I, on the other hand, was there for his shows! I taught him all the topics that he needed help understanding! I may be a selfish prick who wanted to be the star in his class, in his own show, but I would give that away just so I could help Peri in a heartbeat. And in return?” 

Irep walked to his desk, pointing at a newspaper clipping that showed a picture of him and Peri when they graduated last 2020 at Genesis’ High School Center… Both of them were Valedictorians; the second case in magical history where there were two Valedictorians (the first being them in Spellementary School), and one of them happened to be an anti-fairy; him.

“That dear fairy of yours helped me in every way possible. It’s give and take; the concept is not that hard to understand…”

“What are you trying to imply here?”

“That you fairies act as if you are all righteous and good, when in reality, you just hate it when someone proves you wrong. Your beloved golden boy was ready to prove you all wrong by merely being friends with me… Did I ask for him to be friends with me in the first place? Hell no! But I have to admit that you’re all right about him… He surely is a nice and loving fairy, and I guess that’s the reason why I am also drawn to him, the reason why I was and still am so hell-bent on the idea to prove to everyone that they are wrong about me. But all of you are not ready for that part either…”

Irep poofed a bottle of water as his throat felt sore from the yelling and venting. He took a few gulps before he returned, but this time, in a firm yet soft tone.

“It has been 5 years since our high school graduation, since that whole damn incident… I was suffering to the point that I felt like vomiting every time I thought about him, what happened, what had transpired… The worst part in all of this is that you and the Fairy Council would rather believe the rumors rather than the truth.”

The anti-fairy’s face contorted into disgust, “The Anti-Fairy Council had to make a statement, my parents as well, and there I was; 18, fresh out of high school, fresh out of the hospital, having to prove to everyone that Peri having a seizure in his parents’ car had nothing to do with me being found unconscious in my bathroom shortly afterwards. We both share an IS-FAC, so clearly, what happened to Peri also happened to me.”

To say that he was found unconscious was an understatement. It was the most traumatizing thing his parents, Head Pixie, and Sanderson had to ever witness. 

“The bathtub was already full of water.” Jorgen snarled.

“Can I not turn on the faucet so that no one would ever hear me crying? You all just literally witnessed an 18-year-old friendship go down the drain…”

“Care to explain the bottle of paracetamol found in your cabinet then?”

“For fuck’s sake Jorgen, I had a headache! Cosmo and Wanda said that Peri’s seizure started at 9:56pm. I locked myself in the bathroom at 10:06pm, cried for an embarrassingly long time, popped a pill at 10:47pm because it felt like someone drilled through my head, the pill didn’t work and the headache was so debilitating that I ended up losing consciousness and falling straight into the bathtub, then Mom and Dad found me at 10:59pm..! It started with Peri first before it got to me next.”

Irep would then grab his bag, having had enough. He wasn’t just pissed that his friendship with Peri had ended on such horrible terms, but because the graduation party scandal almost left a dent on his reputation and academic credential, particularly near during college admission season.

“I have to keep my credentials clean even though I am also a force of misery and bad luck. I can’t be the leader of the anti-fairies if I don’t have a degree or other talented feats, am I right? It’s already wicked enough that Fairy World’s Big 9 has never accepted a single anti-fairy in all their history, and here I am, watching that rumor almost put a dent on my reputation, my credentials, watching it almost strip me of that opportunity.”

Jorgen just nodded slowly, as if he is also starting to see this part of Irep. Underneath a smart, haughty, and evil anti-fairy, there was a part of him that longed to be seen as someone with a simple wish: a wish to be understood in a world that is unforgiving towards him and his kind.

As Irep went to the door, feeling heavy because of this Time-limiting Device, but somehow lighter because he finally got to let out every pain and frustration that he had bottled up to someone who had inflicted it on him. He turned around one last time, seeing that Jorgen has returned to picking up the papers that he threw.

“Did you know that Peri left me a gift shortly before we ended at the hospital?”

Jorgen looked up at him, “I didn’t know… He never told me about that…”

“That’s because he is afraid of you.” Irep said, “But I would really like to thank him for being my one true friend, even though it didn’t last that long… Peri left a letter in my bedroom, it’s a letter of recommendation… He wrote it about me and why I was worthy to be in one of Fairy World’s Big 9.”

Jorgen almost paused as the realization kicked in, “... So that’s how you got into Saturnio Mae’s College?” 

Irep nodded, “Slight correction though, it’s one of the reasons I got into Saturnio Mae’s. I did give him a final present though, I ought to give it to Cosmo and Wanda even though I don’t have the gall to talk to Peri after everything else… It’s a letter of recommendation that he should be given a full-ride scholarship to his chosen college… And where was your contribution in all of that?”

The much older fairy gulped almost audibly, while Irep stood there quietly, wiping the sweat and the tears that did a number on him. Irep decided to look at the watch that Jorgen attached to him and find out that he used up 20 minutes for venting. He had to get back to his apartment in Fairywoods but he was all spent… He wanted to go home and cry some more, cry on his mother’s arms like how he always does when he questions himself. He needed time to explain all of this to Ms. Mericar, Sir Diano, and Dr. Nietes, and how he could possibly make a new schedule that could fit in five hours or less. Better yet, he might need some extra hands to pack his things back to his family’s castle.

But more importantly, he gave Jorgen one last word, “So if you think Peri was the only one suffering through all of those, remember that I was also there, mourning for what could’ve been the most meaningful relationship of my life… This is what you guys wanted, and this is what you’ll be getting from me and him…” 

Irep was beyond lucky that he got to Glitter Skies Resort in only 7 minutes, which means that he has some time to stay and talk, but he is not taking his chances. He must get home before his time limit ends. 

And because of this punishment, he couldn’t get to hang out with any of his friends, which is why he would rather spend his time practicing for their incoming orchestra concert on May 8 rather than attending his coach’s birthday. Their next hockey game will be in August, so he is practicing hockey a little less these days to focus solely on the orchestra.

When he first told Ms. Mericar and Coach Diano about the punishment, he expected that they'd let him resign or kick him out, considering that he once again destroyed his image big time by going on a wishing spree for Dev. Surprisingly, they seemed very forgiving towards him, which he was very reluctant to accept first; who would ever let in a musician or an athlete back to their company after violating godparenting rules? 

When Irep drove to his apartment the following day after Jorgen punished him with the watch, he was rather surprised to see a couple of his friends who were willing to help move his things.

Paisley, Donnie-Lou and Porter, his friends at the orchestra, were waiting for him by the parking lot with extra boxes and packing tape. What surprised him even more were Coco, Bizzy, and Keo, his other friends from his professional hockey team (Valiant Hoarfrosts), who also stood by and chatted with the others while they brought some bubble wraps. He did not expect for his small group of friends from two very different professions to come together and help him out.

So when Irep exited from his car, he was both laughing and crying from their eagerness to help him pack his things. They never asked him what had happened, or why he went all out with Dev, they just chatted like it was a regular day while stocking his things.

It was days like those that made him feel somehow hopeful for his future, but even the future for the anti-fairies were rarely as bright as the ones he had… Forever bound in his world, forever hiding in the shadows of their counterparts, of every magical being.

After finding a parking spot, his next challenge is to get into the resort. He has never been to Glitter Skies Resort at all, so he wouldn’t be surprised if the security guards won’t let him in, even though he literally had Keo’s entrance ticket.

And sure enough, as he made his way to the entrance, the two guards (a fairy with a name tag “Maurice Manonica” and an elf named “Clayton Conch”) blocked his way, demanding for his ticket if he had any.

“Sure I do. Geez. I’m not gonna stay here for long so you better chill with the inspection.” Irep rolled his eyes as the guards inspected the ticket to see if it was a fake one or not. 

And then, out of nowhere, a loud shriek echoed from the entrance when a leprechaun stumbled in. He must be the owner of the resort, judging by the way he dressed and those designer shoes he has. The owner of the resort was much shorter than the fairy and elf security guards, but the guards turned to look at him; it seems that the leprechaun must have established such authority on them despite his height. Irep looked at the owner’s name tag; Runie Glitter-Skies

“What are you buffoons doing?” He scolded, “Do you have any idea who you are dealing with right now? Let him in!”

“Shit!” Maurice gasped, as he pulled Clayton aside so that they could let Irep in.

The leprechaun let out a sigh of relief before walking next to Irep with that sense of professionalism, “I’m sorry, Elkniwirep. They are new and had no idea that you’ll be coming over here today. Do you need anything? We have some good offers for a reservation if you have parties to throw, but if not, the bar is always open 24/7.”

Irep had no idea why Runie started going on with the reservations or the bar when he’s not entirely interested with those at all. But the place sure was chaotic by the time he got in.

There was loud music blasting while a group of pixies in their mid-40s tried to sing to Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance”. The bar that Runie mentioned earlier was surely open; an anti-fairy bartender was found making drinks while not missing a beat to the music, and Irep felt relieved because he rarely seen anti-fairies in Fairywoods at all, maybe he can order a Shirley Temple mocktail later, but that depends.

There were younger magical beings running around like crackheads, batting their pool noodles and spritzing their water guns. A small sprite bumped on his leg as he walked by, before she would look up at him and say in her innocent voice, “Cool! My favorite color is blue!”. So Irep just nodded at her with a small smile and made sure not to interact with any of the kids, otherwise, their parents would make a whole scene about it.

And speaking of a whole scene, the resort had waterslides and clear swimming pools of varying depth. Sure enough, some people turned around to take a double look, because there is now an anti-fairy (besides the bartender) in the resort, walking around on a regular Friday. Nonetheles, Runie helped navigate Irep through the sunbeds and alarmed stares. A nymph was about to do a sick backflip with his other college friends, but was distracted when Irep walked by, causing him to bellyflop on the pool instead in the most comical way.

“Oooohh.” Irep hissed in pain, “Someone better call the first aid for him, just in case.”

Eventually, they stopped by a small building that was reserved for a bigger audience or a separate party event. And through the glass windows, Irep caught wind of his coach and a few of his teammates playing some Just Dance on the wii. He couldn’t help but laugh under his breath, kind of lucky that he didn’t join the party because he couldn’t dance for shit.

It wasn’t before Bizzy caught sight of him that she started waving and squealing for him in excitement, he could somehow hear her excited screams through the glass. And then, several of his teammates also did the same thing, with one of them darting out of the glass door and tugging him by his arm! Runie let them be as the leprechaun went off to check on that poor nymph who just had a bad bellyflop.

“Irep! We missed you so much!” Keo took him in with his ever bright smile, “We even saved you a slice of black forest cake!”

“But they are regular cherries, not the dire cherries type that you preferred, so we hope you liked it anyways!” Bizzy grinned as they brought him in like a celebrity who was now late for an interview.

“Geez, guys! I am not staying here for long.” Irep said while fixing his hair. Inside the small building was a table with red cups and some ping-pong balls sprawled on the floor, another extra table with food and take-out, and some junk food and candies that they would like to gobble around. Some were playing beer-pong, others were taking videos and pictures, and others were on their chairs, cheering on Coach Diano, Coco, and Otto while the trio were dancing to Red Velvet’s "Psycho" on Just Dance. Irep could tell that it was Otto’s idea to pick that song since he loves K-pop so much.

But the game was forgotten for a brief moment when Coach Diano greeted him with a warm grin, “Irep! Oh we are so glad that you stopped by! And what do you have there?”

“Here is your gift, Coach.” Irep grinned. “It’s the least that I could do because obviously I have other stuff to deal with and… Time, obviously… Jorgen’s punishment is literally stressing me out.”

“Oh that’s okay, Son. We understand that your schedule is being uncooperative with you for now, but we deeply appreciate you coming over and making the most of your time.” Coach Diano said as he took Irep's gift with gratitude. He calls Irep “son” because he is literally the youngest member of their team, but his age didn’t stop him from being their center after all, he has proven enough thanks to his skills. 

“Irep! Here’s the cake that we promised you.” Coco said as she gave him a slice on a small plate. All Irep would ever do was shake his head with a small chuckle. Maybe he could eat for a minute or two, and probably catch up with what’s going on…

“In August, we will be competing against the Greedy Narwhals, and if we win this one, we can move on to the championship round that will be in November… Whoever wins between the Lunar’s Topnotchers and the Northern Shards will be our next opponent for the championship cup; that is, if we win against the Greedy Narwhals first.” Coach Diano explained to him so that Irep would get the gist.

The anti-fairy just nodded along while taking a bite of his cake, “No problemo, Coach. It’s not something we can’t handle. I’ll tell you all, once I am done with the orchestra concert, I will be back at the rink full-time… Ahem, full-time for 4 hours or so… Besides, I also practice at home on my own, so I also got this.”

“That’s really dedicated of you, Irep. Couldn’t ask for a better center when we have you.” Coach Diano said while patting his back. 

“Uhhmmm… Coach? You are missing an important part over here.” Flor said as she helped herself on some gummy worms. 

“Oh? What important part?”

“The defensemen of Greedy Narwhals? The guy named Payton!”

Irep almost choked on his cake upong hearing that name he never knew he’d hear ever again, “I’m sorry… Payton? The leprechaun, Payton? The Payton Persimmon?!”

“Yes!” Flor pointed out.

“I’m sorry but do you know this Payton Persimmon guy?” Coach Diano asked, now looking at Irep.

“Know him? I met that guy on the rink! And do you know what he did?!” Irep asked as he realized that he had never told them this insane story that he had back in his teenhood days. 

The anti-fairy removed the prosthetic helix of his left ear. The wound is now completely healed, but the damage was already done. What was left of his “helix” was deformed, and Irep opted to wear a removable prosthetic so that he could maintain the pointy-image of his left ear.

Otto let out a massive “eeuughhh!” like it was the most grotesque thing he had ever seen, the others gasped because they didn’t even know that his left pointy ear was just a prosthetic, Coach Diano had to blink twice to check if it was true.

“They were fake?” Coco whispered, his hand over his mouth.

“What the fuck happened to your ear?!” Otto asked.

“Payton happened!” Irep complained, “That bitch body-slammed me against the dasherboards and bit off my ear!”

“And w-when was this?” The coach would ask, his eyes were now incredulously wide.

“I was 14! And the worst part? They let that bitch continue to play even though it was a massive violation!” Irep paced a bit, having some sort of a brilliant idea in his mind, “But that’s alright guys! My ears are now fine, and I know exactly how he plays. We beat him and his team when I was 14 and then beat them again when I was 18. This should be no problem.”

Only becomes a big problem when he tries to bite off your right ear next.

But it wasn’t long before their conversations on gameplays and how to evade Payton was shifted towards the sounds of sirens and flashes of blue and red light all over the area. Cali, their goalie, made a joke, “Oooh! Bisexual lighting y’all!”

“I’m afraid that’s the police car…” 

“Or an ambulance even…”

Right on time, Runie opened the glass door as the poor owner was now covered in sweat and was breathless. He looked like he had gambled the deed to his house, now that his hair is all disheveled and the first button of his work suit was unbuttoned, “I am looking for Elkniwirep! Someone, get him to me!”

Now Irep was just trying to enjoy his piece of cake when his name was being called once again, almost souring the whole occasion. He barely knew Runie except when he led him to his coach’s birthday party, so what exactly does a leprechaun ever need from an anti-fairy like him? Out of all the people out there? Coach Diano and his teammates are looking at Runie with a questioning gaze, and Irep could feel the embarrassment rising up to his face once again.

And then, the realization hit him like a truck, “It’s the nymph, isn’t it?”

Runie nodded furiously, “I am sorry I had to ruin the party but they are planning to sue the whole resort if you don’t go there and fix the problem.”

“What problem? I barely even knew that nymph! And plus, that was on him that he miscalculated his entire backflip! I literally didn’t do anything!” And after saying that, a few of his peers bursted into chuckles; the idea of getting hospitalized because of a backflip and a bellyflop is a pretty sick scenario for them.

“Just p-please come and talk to his parents. This is the 14th drama that I have had to deal with for the past 4 months!” The leprechaun pleaded, almost begging to his knees. While Irep finds it hilarious, he can’t help but somehow feel sorry for this poor guy who had to manage everything for the resort.

Eating the last piece of his cake, Irep prepared himself by taking out his wand-mace. The 1st step is to talk to the nymph’s parents and have everything else settled with little to no trouble. If it escalates, he should proceed to the 2nd step, which is to literally knock out some sense from them by batting his wand-mace… The next step is writing their name in his notebook.

“Well… Can’t believe I am doing this shit… Thank you guys for saving me a piece of cake but I need to go home now, right after dealing with whatever that nymph wanted from me.” Irep sighed sadly, but not before the whole party erupted into disappointed “awweeess”.

“But you guys heard me! I’ll be back on the rink in no time as soon as I am done performing our orchestral concert on May 8. See y’all again!” Irep waved as he left the glass building.

“Sure thing, Reps. See you soon!”

“Good luck with the orchestra!”

“And that nymph family!”

“Haha, very funny of you Garret. I’ll just update y’all about the nymph’s family once I get back home.”

Irep shook his head as it looked like he had to spend even more time at the resort. He only intended to stay there for at least 5 minutes; would this intervention last for more than 15 minutes, then he had no other choice but to sacrifice his schedule… If he stays for an extra 30 minutes in Fairy World, that extra 30 minutes will be deducted from his limited hours of stay, so he'll go down from 5 hours per day to 4 hours and 30 minutes per day instead.

Irep cannot afford to stay for just one minute beyond his limited time.

So whatever their complaints were, it better be quick and easily negotiated.

Irep followed Runie as they made their way from a sea of magical beings, both young and old, keeping their distances while avoiding his gaze with wary looks. They made their way to the parking lot where the ambulance was almost ready to leave, but not before the parents of the nymph turned their heads at him…

The father nymph is slightly chubby, wearing an aloha shirt, some black shorts, and some sandals. The mother nymph was rather slender, wearing a yellow sundress and a vintage updo that complimented her hat. Their small, semi-transparent wings were spread out, like they were ready to protect their young. They looked like regular people until Irep noticed the mother’s jewelry and the father’s ring and watch.

That’s where he knew that these people were somewhat loaded, why they showed no hesitation to sue the resort unless he comes and “takes accountability” for his actions. People being assholes is one thing, but rich people being assholes is something he can deal with easily (saying as a wealthy son who can be an asshole). Fairywoods is the wealthiest area of Fairy World, so he won’t be surprised if that was the case.

Irep just cracked his knuckles while greeting them with his sickeningly-sweet smile, “Well good afternoon, guys. Do you need anything from me?”

“Yes, exactly!” The much older nymph scolded as he pointed his finger at Irep’s chest, “Clearly, you are the reason why our son is in bad condition! He has an upcoming game next week and he might not be able to compete because of his injury!”

“Oh, Rhody! Our son is not doing well! His clavicle is fractured!” The wife moaned.

“Margot, please just go and comfort Avice while I deal with this… Doom-bringer…” The man named Rhody said as he shot Irep the nastiest look he’s ever had. 

Irep was not unfazed by this anymore, laughing from Rhody’s threatening words instead, “Doom-bringer? Is that the best nickname you can come up with? But that’s close enough! When I was a baby, I called myself the Harbinger of Doom. Brings back the good old times!”

“But why bring that to our son?” Margot, the mother, said as her face reflected both fury and concern for her son, “He didn’t do anything to you at all!”

“Yeah, sure, sure… But have you considered that this resort clearly has a ‘don’t use the springboards to do backflips unless you are a professional’ rule? Is your son a professional diver by chance that he thinks he’ll do a backflip?” Irep countered. He vaguely remembered seeing a warning sign beside the pool that gave them instructions on what they can or cannot do, and doing backflips was one of them.

It wasn’t before Irep observed the nymph that was now lying on the stretcher. Avice had some bruising on his abdomen which is typical for a bellyflop, but Irep’s instincts tell him that he lied about a fractured clavicle. There is no bruising on his collar bone and it doesn’t seem to be… Out of place either…

To test this, Irep took off his favorite denim jacket then threw it towards Avice while hollering, “Think fast!”

And to their surprise, Avice let out an embarrassing high-pitched scream as he caught the jacket on time without a problem. The paramedics, who were supposed to bandage the nymph’s shoulder, stood silently in their place. Runie looked like he was about to pass out from the suspense. The parents looked disappointed, like their child had just failed to hide the truth, rather than feeling relieved that his clavicle wasn’t really fractured.

Irep just smirked before yanking the jacket from Avice, “I fractured a bone once, so I can tell when someone is having a literal fractured bone vs. someone who was escalating everything. You wouldn’t have caught my jacket on time, and even if you did, you would be in visible pain by doing so, especially when I yanked it away from you. Your clavicle can be the easiest bone to break, but it takes more than a bellyflop to break it.”

“That doesn’t erase the fact that his belly is now all bruised because you're in his line of sight! Goddamnit, do you even have any idea who we are?!” Rhody spat, his face dangerously near towards Irep that the young anti-fairy could even smell the Scotch from his breath.

He would try to walk back a bit because the smell of the alcohol (coupled by Rhody’s body odor masked by a cologne) made his face scrunch in disgust. Well, looks like he had to pull the big guns for this…

“I am so sorry, but in all honesty, I literally didn’t do anything that caused your son to bellyflop. I just passed by the pool because I needed to visit my coach’s birthday… That was on him for not calculating the risk he would take by just doing that reckless backflip… I mean, so close yet so far.” Irep said calmly while still having that smug tone in his voice. 

Irep did manage to pull off a backflip once when he was 17 during their Kris Kringle Prom, but he can’t tell if it was the temporary good luck he got from Peri who didn’t want him to do a backflip for the sake of a bet, or if it was because he actually calculated his timing and landing well.

”Also, Mr. Rhody—“

”It’s Mr. Bluffaux.” The man corrected with impatience.

“Alright then, Mr. Bluffaux.” Irep played along, “That is a very lovely last name you got there; sounds like old money and nepotism… I know one because I am one… And because of that, it made me wonder why my parents never mentioned a name like yours, let alone Head Pixie or Sanderson, or Mayor Echo mentioning it at all.”

With that being said, Irep waved his wand-mace and poofed up a velvet photo album with the words “Yuletide of 2024” engraved in gold on it. He would then go from page to page, showing some pictures once in a while for everyone to see, “Kind of interesting how you and your family weren’t there for the Yuletide Gala, even though the gala was held at Nymfaland last year… Look at this! I am even here playing the violin... Oh, how strange, I almost forgot…”

Irep raised his other eyebrow while Rhody and Margot looked as if they ran out of wise words to say, “You’re just a poser because your ancestors poisoned the real Bluffaux family two centuries ago so that they could steal their wealth and their mansion. How was the fancy life treating you while watching the real Bluffaux Industries go down in flames because none of y’all knew how to handle a company?"

The paramedics silently pulled Avice and his stretcher inside the ambulance, but not before the young anti-fairy called for their attention, “I saw him do a backflip on a 1m platform. Chances of internal injury are low because of the height of the platform, but just make sure to have him checked in case his parents forgot about it.”

“And-and, you’re just going to leave it out like that?!” Margot barged, “Not even an apology or financial compensation or—“

“You guys got access to the Bluffaux’s bank account so go deal with it yourselves. And besides, if I was indeed responsible for Avice’s mishap, which was something I didn’t do, would you ever trust me giving you the money to pay for his hospital bills? What if I fly away and bail? Would you have the balls to drive your way to Anti-Fairy World just so you could negotiate with Papa?” Irep taunted while Runie just grasped him by the shoulder, not to go overboard…

Even the security guards and the other people started to eavesdrop, wondering if more chaos unfolds or if it would go rather peacefully than expected.

”Your father may be the leader of the fucking anti-fairies, but I don’t think he’d like it if he finds out that this is how you are if he’s not around.” Rhody threatened, but Irep just loved the thrill of it all.

“We’re anti-fairies, of course we thrive on annoying others. So clearly, you haven’t met my parents; I’m literally their mini-me, but I can be even worse…” Irep just said while checking on his nails like it didn’t faze him at all, “In fact, they would be proud of me for not being someone else’s carpet to be stepped on easily. Mummy and Papa didn’t raise a loser after all.”

“You did lose when Jorgen took you away from that kid that belonged to your counterpart.” Avice said as he was wheeled inside the ambulance.

Irep could’ve sworn that a part of his image almost cracked when Avice had to mention Peri once again, but years of experience had taught him to never show it to anyone. He can fall apart later when he finally arrives at Anti-Fairy World, but not now in front of total strangers. It is no surprise that someone had to bring up that god-forsaken fairy, and it happened twice today, with Juna Jellycase being first. 

Oh how he wanted so bad to proceed to the 2nd step, which was whacking his wand-mace on the young nymph’s head. That way, Avice had more reason to be hospitalized; a bruised abdomen and a concussion.

But rather than showing his anger, he just shot the nymph his signature smile before pulling up his black leather notebook again. God, Avice’s father is such a dumb nymph for revealing their surname, because it would be much easier for Irep to remember who he could bring bad luck for June 13, 2025. There may be a couple of Avices, Rhodies, and Margots out there, so the names written on his notebook should be in complete form. He can literally do that to the whole family! Oh what wicked fun it is!

As the couple were about to enter the ambulance so that they could accompany their son, the paramedics asked Irep if he had any last words to say. The Bluffaux family assumed that the black leather notebook that he had was a checkbook… They legitimately thought that Irep was going to pay the hospital bill…

“Oh, thank goodness! I can’t believe that all it ever took for you to pay for the bill was our son telling the truth! Looks like you really lived up to an actual anti-fairy! So much for not being raised a loser.” Margot sighed in relief with a haughty undertone.

“Sir, Ma’am, we are about to leave any second now. Do you have any last words to say?” The paramedic asked, obviously tired from their shit.

“Why, yes. Could you please grab that check so that we can–”

“Oh no no!” Irep just waved his pen, “This isn’t just a regular check, but something even special! I promise to pay you guys full on June 13, 2025. How’s that a deal?”

The couple was a bit too slow to understand what he meant at first, but their faces blanched upon putting the pieces together. Irep isn’t talking about the hospital bill, he is talking about–

“NO! NO!!” Avice started panicking as he got up from the stretcher, but not before the paramedics shut the door right in their faces. Avice still peeked his face through the mirror where he was banging at the doors, “NO PLEASE! PLEASE I GOT AN INTERNSHIP TO DEAL WITH I–”

“Wow…”

Irep almost jumped on his place when Runie whispered under his breath. The owner’s frame looked more relaxed than earlier as they both watched the Bluffaux family get driven off to the hospital. Their fate was sealed in his notebook. All they had to do was count their days…

“I can’t believe you actually did that!”

But Irep wasn’t having it. He was pissed at Runie as much as he was pissed at the Bluffaux family.

“Yeah, but I have to do all of that by myself! What kind of a fucking owner lets his own customer deal with all of that?! I don’t even know shit about running a resort, yet here I am, cleaning up someone else’s mess!” He scolded, not caring that the security guards were looking at them.

“B-but they asked me for you! I-I have n-no other choice!” Runie cowered.

“You are the owner and you always have the choice not to entertain them! Do you even know how humiliating all of that was? When they talked about me and my kind? Be glad that I am not a pussy like you!” Irep the pointed his finger at the owner’s chest, causing Runie to fall to the ground, backing away from him in fear, “For fuck sake! One of your bartenders is an anti-fairy and you never even sided with me even though I didn’t do anything wrong earlier! You just let it happen! You are a shitty owner!” 

“Just please, let m-me make it up to you–”

“No.” Irep ended, “I am not writing your name in my notebook, but I will be leaving a one star review… I don’t want you making things up for me…”

As the anti-fairy glared at Runie, he heard a faint beep coming from his watch. The anger in his face turned into utter dread when he realized that he had stayed in the resort for too long. He looked at his Time-limiting device, and in that moment, he felt like he wanted to cry. 

30 minutes…

He has 30 minutes left before he gets back to Anti-Fairy World…

Before they start deducting his limited time of stay…

Really, Irep wanted to bawl from where he is right now. From his current location, it would take at least 35 minutes (probably 40 to 50 minutes if traffic is bad, which is occasionally) to get back to Tortuous Creek and then teleport his car to Anti-Fairy world.

“Do… Do you need any help?” This time, Runie could read the room. The owner asked as he could tell the bitterness in Irep’s face.

He was about to backtrack, but Runie went on, “I had one of those when I was a teenager. I was a big troublemaker. Maybe I can help you get back to Anti-Fairy World on time..? Anti-Rufus is the bartender I can trust, maybe he knows a shortcut.”

Irep never wanted to ask for help from anyone… He still feels ashamed when he asks one from his own parents… But due to his circumstances, maybe he does need some help. It was a matter of time before he started trusting others outside of his circle… Others besides Peri…

With a small but understanding nod, Irep would say, “Yes please… Ask him if he knows a shortcut to get to Tortuous Creek in less than 30 minutes…”

There is no way Irep could make it in time to get to Tortuous Creek in less than 30 minutes, but thanks to Anti-Rufus, he knows a nearby ominous hotspot in Fairywood that could help him teleport to Anti-Fairy World in no time.

It was believed that a long time ago, there were several bridges that used to connect Anti-Fairy World to Fairy World and back. Anti-fairies would drive their cars to visit Fairy World for other affairs, and fairies would do the same thing. It used to be two worlds, meshed to be one… That is until the barrier formed and separated them entirely, making them two separate worlds where one was highly regarded than the other.

Now, Fairy World had a couple of ominous hotspots hidden away, avoided by everyone except for the anti-fairies who wanted to go home and a brave few. Ominous hotspots were believed to be the approach slabs of these bridges. When the barrier was created, they poofed away these bridges as a dead end, severing their ties and connections to each other. These dead ends come in a form of a brick wall, towering trees, an abandoned house, a wooden fence by a cliff, or even a long abandoned shoreline

Ominous hotspots harboured strong negative energy that is enough to ward away any magical creature that crossed paths in it. Somehow, this energy is strong enough to at least teleport themselves back to Anti-Fairy World ever since the bridges were removed.

One could tell that an ominous hotspot is nearby when the place looks less saturated and vegetation starts to look dead. The most jarring sign would be the presence of bad luck symbolism; tipped over salt-shakers at the side of the road, a family of black cats hiding in a burrow, discarded yet broken clocks, an abandoned ladder.

Irep however found himself at Lake Poe. The place was a few kilometers away from Glitter Skies Resort, and unlike the usual scenario in Fairywood, Lake Poe was none other more than a beginning of a horror movie. The water was murky, the willow tree from afar looked like a wailing ghost, and the fog was so thick that it completely covered the pastel sunset skies of Fairywood. 

His sign? There’s a dead tree with a windchime tied on its branches. The windchime had four tubes… In some Asian countries, the number four is synonymous with death… Ravens have also inhabited the place, which is why they called it Lake Poe as homage to Edgar Allan Poe.

The lake oddly looks familiar to Irep. It reminded him of Eternal White Lake, a lake in Anti-Fairy World where the place was covered in snow and the ice never melts. It was one of the few places that Irep would invite Peri over… Maybe Lake Poe was connected to Eternal White Lake?

Irep was rummaging on his thoughts that he was caught off guard by the more aggressive buzzing of his watch… One more minute… 

He was not any closer on the lake’s edge, so without thinking much, he floored it as if he was about to drive his car straight into the water, but he must also time this driving. The car’s dashboard began to blink red, signifying a much stronger level of negative energy around the area. The small blue button near the gear shift also glowed into a faint blue, ready to teleport himself back into his hometown. 

Just a little more…

Irep exhaled as he started speeding up his car until he left the main roadway, going straight into the mucky sand and twigs until he was about to reach the lake’s edge. Right on time, he pressed the small blue button…

And with a puff of smoke, in a blink of an eye, Irep found himself in a place where the trees and the ground were covered in snow; a few white rabbits hopped out of their way, frightened that a vehicle had just popped out of nowhere… Irep looked behind him and was even amazed to see a lake made of ice, mist that covered the horizon, and a wine-red sky above… He is now in Eternal White Lake… His conclusion turned out to be correct; Lake Poe from Fairywood was once connected to Eternal White Lake of Anti-Fairy World…

The new route worked, all because of Anti-Rufus and Runie who grew a backbone at the last minute.

Irep shakily looked at his Time-limiting Device, expecting that he’d gotten home beyond his 5-hour limit. But to his surprise, he had a mere few seconds to spare.

9 seconds… 

He had 9 seconds left to return to his homeland, and he did it, clutched time. The watch on his wrist emitted a sound, like a music box, as the grains of sand reverted back to its place. He can still have his 5 hours of limited stay at Fairywood tomorrow, and the days following that. The same thing, all over again.

Irep was supposed to be happy that at least his hours of stay weren't reduced. He should be glad that he got back to Anti-Fairy World on time, by a miraculous few seconds. But instead, he still felt defeated. What was the point of this if he can’t get to practice orchestra or hockey as much as he liked? What was the point if he can’t see his friends or hang out like he used to? Why would he want to go back there if people will annoy and remind him about how he fucked up big time by taking Peri’s godkid and assuming the responsibility as a scary godfather? God…

Why bring up his shortcomings? Why remind him of who he is? Why rub Peri all over his face when clearly he lost the fight by violating godparenting rules?

And how did he go from listening to Freddie Dredd’s song “Kick Rocks” to “Are You Satisfied?” by Marina and The Diamonds?! 

High achiever, don't you see?

Baby, nothing comes for free

They say I'm a control freak

Driven by a greed to succeed

Nobody can stop me

'Cause it's my problem if I want to pack up and run away

It's my business if I feel the need to smoke and drink and sway

It's my problem, it's my problem if I feel the need to hide

And it's my problem if I have no friends and feel I want to die

… With no one around, and some time to spare before he returns to their castle to help his father with the meeting, Irep had one more thing to do… Cry in his car…

Irep looked back to those days when people underestimated him, even by his own kind. When they were both still babies, the anti-fairies once hailed Peri as a hero because that bitch literally made Irep cry just to return Anti-Fairy World back to normal. It was obvious from the very beginning that Peri was destined for greater things, even the anti-fairies held on to that belief. 

Peri was warmly welcomed by the magical realm, being the first fairy baby born in 10,000 years, despite his birth being a chaotic event of the millenia. On the contrary, no one really cared that the first anti-fairy was born in 10,000 years. Why would they celebrate the arrival of a potentially malignant being, capable of creating misfortune along his path? 

They really didn’t care, even though the newly born anti-fairy was the son of their leader and his first lady. None of the anti-fairies seemed to share the joy of his arrival. None except for his parents.

Everyone already knew how this would go. The leader of the anti-fairies expects a child, said child is born, raises the child to be the next leader, said child becomes the leader, new leader tries to infiltrate Fairy World, plans continue to fail because the universe is in favor of the fairies, and the vicious cycle goes on. Their expectations for him were low because every single leader of Anti-Fairy World, no matter how ready or well-versed they are, ended up facing a cruel defeat from the fairies. The goal went on from equality, to peaceful resolutions, to bargains, to domination. Nothing seemed to work, nothing ever changes at all.

Everyone (and even the anti-fairies) never say it very often, but Peri showed remarkable intelligence, talent, and magic even at a young age, born to be a prodigy. They would assume that Irep would just be Peri’s opposite; dull, inept, and weak. 

“Oh, Anti-Fairy World will be cooked!”, one would say. 

Irep used to believe their words, but he has his mother’s stubbornness and his father’s cleverness, and combining all that gave birth to a trait that became his double edged sword…

Competitiveness… He took pride in it, rubbing it on other people’s faces, not just to the fairies, but also to his kind that already viewed him a loser since birth. 

And Irep went on to be like that. Acing exams and getting grades that were sometimes high enough to defy Peri’s (much to the fairy’s annoyance), even being defiant towards teachers when they taught the subject wrong. He’s pissed when they made Peri their class president back in Spellementary School, but he was also their star student, so he also had the right to provide ideas if Peri lacked one… This in return frustrated his fairy counterpart. Not only were they fighting at the playgrounds, but they were literally fighting over who gets to be the top of their class. 

When the fairies began to fawn over Peri joining musical theatres at the age of 5 because of his amazing vocal control and acting, anti-fairies began to wonder what Irep would be interested in besides academics. Irep showed his dexterity on classical music, particularly with the piano. He was playing Chopin’s “Fantaisie Impromptu”, which is an incredible feat for a 5-year-old. Everyone was awestruck, so much so that one of Anti-Cosmo’s colleagues insisted that he let Irep join a piano competition…

The first time Irep won 1st place during the Inter-Magical Piano Competition, something inside him just clicked. He was in disbelief at first… Never has there been a time when an anti-fairy won 1st place. 2nd place was all they could ever amount to, but him winning 1st place was a breakthrough. The kids and their parents looked at him with jealousy, others swallowed their pride and congratulated him, and others warmed up and gave their regards… This exact experience left an impact on him. Not only did it boost his ego, but it gave him more fuel to be even better.

So when he joined hockey at age 6, he did the exact same thing as he would do when practicing on his musical instruments or studying; he’d show no mercy to the people who underestimated him… 

But when the rivalry faded away, Irep found himself in a slump. He learned that the real problem wasn’t Peri, but it was the people around them, throwing around assumptions and forcing them to be in a mold fit for a typical fairy or anti-fairy, favoring Peri because of… Well… Him being a fairy… Only seeing him as a shiny trophy to be shown off to others… Peri went from being his greatest rival to his greatest supporter; he considered it a quirk because Peri taught him a lot of things, from academics to having fun, Irep began to see through the fairy. A friendship had blossomed.

But not even the promise of friendship eased down his competitiveness. 

High school was the time where Irep’s competitiveness continued to persist, maybe at its peak. If he wanted to get into Fairy World’s Big 9, then he better start as early as his 7th grade. He has proven enough back in Spellementary School as he was also the Valedictorian of their school, and if he can do that back in elementary, then he can do it again in high school.

Peri, who was his best friend at that time, tried to keep his mind off of working too hard. He still found some time to hang out with him, Goldie and Sammy, but sometimes he had to back off and stay put just to study and practice. Irep felt like shit every time he had to skip those days of hanging out with the only people in his life who loved him for who he is… Especially Peri…

This regime that he built for himself was the reason why he was ostracized by most teens his age… When Peri was the high-achiever of their class, everyone praised him for his dedication and talent. When it was Irep’s turn, suddenly, everyone thought he was just a haughty, know-it-all bitch who made his achievements his whole personality.

Irep had priorities… To get into Fairy World’s Big 9, he had to maintain his credentials perfect, spic-and-span. He loved to mess up and bring chaos, but he would tone it down for the sake of a clean record, even if it meant increasing his chances in getting into Fairy World’s Big 9. There were teachers who would deliberately misplace his homeworks or exam papers, musicians who would tweak his musical instruments, athletes who would body slam and whack him with their hockey sticks, everything to bring him down… He turned their desire to see him fail as his own fuel to prove them wrong… Got high grades, was highly regarded in the world of classical music and ice sports… He was everything fairies didn’t expect from an anti-fairy; a prodigy.

Irep’s overcompetitiveness paid off when he finally got the news. Fairy World’s Big 9 were known to be picky towards their applicants, choosing the wealthy and/or the gifted, yet are very discriminatory towards anti-fairies. Not a single anti-fairy has ever gotten to any of those universities, not even the rich and intelligent Anti-Cosmo… But Irep was the first of his kind to be accepted; not just in one, not two, not three, but into all nine universities of Fairy World’s Big 9. 

He couldn’t believe it at first, but the letters he received were legitimate, with the stamp from the universities’ presidents and the special indestructible paper that cannot be cut, crumpled, burnt, or faked… He is now breaking boundaries that no anti-fairy has ever done… Maybe time has truly changed and people have become more openminded… He still remembered how his parents brought out some cake and confetti poppers to celebrate such an important milestone.

However, that same overcompetitiveness cost him his friendship with Peri. Before Irep received the acceptance letters, he and Peri had a small talk in his bedroom, a talk that turned to crying, shifting blames, and apologies that cannot fix the damage… They ended their friendship then and there.

The sting of losing a best friend (or soulmate) did not stop Irep from being competitive by the time he entered college. He had to prove that he is worthy to be in their university, and so he did it again… This time, he was more daring than before… He majored in Political Science, minored in Music, and was part of their varsity hockey team; he excelled in his classes and was a skilled center, so much so that he developed both jealous rivals and genuine friends throughout his school years. To gain extra credit, he joined the Tutor’s Society, chess clubs, debate teams, quiz bees, and figure skating. With Peri gone in the picture, he even opted to run as their university’s student president, and he became one at school year 2023-2024.

Did it ever tire him out? Yes. Did it ever stress him out? Absolutely. How did he manage to pull it all off back in college? He had no fucking idea… But goddamn, did it feel so good to make people feel small about themselves because he could do it better… He wasn’t just an anti-fairy in a prestigious university… He is Ice Prince, he is Starboy.

When he graduated college with a high GPA and was awarded Summa Cum Laude, his parents weren’t the only one who celebrated his victory; the entire Anti-Fairy World finally rejoiced. For the first time in anti-fairy history, in all of the magical realm’s history, Irep was the first anti-fairy to ever graduate as Summa Cum Laude (and from one of Fairy World’s Big 9). They rejoiced for his victory, viewing it as a milestone towards a better future for Anti-Fairy World, to equality with fairies or domination over them. 

It took 22 years for them to finally see what he is capable of.

But there was a drawback… 

Despite his academic credentials and his degree, he is still deemed too young to be the leader of the anti-fairies. The youngest age an anti-fairy would start his leadership rights would be at 50 years old and above. Anti-Cosmo officially became the leader at 50, but Irep was only 22 at that time. Father and son decided to settle the matter immediately.

Several hearings and meetings from Jorgen and the overall magical council (plus, other leaders from other magical worlds) later, they decided to lessen the required age by up to 30 years old, which technically isn’t as bad as the original age, but Irep couldn’t wait anymore… He had just 23 few months ago, and he isn’t sure if he could wait 7 more years before he becomes the next leader.

While he isn’t the leader yet, he is officially his father’s right hand, going back home to attend meetings and take care of political affairs that involved both Fairy and Anti-Fairy World. When he is not in charge, he still pursued classical music and hockey. It’s hard juggling all three different professions, but he got the hang of it. His parents loved him dearly, so did he, but he wanted to be independent and moved out so that he could be nearer to Fairywood’s Philharmonic Orchestra and Pegasi Rink.

Until this happened…  He did fuck around too much after hearing news from Anti-Jorgen that Peri had supposedly “quit” being a godparent. He was allowed by his parents to go and seize the opportunity, so he went to Earth without hesitation to take over being Dev’s godfather… A decision that re-opened old wounds and created new ones.

And that’s where it led him today. Someone with a butchered schedule, a heart that is wounded by past experiences, a mind overthinking about future prospects, and a body that was already tired and stuck to be in the present… And somewhere out there, he wonders if that kid ever missed him… He wonders if his counterpart hated him even more, that same childish hatred they ever felt when they were both in Spellementary School.

And as much he hated the comparison, the blunt favoritism, the reminders that he will always be overshadowed by someone he used to call his best friend— his soulmate even— a part of him missed his voice, his presence… Even when Peri was cackling triumphantly over his loss from last March, Irep still finds it sickeningly sweet… 

Come on… You are better than this… He does not want anything to do with you anymore… From now on, all you ever have to think about is yourself and how you’ll make them eat their words…

Irep pulled himself up from his seat, trying to relax his fists from clenching too hard. It may be a rough day, but there will be days rougher than this, days that will be better than today… He is not expecting a lot, but he can find comfort through the idea of things getting better eventually. He had cried, shed his tears, and now, it is time for him to be better, stronger even… He said so when he talked with Juna Jellycase.

I can lose everything that I have today and come back tomorrow far better than before.

Without further ado, Irep drove to his parents’ castle. His father gave him the floor to lead this month’s meeting, so he had to at least look like he hadn’t cried. If his parents would see him like this, they'll have to cancel the meeting so that they could take care of him, and Irep didn't want to over-burden them. Maybe he'll just tell them about his day like it was a funny experience... After all, he had been more productive in a span of 5 hours than Juna and the Bluffaux family ever did in one day.

And as he passed by the eccentric infrastructures of Anti-Fairy World, admiring the dark red skies of their own sunset, Irep would find himself chuckling alone as the song transitions from “Are You Satisfied?” by Marina and The Diamonds to “Starboy” by The Weeknd.