We’re all gathered at our table where breakfast is already prepared.
Once everyone is settled and my family has begun eating, I ask mum,

“So, what now?”

“We eat?”

“Fairies don’t need to eat, mum. Besides, breaking things into bite sized portions for me may be difficult.”

“I saw her eat some bread earlier though. She got all excited about it.”

“That was just to confirm I could, Talia! What truly keeps me going is the magical energy I’ve gathered.”

“You gather magic!?”

“Yes, I’m now a fairy, mum! Magic, remember? I can ‘eat’ from nearly any elemental source. Hence these colors.”

It’s getting exhausting retelling the same things over and over again!

“Right, my daughter is a fairy… Forgive me, but it will take a while to get used to this idea.”

“It’s not like I’m faring much better. My normal life is over, or would you happen to know any jobs I could do?”

“Sis, didn’t you say you could still sew things?”

“That was obviously a joke. Any idea how long it would take me to make a full-sized dress for you as I am now?”

“Even if it was a joke, you may have a chance. You could just make special items. Something you could take your time with and make it of very high quality as you suggested.”

“This town is too small for that, and who would request an expensive order from someone they don’t know?”

“Your sister might have a point, Aki. If you were to create something beautiful and take it to Delia, she would be able to sell it. Once people in the town know-”

“Mum!”

“-that you’re still alive and, is something wrong?”

My voice is too quiet for me to interrupt her while she’s talking, but thankfully, she stops speaking once I wave my hands above my head.

“Are you seriously talking about introducing me to the town!? I’m a mythical creature now! Someone may get the idea to use me as a magical ingredient, or worse!”

“Oh…right. Maybe we’d better not then.”

“Then do you plan on hiding here, sis?”

“Truthfully, I don’t know. The fairy glade wasn’t entirely awful. I even got to sleep in a lovely flower. That honestly has quite the charm if you think about it.”

“You intend to go back there, Aki!?”

“I’d rather not. Fairies are quite whimsical and erratic, and my first impression of them was incredibly poor, to say the least. I’d very much prefer not to have them as my neighbors. However, I’m extremely low on options that would be safe for me as I am now.”

“Don’t forget I still have this one here!”

Talia points at her shoulder before continuing.

“She might complicate things.”

“Miep?”

Apparently, Nibi grew bored and took the pointing as an invitation to glide down towards the table.
She’s coming my direction, and I have to act fast if I don’t want to have her clinging to me again.
Maybe I could distract her with some food?
She wasn’t pleased with the bread, but possibly something else?
Aha!

I sprint to the honeypot and use all of my strength to drag the spoon out.
As soon as I do so, I realize that this is the source of the lovely scent that I noticed earlier today.
Perhaps this means Nibi will enjoy it as well?
Surprisingly, the spoon is not as heavy as I expected it to be at my size, and I’m able to hold it without too much trouble.
While I can’t help that the honey drips down, making a mess, it at least seems to have caught Nibi’s attention.
To show her what it’s for, I take a finger to the honey and lick it off.

Woah!
It’s delicious!!
I understand that it’s honey, which is always sweet, but just where did Talia get this from!?

It seems Nibi understood, and she first looks curiously at it.
Then she takes a finger and copies me.
A look of immense surprise appears on her face, and subsequently, she grabs a whole handful of honey and presses it fully into her mouth.
The smile I see speaks of pure bliss.
As if little stars are shining behind her.
Good, she’s occupied.

While I kind of want to try some more of the honey myself, I’m afraid I’d just invite the burden I barely avoided.
Before I can determine a method of safely eating some more, mum speaks again.

“Aki, who is this?”

With her focus being on me till now, it would seem she hadn’t properly noticed Nibi.
Understandably so, as she has had a lot to process.

“Ugh, mum, meet Nibi, the one who got me into this mess. Despite her looks, she has the mentality of a four year old at the absolute max. She clings to me constantly, doesn’t even know how to speak, and flies into a teary panic if she’s away from me for too long.”

“Hmm, sounds familiar... So when did you have a child and not tell me?”

What?
No!
She did not just say that!!

“Mother!!! This isn’t funny! I just got dumped by my boyfriend and then reduced to the size of vermin! Now I’ll never be able to have a relationship of that sort! To make matters worse, I can’t bring myself to retaliate against the instigator in any way because she’s too dumb to understand why!”

“You’ve definitely been in better situations.”

“Yeah, sure! Thank you, very much, for pointing that out, mum!!”

And she’s just smiling at me!!!

“Pfft! S-sorry, Aki. But it’s hard to take you serious when you’re throwing a tantrum. You sound so incredibly cute!”

“That doesn’t make me feel better in the slightest!!!”

Argh!
Occasionally, I forget where Talia learned her teasing from, then mum says things like these.

“Forgive me, dear. I may have taken the jest a little too far, but you know you will always be welcome here. Besides, it’s not like you put much of a strain on the family resources as you are.”

I definitely don’t require much.
Unless I want to eat, I have no actual need of the usual food, and even if I do try some, it’s only going to be an insignificant amount.
Room wise, I could comfortably fit into a cupboard.
But that makes me sound like…

“So am I going to be the family pet now?”

“Sis! No! You will always be my sister! …You do look adorable though. I’d certainly love to see you dress in different clothes.”

“Oh, so now I’m a toy!? That’s not an improvement!”

“Calm down, Aki, she doesn’t mean anything by it. We’re just glad to have you back. Today, let us just celebrate that you’re fine. Somewhat.”

Today also seems to be the day of relative additions.

“Fine, but it’s not as if I can participate in much.”

“I think we still have that board game we were given. It might be okay.”

“Yeah, sure, why not? I can probably lift the pieces.”

Having finished eating while we were talking, mum gets up to grab the game, and Talia starts clearing the table and putting things away.
I suppose I should put this spoon back.
Wait.
My hands are empty.
I must’ve let go of it when mum was teasing me!
Nibi!!

I turn to find Nibi covered head to toe in honey, and the spoon lying on the table.
She notices my gaze and tries to fly to me, but is too sticky to do so.
Rapidly, a blue glow surrounds her and begins to intensify.
Oh no!

“Wait!”

*SPLOOSH*
A huge water explosion drenches the three of us and the table.
I’m nearly washed off the edge before I manage to grasp hold of a crack in the wood.

“Nibi!!!”

“Miiiiiiiiieep!”

She stands there soaked, looking ready to cry after I shouted at her.
What am I supposed to do with this fairy?
At least the water washed off most of the honey, so we just need to dry the table, and ourselves.
Might as well get the mess maker to help clean it.
After I calm her down, of course.

“Nibi, it’ll be okay, kind of. Just help me clean up the water. Like this.”

“Miiep?”

While absorbing the water essence I’m in contact with, I walk along the table, creating a dry strip.
It seems Nibi understood, and soon she grabs my hand and walks alongside me, clearing her own area, although several times the size of mine.
Back and forth we go till the table is finally clear.
Yeah, sure, she likely could have done this quickly enough on her own, but at least now she’s calm again.
Meanwhile, Talia wiped down everything else that needed it, including herself.
Shortly before we finish, mum returns.

“Aki, have you considered becoming a maid if you can clean like this?”

“Yeah, sure mum. As long as my employers’ home doesn’t require scrubbing, can be soaked with water, and is only half the size of this room. The place where I started would be filthy again by the time I cleaned the home otherwise.”

Mum brought the aforementioned game, and we proceed to spend the majority of the day gathered together as a family.
I tell them all I learned about fairies while living at the fairy glade, excluding everything to do with the moonlight incident, while fending off Nibi as well as I’m able.
Interestingly enough, after we finish playing a few rounds of Kingmaker, Nibi flies to the opposite side of the board from Talia, looks at my mum who was going to play next-

“Miep.”

-then turns back to face Talia.
And waits.
Does she want to play?
Sis moves a piece, and Nibi responds by actually making a valid move.
The game continues with Nibi doing surprisingly well for never having played it before.
Still, she loses and then goes to sulk at the corner of the board.

It would seem that my family doesn’t hate her, which is relatable, as even I have problems doing that considering how childlike she is.
She has this innocent nature you can’t easily condemn.
After I explained what happened, again, Mum did try, but after a few confused ‘mieps’ her armor was torn down.
After all, I’m still here.
Maybe dead, but also kind of alive?
I’m not gone, at least.
This matters quite a bit.

During one of our games, mum asks me a question.

“I know I’ve told you quite a few stories about fairies, but do you remember the particular poem passed down by my family about them?”

Would I be in trouble if I say no?
I remember that she said this verse was consistently passed down by my ancestors from an age ago, and I ought to memorize it to pass it on to my own children someday.
Yet, I wasn’t interested in learning it till now.

“Honestly, I think I’ve forgotten a few lines. Could you tell me it again?”

I can’t believe I’m actually asking mum to speak about fairies, but her poems and tales suddenly have much more relevance to me now.
At least, the more serious ones.

“Of course. Ahem.

Magic with will, magic with passion,
From dreadful disaster, children are fashioned.
Large as a bug, small as a mouse,
Even the flowers become their house.
Wonderful wings a flitting and fluttering,
Colorful children soaring and scuffling.
Red with fire, blue with rain,
Gold with joy, violet with pain.

Uncaring, unbound, heedless of men,
Trouble awaits, if found in their glen.
Swindlers, frauds, scoundrels erratic,
Accosting them will only be tragic.
Meager strength no more than a mite,
Yet magical brawn of staggering height.
Take warning, take care, beware their claim,
Lest by truth, you become their game.

So be-”

With a grimace, she goes quiet for a moment before continuing.

“I suppose I needn’t add my usual ending.”

Yeah, sure, they already caught me.
Though some parts of this poem are confusing, I’m certain nearly all of it is correct.
Someone must have met these creatures long ago and gave a warning about them, which was then told to children.
Now I wish I had listened more attentively to mum’s tales.
Yet, a few lines in this verse worry me.

“I think most of that rhyme is true, mum. However, I’m most definitely not trying to trick you! Nor would I ever wish to cause you harm! You do believe that I’m me, don’t you?”

“Yes, dear. At this point, I’m simply trying to offer whatever help I can and was merely telling it in the hopes that it could provide some insight for you.”

“Phew… Thank you, mum. But simply trusting me is a great help already.”

We then continue our games, and I answer whatever questions my family has about fairies that I can.
Also, during the course of our discussion, mum decides that, for the time being, my former chores would continue to be done by the two of them, until I’m able to determine what may be appropriate for me to help with.
Hopefully, I’ll be able to work something out soon.
I don’t enjoy the idea of doing nothing while they do all the necessary tasks.

Eventually, our conversation passes the day away, and it’s time to have dinner.
Since the special ingredients were used for breakfast, it’s just a simple broth and some bread.
I try a little of both with similar results as before.
They taste okay, but without any hunger driving me to eat, I don’t ask for more after my first sample.
There’s no honey this time, sadly.
Talia had removed it from the table before everything was drenched, but it’s not something we can afford to eat at every meal.
Though, if it was just me, I don’t believe I’d consume too much.

The sun sets shortly afterwards, meaning it’s time for everyone to get to bed.
Speaking of which, I ask my mum,

“Where am I supposed to sleep now?”

“Why do you ask? Your bed, of course… Ohhhhh.”

“Yes, it’s a little excessive for my size.”

“Maybe it would still be alright? Otherwise, I could empty a basket and try to find something soft to put in it?”

“Uh, I’m not sure… I suppose I’ll try my bed for now.”

As long as I can even lift the blanket!