But as time had went on, it was becoming ever so harder to stick to that dream. The events of the island field trip had been a traumatizing experience that still haunted her to this day, and had shown her just how easy it was to be toyed with. There had been nothing she could do for any of her friends, and it had taken all her willpower just to not lose it, only to bear witness to the atrocities that had unfolded.
Now, it seemed that history would repeat itself. Most second years including herself had signed permission forms for more field trips, and rumours were spreading faster than any fire in a forest ever could, rumours which promised more pain and suffering for the students involved.
Astra may be a knob now, but could she honestly say she was any stronger? Would she be able to make a difference on the next field trip?
Would she be able to save anyone?
The answer to her was obvious. And, as she sat there in her room, she worried over what would happen to her and everyone else on their next ‘trip’, and if they would be so lucky as to make it back in one piece.
And yet, as daunting as this sounded, it was not her only problem…
Ever since the student election speeches, Astra had been feeling rather…odd, to say the least. At first she thought it was just stress from the campaign and the rumours about their next field trip, but now she was starting to think there was something more going on.
Walking to a small mirror on her bedside table, she turned around and examined her wings for the tenth time that morning, realizing that with a growing feeling of dread that there was something wrong with them. The normal blue and purple tones were graduating fading away to be replaced by a dull brown, and the membrane was becoming wrinkled and papery. It resembled a autumn leaf that was about to fall off the tree, and she had a daunting feeling that that was what was going to happen.
She tried to move them back and forth just like she usually would, but they felt heavy and unresponsive. Already she was having difficulties just getting off the ground, much less fly anywhere.
Looking into the mirror now she could see her own reflection, its fearful expression staring back at her. This wasn’t supposed to happen. There was no illness she was aware of that would do something like this. The only times they had changed was when she had been gravely injured or under stress, and even then they had just grown dull, only to return to their original bright colours once she had recovered. And the countless times they had sustained any damage, her FEAR would just repair them. Right now her FEAR didn’t seem to be doing anything.
Moving back to her bed, she sat on it and thought about what she should do. The obvious answer was to go to nurse cricket, but then she was afraid the nurse would just send her away and tell her to stop whining. Or even worse, confirm her fears and tell her she couldn’t do anything.
That left her with very few options. And as she sat there it became clear that the only thing she could do now, was to go home. She needed to go home, at least for a little while, and find out what was happening to her and if they could do something about it. In her current state she couldn’t risk going on the field trip. There was no telling how bad it could be, and she wanted to be at her best.
* * *
After a rather uncomfortable ride home (dumb stupid Ogres taking the hole seat and pretending they didn’t see her there as they sat down), Astra stood at the entrance to a rather forbidding looking forest. To most it would look like a unwelcoming site, but to her it was a safe haven. She knew her way around the forest, and the trees with their terrifying faces did not phase her either. She had grown up here, and had long ago learned that the trees would do her no harm.
It took some time though to get towards were she needed to go. Since her wings didn't work properly she had to walk the hole way. But after a few hours she had managed to reach her own house, a small cottage hidden inside one of the trees. It was a welcoming sight to see her house after so long, but she wouldn't be able to stay long. Just long enough to say hello to her parents and to catch up, then she would go and visit the people she knew would hold the answers, the fairy council.
[center* * *
To say that the ‘fairy council’ was mysterious, grand, and overall the main authority of what happened in the forest…was a misconception.
What it really was, was a few really old guys with really long beards, who just sat around and pretended they knew everything while the rest of the time they just got drunk and held parties.
But for all their shortcomings, their laziness, and their ability to hold their liquor, they did know a few things, and they could be counted on to offer advice if someone really needed it.
Still, as Astra stood in a small clearing, watching the trio of old men laughing merrily about a few crude jokes...she had to wonder if this was a good idea.
“Umm…excuse me…” She tried.
“Okay so, there was a zombie, a werewolf, and a vampire…”
“OH OH I KNOW THIS ONE”
“If I could have your attention for -” She tried again
“And they were having this argument...”
“I really need some help…”
“And then one says, “Make a contract with me to become a magical girl!”
..None of them were listening to her
“HEY!!! LISTEN!!!”
The three soon stopped their laughter as they realized someone was there, and all turned to face the fae reaper as she stood there looking uncomfortable.
“Ah! Sorry about that, we were just enjoying ourselves a good round of apple cider” One of them, his long white eyebrows making it hard to see past his face, spoke to her. “Now, what can we do for you, er…”
“Astra” She said, beginning to fidget with the ends of her shirt. “And….well, you see...I have this problem…and my wings are kinda…falling apart…”
“hmmm…! I see” One of the other old men, his hair almost as long as the first, said to her as he walked around to get a better look. “Yup, they do look like they’re falling off. I’d give it a…hmm, two weeks, three at the most”
“w-w-what?!” She stammered, looking quite shocked at the news. “b-b-but I don’t want them to fall off! What do I do?!”
“Hmm…good question” The third one said, almost invisible behind his locks of flowing white hair. Rubbing his beard for a few moments, he stood there in thought for a while before speaking again. “ hmmmm…..hmmm….”
More pause
“……...hmmm…”
….And some more humming insured.
“AHA! I GOT IT” He then pointed at her hat dramatically. “HA! That, is a witches hat, am I right?”
The fairy looked rather confused, taking off her hat to show him. “Y-yes?”
“And that must mean you a reaper, am I right?”
“…Yes…” She still didn’t have a clue what he was getting at.
“Well then, it all makes sense!” He began to gesture at her. “May we look at your reaper weapon?”
“O-okay...” With a flick of her wrist, the weapon appeared in her hands, and she handed it to the old men. They huddled in around each other, holding it up and mumbling while they examined the item. Eventually they straightened up, and handed it back to Astra.
“We needed to confirm our thoughts by looking at your weapon” The first old man spoke. “Now in order to explain this, we need to tell you a few things. First…” He paused, clearing his voice. “What I’m about to you may be a bit of a shock, but you are technically…not a reaper”
Silence.
“…I’m…I’m not?” She repeated softly. “But….how does that make any sense!? I have a weapon! And I can summon it at will, just like any reaper can!” Besides, it still didn’t explain why her wings were going to fall off.
”This is true. But the more important thing to note is that you are also a fae, Just like us. And generally speaking, there are not supposed to be any fairy reapers running about. They just don’t happen.”
“Fairys are supposed to be classed as demons” The second old man continued. “ However, we are sometimes confused as reapers, because we are more adept at using magic. Moreso then most demons are. And due to this, some fairy scarelings might be given a item or weapon that they can channel their FEAR into it. For all intents and purposes, it acts like a Reaper weapon."
"But there is a catch. Reapers are supposed to use their own FEAR to create their weapon, not receive one from a outside source. And the one you have received, was created from one of the oldest trees in our forest. The FEAR that was already inside that tree is conflicting with your own. making you unable to use any of your demon abilities. And as time passes, that Fear will begun to merge with your own. As you can see, it's already happening now." He indicated to her wings.
"Within a few more weeks, your wings will be gone, and you will no longer be considered a Demon. or a fairy for that matter. You will be a normal reaper, and will be able to use your staff more efficiently."
The hole time, Astra had not spoken a word, trying to understand what was being told to her, and why this wasn't told to her before. She was a demon, but turning into a reaper? She was going to lose her wings forever?
"....w...what if I don't want this to happen?" She asked them.
"In that case..." The third man said. "We will need to intervene and seperate the weapon from you. Once we do that, your wings will return to normal, and you can be able to do more...demonic stuff. Like have a cool extra name."
"And make contracts to become magical girls!"
"N-no, we can't do that"
"Awww...."
"In any case..." The First man picked up a glass of apple cider. "We can see that this a important decision for you to make, and it is something that cannot be done in one day. So we suggest to you to think this over, and then come back and tell us your decision." He took a swig. "But please bear in mind. Once you go through with your decision, you cannot change your mind."
