Chapter 7: Chapter 7 - Party

Harmony stood in front of the chasm with Mystery, watching the other woman wring her hands nervously. Rhapsody suddenly appeared on the other side of Mystery. She floated up until she was at eye level with the taller woman. Harmony could tell that Mystery was still hesitant to go through the initiation. She was a mixture of excitement and dread that seemed incongruous on one face.

“We don’t have to do this right now,” Rhapsody told her reassuringly. “You can just hang out with us until you feel more comfortable with the decision.”

“No, let’s do it,” Mystery replied firmly, her face full of determination. “I know deep down that this is the right thing to do and that I’ll be happier for it.”

“Okay, bottoms up,” Rhapsody grinned excitedly.

The light beam shooting down the chasm suddenly increased in intensity until Harmony couldn’t see anything with her physical eyes. She watched with her second sight as Mystery’s spirit was altered with Rhapsody’s new blueprints. Mystery had a moment of fear when the full power of the world tree was connected to her being. It only lasted a split second before Rhapsody placed the limiter between the power source and Mystery’s soul. Harmony couldn’t keep track of the billions of threads of energy Rhapsody was using to connect to Mystery. It was awe inspiring to watch the fairy work with forces more complex than Harmony could comprehend.

When the process was complete, the light from the chasm diminished to a solid beam again. Mystery stood in stunned amazement as she mentally cataloged all the changes her body and soul had undergone.

“Not bad,” Rhapsody observed as she studied Mystery appreciatively. “Not bad at all.”

A mirror sprang up in front of Mystery so that she could observe the changes. Her eyes had increased in size, like Harmony's, and they had changed to a deep shade of lavender. Her eyelashes had grown longer, and her face had softened slightly. She had already been stunningly beautiful—now she was transcendently radiant.

She stood staring at herself in the mirror intently, noticing all the changes in her face and body. An approving smile appeared on her face after a moment of study.

“Okay, I’ve got to admit, I’m pretty hot,” Mystery declared with a wide smile. “I’m guessing the fairy ears are something that happens later?”

“They are if you want them,” Rhapsody answered, floating around Mystery in a circle as she observed her. “After all, you will be a projection of your world tree—a shapeshifter. Technically, you can make yourself look however you want.”

“Do you ever change your appearance?” Mystery asked curiously. “I noticed that you wear the hat and glasses in public. Can’t you just make yourself look like a human?”

“I absolutely could make myself look like a human,” Rhapsody admitted with a mischievous smile. “But where’s the mystery in just looking like a normal human? It’s more fun to look like someone hiding their true appearance. It certainly got Harmony’s attention.”

Harmony stared at Rhapsody in surprise. The thought had never occurred to her, though it probably should have. She knew Rhapsody was a shapeshifter, yet she had never questioned why the small woman had never just appeared as another human. The more she thought about it, the more sense it made. Harmony probably wouldn’t have responded to another normal looking human the same way she had with the mysterious fairy.

“I feel like I should have thought of that before now,” Harmony commented with a sheepish smile. “It never even occurred to me to ask why you didn’t just shapeshift into a human.”

“It’s all about the narrative,” Rhapsody explained sagely. “Harmony was a fantasy author. I knew she couldn’t pass up that kind of mystery. Hmm... that could have an interesting double meaning.”

Harmony rolled her eyes, smiling ruefully at Mystery. “I think your name is going to be dragged through every kind of literary device imaginable, Mystery.”

“That’s why I started going by Misty in high school,” Mystery replied wryly, unable to stop looking at her new face in the mirror.

“Well, it’s too late now,” Rhapsody noted with a satisfied grin. “We already know your name is Mystery.”

“So, what now?” Mystery asked, finally pulling her eyes away from her reflection. “I have a feeling that going back to normal life might be a little difficult with all the attention on us now—especially looking like this.”

“We have a plan,” Rhapsody informed her with a barely repressed smile. “Harmony’s plan.”

“You’re not going to claim it was your plan, since your plan was to let me come up with a plan?” Harmony asked dryly, eyeing Rhapsody with a raised eyebrow.

“You shouldn’t raise your eyebrow like that without Serenity here to witness it,” Rhapsody scolded her sternly. “I don’t think she knows that you’re a master of the raised eyebrow.”

“The plan?” Mystery reminded them patiently.

“It’s her fault,” Rhapsody pointed at Harmony. “She sidetracked me.”

“How familiar with video games are you?” Harmony asked Mystery with a calculating gaze.

“I know you play them on a computer or something,” Mystery answered with a shrug. “I’ve been more of a read-a-holic my whole life. I never did get into games.”

“Ah,” Harmony pursed her lips as she studied Mystery. “Well, this might take a little bit of explaining then.”

“Maybe you should just go show her a game that uses the mechanics we are planning to use,” Rhapsody suggested helpfully. “A picture’s worth a thousand words and all that jazz.”

“Maybe you’re right,” Harmony agreed thoughtfully. “Though, my house isn’t the best place to show her an example. We aren’t real big on video games. I think Serenity might have some games on her tablet we could use for examples.”

“Let’s go fetch her when she gets here then,” Rhapsody decided, casting an appraising glance at Mystery. “It’s time for her to see what that new body can do anyway. Try to keep up.”

Rhapsody sprinted away from them, down the long passageway that led to the outside of Yggdrasil. Harmony grinned at a stunned Mystery before bolting after Rhapsody at full speed.

The chasm vanished as she raced down the passageway toward the entrance. It took her less than five seconds to reach the opening. She nearly plowed into her mother as she tried to slow down in time. A laughing Rhapsody grabbed her wrist at the last second and pulled her to the side.

Mystery was only a few seconds behind her. She had a brilliant smile on her face as she burst out of the opening in a blur. She nearly went into the lake before she managed to slow down. She turned and ran back up to them, the smile never leaving her face.

“Wow,” Michael breathed in amazement. He had been talking to Harmony’s mother when Harmony exited at full speed. “I suppose you probably don’t need cars anymore.”

“It might be a little too attention-grabbing to be sprinting down the highway at over a hundred miles per hour,” Rhapsody pointed out critically.

“We’ll need to find some other kind of clothes to wear for any serious sprinting too,” Harmony noted with a gesture at her shorts. “These just aren’t made to deal with that kind of friction.”

Michael nodded, an appreciative smile on his face. “Yeah, I suppose you could just run around starkers. It’s not like anyone will get a good look at you at those speeds.”

He paused and studied his sister curiously. “You look different. How do you feel?”

“I feel amazing,” Mystery replied ecstatically. “I wish I would have made this choice sooner.”

“Well, that’s good to hear,” Michael said with a relieved sigh. “I was afraid you were going to come out filled with regrets.”

“Nope,” Mystery smiled giddily. “I’m definitely not having any regrets. I don’t know if it’s the upgraded body or what, but my head feels clearer than it ever has. It’s like a cloud of doom has been cleared out.”

Michael beamed at her, his eyes growing moist. “If you only knew how good it was to see you actually happy.”

Mystery laughed exuberantly and gave him a quick hug. “I can assure you, I know how good it is to feel happy. And being able to run again... it feels amazing.”

“She used to be an avid runner and hiker, before the accident,” Michael informed them wistfully. “She never walked anywhere—it was always a full sprint if she was moving.”

Harmony studied Mystery intently. The connection she had felt to Mystery before had grown into a much stronger bond, to the point where she felt like she could have closed her eyes and pointed to where the other woman was standing. There was more than an awareness of where she was, though. It was almost like she could feel the other woman’s happiness. It was similar to the way she could feel a warm glow in her stomach when Rhapsody was nearby.

“We have about an hour until Serenity and Aurora get out of school,” Rhapsody began thoughtfully as she watched the rest of them. “We have Serenity’s friend’s birthday party to crash in a few hours too. What do you say we get some more introductions out of the way?”

“I was wondering when we were going to meet some of the other people here,” Harmony’s mother commented eagerly. “I was pretty sure there were more fantastical creatures than Taxti, Declan, Nidhogg, and Ikle Chikle here.”

“Declan is the king of the leprechauns,” Rhapsody revealed with a small smile. “Taxti is the Queen of the fauns. Nidhogg is the clan chief of the dragons. However, all of their people live here as well. They didn’t want to overwhelm you, so they’ve been remaining out of sight for now. Would you like to meet some of them?”

“Yes!” Harmony’s mother exclaimed excitedly, eliciting a laugh from Rhapsody.

“Hell yeah,” Michael breathed with an excited gleam in his eyes.

“Sure,” Harmony agreed curiously. She hadn’t even thought about where all of the other leprechauns and fauns were. She had been too distracted with her own life events to wonder about some of the things that should have been obvious.

“Okay, Leesha, Eimear, Niall, and Cormic, would you like to formally meet our new friends?”

Four leprechauns materialized out of thin air in front of their group. There were two women and two men, all of them slightly shorter than Declan. They weren’t wearing the traditional leprechaun outfits like Declan wore. Harmony wondered if he wore it as some kind of prank.

“This is Leesha,” Rhapsody introduced a blonde leprechaun with a slight build and almond-shaped eyes.

She had orange freckles scattered across the bridge of her nose that Harmony couldn’t help but find adorable. She was dressed in a simple yellow dress that went down to her knees. Her bright green eyes stared out of a youthful face that didn’t miss being cute. She was about three and a half feet tall and had simple sandals on her small feet.

“She’s Declan’s niece and can out-dance anyone else in the circle,” Rhapsody added with a grin.

Leesha blushed at the compliment, a pleased smile appearing on her cute face. “It’s nice to meet you,” she greeted them in an Irish dialect that brought a smile to Harmony’s lips. She loved Scottish and Irish dialects.

“This is Eimear,” Rhapsody continued, indicating another slight leprechaun.

Eimear had brilliant long orange hair and freckles covering her cheeks. She had the same simple dress as Leesha, though hers was green. She was more buxom than Leesha but had the same brilliant green eyes. “She’s also one of Declan’s nieces. She has a mischievous spirit, so watch yourselves around her.”

Eimear gave Rhapsody an innocent smile, though her eyes were sparkling with mischief. “It’s nice to meet you finally,” she spoke in the same Irish dialect as Leesha. “Don’t let Rhapsody fool you—she's the chief mischief-maker in these parts. The rest of us can’t even compete.”

“I resemble that remark,” Rhapsody declared impishly. “Moving on, this is Niall. He’s the voice of reason in a place that can get a little silly occasionally.”

Niall was a stocky leprechaun around the same height as Declan, just under four feet tall. He had a square jaw and bright orange hair cut to a few inches long. His face had a solid, dependable look. He wore brown trousers and a green button-up shirt that brought out his own brilliant green eyes. He had a pair of simple sandals on feet that looked too large for his height.

“I’ll correct Rhapsody and point out that I’m the voice of reason in a place that is occasionally not silly," Niall said in a dry voice. “It’s nice to meet you all. I’m sure we’ll be seeing each other a lot from here on out.”

“And last, but maybe least, this is Cormic,” Rhapsody gestured grandly at the final leprechaun. “He’s Eimear’s partner in crime and should definitely not be trusted if he’s not under your eye—and even then, only a little.”

“I’ll repeat what Eimear voiced and point out that we learned everything we know from you, Rhapsody,” Cormic declared with an accusing glare at Rhapsody. “But it’s nice to see some new faces here. I’m pleased to make your acquaintance.”

Cormic was dressed in the same style as Niall. His cheeks had permanent dimples and there was a perpetual look of mischief about his eyes. His blonde hair was longer than Niall’s, reaching just above his shoulders.

Harmony had nodded at each of them with a friendly smile as they were introduced. She hated introductions. They were so damn awkward. Maybe they would be a thing of the past when they implemented the new overlay.

“I suppose I should have waited for Serenity and Aurora before making introductions,” Rhapsody noted with a sheepish grin. “Oh well, they’re young—they'll just introduce themselves.”

“So, what’s with Declan’s outfit?” Harmony asked curiously. “Is it some kind of formal attire that royalty wears?”

Cormic and Eimear started laughing before Harmony finished speaking. Rhapsody joined them, watching Harmony with amusement as she giggled.

“Okay, so it was what my gut first told me,” Harmony noted dryly. “He did it as a joke because that’s what humans think leprechauns look like.”

“He wanted to see how long it took for one of you to ask,” Rhapsody explained, her face still full of mirth. “He’s going to be so disappointed that he wasn’t here when you asked.”

“I get the feeling that this place makes its own entertainment,” Mystery said with an amused smile. “It’s wonderful to meet the four of you. If you don’t mind my asking, how old are the four of you?”

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Eimear glanced at Cormic with a raised eyebrow. “Three thousand twenty-four? I can’t remember the exact year, but I like the sound of twenty-four, so we’ll go with that.”

“Aye, that’s about right,” Cormic nodded his agreement. “I’m sure I could figure it out, with a little time.”

“Five thousandish,” Leesha announced, raising her hand for a moment. “When you live as long as we do, you stop keeping track after the first century.”

“Twelve thousand,” Niall offered with a nod. “Like Leesha said, we don’t really keep track past a century.”

“Are you immortal?” Mystery asked in surprise. Harmony watched her appraisingly. She hadn’t known her very long, but she was pretty sure this wasn’t her normal personality. She seemed far more open and upbeat.

“Aye, that we are,” Cormic confirmed with a grin. “We just keep on ticking in spite of all the kicking.”

Rhapsody facepalmed, shaking her head sadly. “That was pathetic, Cormic. I would say you need to work on your rhythm and meter, but if you haven’t figured it out by now, I don’t think there is any hope that you ever will.”

“Well, what would you have said?” Cormic demanded in an injured tone.

“We just keep on trying, in spite of all the crying?” Rhapsody offered with an impish grin.

“You’re a cruel fairy, Rhapsody,” Cormic accused her with a sad grimace. “Nay, cruel doesn’t do it justice. You’re a hurtful fairy.”

“It’s for your own good, Cormic,” Rhapsody assured him with a look of faux concern.

Cormic shook his head ruefully, glancing at Eimear beseechingly. She just grinned back at him mercilessly, her lips quirking into a small smile.

“I’m getting the strangest sense of Déjà vu,” Mystery muttered, shaking her head in bemusement.

“You are?” Rhapsody asked quickly, all signs of amusement gone.

“Yeah,” Mystery nodded slowly. “Is that a problem?”

Rhapsody chewed on her lip for a moment before responding. ”I’ll be back in a sec.”

The fairy vanished, leaving Harmony and her companions to stare at empty air in surprise.

“I wonder what that was all about,” Harmony’s mother commented curiously.

“I wouldn’t worry about it,” Niall told them with a shrug. “She does this kind of thing occasionally. She gets depressed if she doesn’t have something dramatic going on every few weeks.”

“She’s had plenty of drama already,” Harmony pointed out with a frown. “It feels like something is wrong.”

Niall eyed her speculatively for several seconds before responding. “Let’s assume it is a problem of some kind. What are you going to do? Rhapsody will either be able to handle it, or not. There’s nothing we are going to be able to do to make a difference, so why worry about it?”

Harmony grimaced as she realized he had a point. Rhapsody’s abilities were so far beyond their own that there really wasn’t anything they could do that would amount to anything. She hated feeling helpless.

Rhapsody reappeared in front of Harmony with an annoyed look on her face. She quickly changed her expression to amusement as she saw the look of worry on Harmony’s face.

“You just can’t help being a worrywart, can you, Harmony?” Rhapsody asked fondly.

“I don’t suppose you would tell me the truth if I asked what was going on?” Harmony asked dubiously.

“If I told you the truth about what was going on,” Rhapsody began in a wry voice. “One, you wouldn’t believe me. Two, you wouldn’t understand. Not yet anyway. In general terms, I’m dealing with some half-wits that don’t know what they are doing, but they’re doing it anyway. It’s taken care of though, so no worries, mate!”

Harmony once again felt like she was glimpsing a world far beyond her understanding. She sighed and nodded reluctantly. She had time. Lots of time. She would find out eventually.

“You okay?” Mystery asked her with concern in her voice.

“Yeah, I suppose,” Harmony replied with another sigh. “I’m just too curious for my own good. I can tell Rhapsody is trying to get me to take this slowly for reasons I don’t understand, but it’s hard for me to not want to dig into any mystery I find.”

Mystery’s face colored slightly at Harmony’s words. Harmony rolled her eyes as Rhapsody started giggling madly. Cormic and Eimear were struggling not to laugh as well, quickly turning their backs as if they had found something fascinating to observe. Harmony’s mother made no effort to hide her chortling.

Mystery bit her lip as she watched Harmony’s disgruntled expression, clearly trying not to laugh with the others.

Harmony was saved from any more abuse when her nieces teleported a few dozen feet away, along with Declan. The two girls hurried over to them, staring at the leprechauns in fascination. Declan raised a questioning eyebrow at Rhapsody when he arrived.

“You missed it, Declan,” Rhapsody informed the leprechaun king with a grin just short of laughter. “Harmony already asked why you were dressed like a... leprechaun.”

Harmony rolled her eyes as he began laughing loudly, his shoulders shaking. “I’m sure you can show me the memory later. I hated this outfit at first, but I’ve actually grown fond of this oversized belt buckle. It adds a whole new range to my expressions when I can hitch it around for emphasis.”

“I’ve joined a comedy troupe,” Harmony muttered in disbelief. “That’s what this is—a comedy troupe.”

“Try dealing with it for thousands of years,” Niall told her morosely, scowling at Declan and Rhapsody. “Those two are the worst of the lot, but they have little mimics trying to emulate them everywhere in the circle.”

Rhapsody introduced Serenity and Aurora to the four leprechauns, much to their delight. Harmony smiled indulgently as she watched her nieces. They each got a hug from Aurora, triggering Harmony’s synesthesia and earning Harmony a wink from Rhapsody. Serenity stood awkwardly, too tall to be able to give them a hug without getting down on her knees.

“Rhapsody said Leesha is an amazing dancer,” Harmony informed Serenity with an encouraging smile. “I remember you used to love dancing. I’ll bet we could watch next time they have a celebration and get some tips.”

“We have celebrations several times a week,” Leesha told Serenity with an inviting smile. “You should definitely come and join us. You won’t regret it.”

“Are you two ready for some Yuccas Fitter?” Rhapsody asked the two girls expectantly.

“So ready,” Aurora exclaimed eagerly, her dark eyes lighting up with anticipation.

“We’re always ready for Yuccas Fitter,” Serenity informed Rhapsody with an eager grin.

Rhapsody snapped her fingers dramatically and a Yuccas Fitter appeared in her hands. She handed it over to them with a wink.

“Ah, the food of the gods,” Eimear commented enviously. “I could deal with being mortal all of the time if it meant Yuccas Fitter every day.”

“Can’t you have it whenever you want?” Serenity asked in surprise.

“Nay, lass,” Eimer sighed regretfully. “We’re only mortal for one night every year. We don’t have the anatomy to digest mortal foods as immortals.”

“How do you sustain yourselves as immortals?” Harmony’s mother asked curiously.

“We receive all of our energy from the world trees,” Declan explained with a nod at Rhapsody. “I’m sure she’s mentioned that she was a star before she transitioned into a world tree. Instead of broadcasting light for planets, she broadcasts magic for magical creatures. That’s why we are all here with her in the circle. Without Rhapsody, all magical creatures would wither and die. We’re looking forward to your transition to world trees with eagerness, as you might guess.”

Harmony stared at Rhapsody in wonder. She was singlehandedly keeping the entire planet alive. So much depended on this amazing creature. She could still hardly believe that she was in a relationship with such a glorious being. She felt a moment of unworthiness as she gazed at her perfect fairy. How could she possibly hope to be a partner to someone so far above her? All of Harmony’s accomplishments and abilities amounted to next to nothing in comparison to Rhapsody.

Mystery turned to look at Harmony with concern in her eyes. “Hey, what’s going on in that head of yours?”

Harmony blinked, looking back at Mystery in confusion. “Can you hear my thoughts too?”

“No, not your thoughts,” Mystery shook her head, her eyes still concerned. “I can feel... I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like I can feel what you’re feeling.”

“Synesthesia?” Harmony asked doubtfully. “But you’re talking about emotional feelings, so that can’t be synesthesia.”

“It’s more than emotions,” Mystery told her quietly, blushing as she looked around at the watching faces. “I can feel the same things you’re feeling with your synesthesia.”

Harmony’s eyes widened in shock. She turned to Rhapsody and raised an eyebrow that would have won an award from Serenity. “Okay, my little keeper of secrets, what’s going on?”

“I mentioned earlier that the three of us had been with each other for a long time,” Rhapsody explained with a dimpled smile. “Well, a long time ago we linked our souls. You haven’t awakened your soul connection yet, so you aren’t affected as much yet. In time, you’ll start to notice us in ways similar to your synesthesia, but on a deeper level and all the time.”

Harmony thought about her explanation. She didn’t know anything about souls, so she couldn’t really make any guesses on what that really meant. She felt slightly better about her relationship with Rhapsody, knowing they had been together so long. She couldn’t help wondering how Rhapsody knew all of this about their souls being linked and their previous incarnations. Wasn’t part of reincarnation the process of forgetting your previous lives? Was there a way to gain access to soul memory and have some kind of recall? Clearly, there must be. It would certainly explain why she felt so comfortable around Mystery.

“It’s time to go crash a birthday party,” Rhapsody announced with a mischievous grin.

“You’re going to come too?” Serenity asked in stunned amazement, her eyes full of hope.

“Of course I’m coming,” Rhapsody declared imperiously. “I never miss out on a chance to crash a party.”

Serenity rushed forward and embraced Rhapsody. “You’re the best, Rhapsody!”

“Don’t I know it,” Rhapsody agreed, returning Serenity’s hug with an affectionate smile.

“I want to see that memory when you return,” Declan informed her eagerly. “I’m pretty sure everyone will want to see it.”

“We’ll have a movie night,” Rhapsody promised with a bright smile. “It will be fun to show the dome to our new members.”

Taxti materialized next to Rhapsody, glancing around at the gathering with a critical eye. When her gaze landed on Michael, a slow, sensual smile spread across her face. Michael blinked when he saw the seductive expression directed his way.

“Behave,” Rhapsody commanded Taxti firmly. “We’re going to a birthday party, so we’ll be away for about an hour. Can you catch Mystery up on some world history and mental training while we are gone?”

“Like the training you’ve been giving Harmony?” Taxti asked with a smirk. “Yeah, I think I can handle that.”

Rhapsody rolled her expressive eyes but seemed unable to keep a smile from forming on her face. “Just behave. She’s mine.”

“You’re a greedy fairy,” Taxti complained bitterly.

“Okay, you three, are you ready?” Rhapsody asked with an expectant grin.

“As we’ll ever be,” Harmony replied, doing her best to keep the trepidation out of her voice. This kind of thing was her worst nightmare. If it wasn’t for the sake of Serenity, it would definitely never happen. She would do anything for her nieces though, including birthday parties.

The land around them vanished, replaced by a green lawn in front of a medium-sized house. It was in the middle of a cookie-cutter neighborhood, with houses adjacent on both sides. Harmony missed her house in the forest already.

“Shall we knock?” Rhapsody suggested with a wink at Harmony. She took Serenity’s hand and walked up the stone steps to the front door.

The door opened before she could knock and a woman started walking out. She jerked back in surprise when she saw the fairy standing on her porch, wings sticking out behind her.

“Hello, Tiffany,” Rhapsody greeted the woman with a bright smile. “Serenity said Susan had a birthday today. Are we early?”

Tiffany stared at Rhapsody in disbelief, her eyes as wide as teacups. She made several attempts to speak, but her words kept tripping over themselves. Rhapsody waited patiently, her large eyes full of kindness as she gazed up at Tiffany. She finally shook her head and blinked several times before starting over.

“Rhapsody?” she said in a reverent voice. “You’re really real?”

“I’m really real,” Rhapsody confirmed with a nod. “Do you need any help with anything? What were you coming outside for?”

“Outside?” she repeated in a dazed voice. “Oh, um, I was going to get the balloons from the car and tie them to the mailbox.”

“Say no more,” Rhapsody sang with a gesture at the car, then another gesture at the mailbox. Harmony felt the buzz of magic in her bones and the balloons vanished from the car, then reappeared tied to the mailbox.

Tiffany goggled at the display, her face taking on the appearance of a fish out of water.

Harmony bit her lip as she tried to avoid laughing at Rhapsody’s antics. She decided to take pity on the poor woman. She walked up behind Rhapsody and gave her best friendly smile.

“Hi, Tiffany, it’s nice to meet you,” Harmony greeted the floundering woman. “Serenity’s been so excited to come to Susan’s party. Thank you for inviting us.”

Tiffany looked at Harmony and gasped. “Harmony? You’re the author of—of—of...”

“Yep, that’s me,” Harmony agreed with a nod, her smile never faltering. “Is there anything else we can help you with?”

“Um, I don’t think so?” she made is sound more like a question.

Harmony heard another car pull up to the curb and turned to see a small economy car in front of the house. The woman in the driver seat was staring up at the porch in disbelief as her daughter quickly exited the car and ran toward them.

“Mom, is anyone here yet?” a girl’s voice asked from inside of the house. When her mother didn’t reply, the girl came to the door and gasped in surprise. She was several inches shorter than Serenity and had shoulder-length brown hair. She was a little hefty and had chubby cheeks. Her brown eyes stared at Rhapsody in delight as she looked down at the fairy.

“You must be Susan,” Rhapsody smiled up at the girl. “Happy birthday, Susan!”

“Rhapsody, you came!” Susan exclaimed, her mouth spreading into a wide smile.

“I love parties,” Rhapsody told Susan with a small laugh. “When Serenity said you had invited us, we were overjoyed. Is your mom going to be okay?”

“Mom, snap out of it,” Susan tugged on her mother’s elbow. “Come on in, please.”

Tiffany finally came out of her trance and blushed a sunset. “Yes, please come in. I’m sorry, I’m just a little flustered.”

“You’re totally fine,” Rhapsody assured her with a winsome smile.

Harmony followed them into the house. The front room was decorated with balloons and party ribbons. A large HAPPY BIRTHDAY sign hung from the ceiling between the dining room and front room.

Harmony had not been in very many other people’s houses before. She had spent all her time at her sister’s house when she wasn’t at school after Melody had Serenity. She had always been a loner, made worse by her synesthesia making social interactions awkward. She was just glad that nobody in school had ever found out about it. As cruel as kids could be, she would have been mercilessly tormented. She had spent most of her time in imagination land or reading.

“Wow, this place looks awesome,” Rhapsody declared enthusiastically. “Your mom rocks, Susan.”

“Uh, yeah, thanks Mom,” Susan said weakly. “The place looks great.”

“So, what’s the agenda for today’s party?” Rhapsody asked eagerly. “Are we going to do any games, or is twelve years old too old for that kind of thing?”

“We have Twister and Croquet set up in the back yard,” Susan answered for her shell-shocked mother. “We were going to play Cards Against Humanity.”

“The family edition,” Tiffany added quickly, glancing at Harmony and smiling before her eyes darted away.

“I’m so getting in on a game of Twister,” Rhapsody announced with a confident grin. “I’m the undefeated champion. One of Declan’s nephews almost beat me once, but leprechauns have a habit of trying to tickle you, which I call cheating.”

“There are leprechauns inside the ring?” Susan asked, her eyes wide with wonder.

“Leprechauns, fauns, dragons, mermaids, sentient trees, and of course, a fairy,” Rhapsody answered nonchalantly. “The dragons have to stay up in the branches of Yggdrasil though—they're too big to land on the ground below without destroying things.”

Harmony stared at Rhapsody in surprise. She didn’t expect her to tell them all about what existed inside of the circle. As she thought about it, though, she realized it didn’t really matter. Nobody was going to get past Rhapsody to bother any of them.

“That is so freaking cool,” Susan exclaimed, her eyes staring into space as she imagined all of the fantastical creatures. She turned to Serenity, her eyes intent. “Have you ever seen any of them?”

“Yeah, I’ve seen all of them,” Serenity admitted after a glance at Rhapsody. “We just met four new leprechauns today. They’re even shorter than Rhapsody and they have the coolest dialects.”

“You are so lucky,” Susan sighed enviously.

The girl that had arrived while they were on the porch had followed them in, along with her mother a minute later. They were gawking at Rhapsody and Harmony with wide eyes. Harmony remembered that her face looked more fairy than human now.

“Oh yeah, Mom,” Susan waved at her mother. “Go get that book you wanted signed.”

Tiffany blinked, her wondering eyes slowly returning to the present and looking at Harmony hopefully. “Oh yeah, um, if you wouldn’t mind?”

“Of course,” Harmony agreed, keeping her expression clear of her distaste for the practice of book signings.

Tiffany hurried off to her room, looking back at them as she went, as if she needed to convince herself they were still there.

Harmony had a strong sense that her mischievous fairy was enjoying this way too much. As the thought occurred to her, Rhapsody grinned and winked at her. Harmony snorted a laugh, shaking her head ruefully. There were no secrets with Rhapsody around.

“Hi, I’m Amber,” the new girl said shyly as she stepped up to greet Rhapsody.

“Hi Amber,” Rhapsody smiled warmly. “It’s nice to meet you. And yes, I can fly.”

“Can you hear what I’m thinking?” Amber asked in amazement.

“Yep, she can,” Harmony assured her with a resigned sigh.

Amber’s mother’s eyes widened at that revelation, her face suddenly looking guarded.

“Would you like to see?” Rhapsody asked Amber expectantly.

Amber nodded her head, her eyes full of anticipation.

Rhapsody’s wings began to glow brighter and a moment later she rose up into the air until her head was near the ceiling.

“There, now I’m the tallest one in the room,” Rhapsody announced triumphantly. “I’ve been surrounded by giants ever since Harmony, Mystery, Serenity, and Joline showed up.”

“We all know who the real giant is,” Harmony remarked dryly.

“Quiet, you,” Rhapsody commanded with a wink.

She floated back down to the floor as Tiffany returned to the front room. She saw the book Tiffany was bringing to Harmony and grinned.

“That’s one of my favorite books too,” Rhapsody told her brightly. “You have great taste in books, Tiffany.”

Tiffany tittered nervously as she tentatively handed the book to Harmony. She had forgotten to bring a pen.

“Rhapsody, I don’t suppose you have a pen in some nebulous pocket dimension somewhere?” Harmony asked with a raised eyebrow.

“It just so happens...” Rhapsody’s playful eyes grew brighter for a second and then a pen appeared in her hand. It was a heavy golden pen that didn’t have an ink cartridge. It looked more suited for calligraphy than book signing.

“Do I dare to ask where the ink comes from?” Harmony asked in amusement.

“It’s a magic pen,” Rhapsody shrugged, the playful sparkle in her eyes never dimming. “Be careful what you write with that pen.”

Harmony paused as she took the pen from Rhapsody, narrowing her eyes. She decided to take Rhapsody at her word and stick with a simple autograph, rather than a message. She opened the book to the title page and quickly signed her name before handing the book back to Tiffany. The other woman took the book with trembling hands.

“Thank you, Harmony,” Tiffany effused with a grateful smile.

“I’d hang on to that book for a long time,” Rhapsody suggested with a smirk. “I doubt there will ever be another book with her signature again.”

“You’ve got that right,” Harmony thought dourly.

“Chin up, Harmony,” Rhapsody’s voice appeared in her head. “You’ve done a good deed here today. Tiffany’s going to be the talk of the town for weeks to come.”

“So, who’s up for a game of Twister?” Rhapsody asked, eyeing Harmony challengingly.

“You’re on,” Harmony grinned back at her. She didn’t bother saying out loud how much fun it would be to tie herself in a knot around her fairy—there were kids present.