As I approach the stream trickling through this small meadow, it appears to me to be more akin to a river.The center looks too deep for me to stand, and the water is moving at a merry pace.I must be cautious as I don’t know how to swim, nor do I know if I’d even be physically capable of swimming anymore.Thankfully, I merely need to put my feet in the shallows and draw in its essence.
…
Yeah, sure, just walk up to it, a few simple steps.
…
Perhaps I don’t even need to move closer, I only need its energy.
…
…
…
I can’t do this!
“What is it, Aki? Your wings are trembling worse than a child drawn from the snow.”
“M-mum, I-I don’t think I can manage this one. T-the others weren’t terrible. I knew it was possible that they could go badly, but nothing certain. Some even seemed enjoyable from what I learned beforehand. But this, this one I know is capable of twisting me without my knowledge, and that with far less essence. And now you want me to flood myself with it. I-I know it will be useful to do, but…I’m a bit scared, mum.”
“Aki…” “Sis…”
What if st time was just a precursor to something far worse?It started mildly by keeping my attention on essences and magic.These I remember focusing on at the time I initially absorbed the water energy.But then it shifted my thoughts for no apparent reason into being the best toy I could for Emira!Who knows what this much will do to me!Will I even be able to control what I’m thinking about?I’m feeling sick to my stomach worrying about this.
“Ak’ri.”
Then I’m embraced by Nibi, again.
Agh!This stupid fairy!If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t be in this position!I know a rge portion of the bme likely resides with the older fairies, but even if she didn’t understand what she was doing, it doesn’t change the fact that this water fairy was the start of it all.And she’s not even helpful when it comes to her own choice of essence!If only she could talk, maybe she…could…
Hold on.
“Nibi?”
“Ak’ri, there, there.”
So that was her speaking!And now she’s patting my head.Then mum picks us both up.
“Remember, you’re not alone here. If it was truly dangerous, would Nibi simply watch you do it? From what I’ve seen of her and what you’ve told me, she seems to truly care for your well-being. It’s no surprise that her first spoken word is your name.”
“Sis, I don’t intend to be mean, but Nibi is a water fairy, and she doesn’t seem to have any issues with it. Could it possibly be not as terrible as you think? I mean, it is merely water.”
Yeah, sure, water that swishes around in my head, flowing through my thoughts and dragging them into its course!
“Ak’ri, there, there.”
*Sigh*“Okay, you can stop, Nibi. I’m alright.”
“Miep.”
Could I be overreacting?Possibly.This week has been incredibly eventful.To say I’m overwhelmed is a severe understatement.
Considering what I know about Nibi, the two of them may have a point.She has apparently kept her focus on me ever since we met, and from the first time I awoke as a fairy, she’s never wanted me harmed.That also means either she knows a secret that I do not, which wouldn’t be surprising considering her experience with it, or with that much water essence the focus does not shift as easily.Which means it should stay as whatever I think of first.Hopefully…
Maybe I should try directly asking this water fairy?She has been learning extremely quickly, it’s possible she could offer some advice.
“Nibi, could you tell me how you keep the water energy from controlling you?”
“Miep?”
“I’m concerned that it will be too much for me.”
“Miep? *ditiditiditi*”
Yeah, sure, that’s about what I expected. I don’t believe she even understands what I’m so worried about.Seems she considers the fact that I worry about this at all, silly.*Sigh*The knot in my belly still isn’t fading, but her ughter seems to have helped me calm down a little.She obviously doesn’t think I’ll have a problem.
Alright, I merely need to endure a few minutes, and then mum will tell me to switch back.With any luck, I’ll get some answers afterwards.
“Okay, I’ll try again.”
“Miep!”
Nibi faces the stream, and with a wave of her hand, the water flows upward towards us, coalescing into a ball of blue light that hovers in front of me.Having learned from my earlier mistake, I float up and allow mum to back away.Oh, one st precaution, just in case.
“Could one of you knock me on the head if I do anything incredibly strange?”
“Now that’s a request I will be gd to do, sis.”
“Gently, Talia. Remember I’m only this big now.”
If I’m actually going to do this, I’d best make certain I do it correctly.At least, correctly for what I know of the essence.Feeling for the blue light, I grasp hold of it from Nibi.Then brace myself for what I’m about to do.
…
…
“Come on sis, you can do this! My Big sister can’t be scared of a little water, can she!?”
That little brat!I can’t just let her tease me like that.Stop thinking so much Akari and just do it!
Not allowing myself time to falter again, I rapidly fill myself with the energy, while tightly focusing on my most pressing question.
What exactly happened with the water essence yesterday?
My fear fades.Not that it completely vanished, I am still aware of it, but it’s unimportant.As is this nauseating pressure spreading through me.
Memories begin flowing to the front of my thoughts.Any moment that water essence was my primary energy becomes crystal clear, along with the entirety of the incident yesterday, while all others fade a little.Everything I know that pertains to my question is eagerly waiting for me to peruse it.From the time with my experiment in the fairy gde to this current moment, it’s almost as if I can literally rewatch the events unfold in my mind.
And so I do.I must find why my focus changed.Examining memory after memory, I note every detail that could possibly be important.
“Aki, are you alright?”
“Yes, mum, just let me concentrate.”
I recall my thoughts concerning Nibi.She couldn’t have chosen me as her focus before meeting me, so she must have changed it at some point.My suspicion that it was caused by me saving her life may have some merit.Sifting through yesterday’s events, I search for anything simir that happened to me.Was I ever in serious danger?
There!
When Emira-
“It’s been a couple of minutes already, and you’ve only hovered in pce, are you sure-”
“Yes, mum! Now shut up!”
Where was I?Oh yes.Immediately before Emira grabbed me for the first time in the toy shop, I was absolutely convinced something terrible would happen if I was discovered.My life depended on me not moving.So I instructed myself not to, which led to my subsequent actions.Then when she wanted to py dress up with me as a doll, I felt threatened once more, and gave myself an alternate command.
The focus for water energy seems to shift whenever one feels quite strongly that it absolutely must do so.Thoughts alone have no apparent effect.My attempt to shift my focus to our shopping trip was unsuccessful.Meaning it is less about my thoughts and more about my true desires, my absolute need to do something.Although, the amount of essence I hold may py some factor in the ease of it changing.
So, the answer to my question is that while under duress, I decided to follow my first viable course of action, which then became my focus for a time.Yes, that sounds accurate.
…
Now what should I do?
“Sis, sorry to interrupt, but you said not to leave you like this for too long.”
“Oh, hello, Talia. It’s not a problem. Did you want something?”
“Um, that wasn’t how I thought you’d answer. How are you feeling?”
“Rather ill, actually. Are you growing your hair out longer? I didn’t notice before.”
“Well, yes, a little- Wait! If you’re feeling unwell, you should take in something else now.”
“If you say so, sis.”
So I nd on the forest floor and draw in wind essence with a small amount of earth, until I’m mostly banced again.
Oh, something’s wrong.This pressure, ugh, it’s too much!I feel awful!My limbs lose their strength, and I colpse to the ground.
“Sis!” “Aki!” “Miep!”
Years ago, before pa died, I remember mum made a feast for all of us.Such a rge variety of food and, of course, I just had to taste everything.You know that feeling one gets after extremely heavily overeating?Well, instead of only my belly, my entire body feels like that.As if every part of me was overfilled to bursting, with the exception of my wings.
Gah!If someone would’ve told me st week that I would miss the ability to vomit, I would have thought them mad.Now, I dearly wish I could relieve this nausea in any way possible.However, it doesn’t feel as if any part of me is capable of doing so.
Ugh, I can barely move.From what I can see of myself, there’s no outward change, but I feel so bloated I could explode.
“Aki, what’s wrong!?”
“Urgg, I believe I consumed too much.”
“Can’t you just put the water back, sis?”
Maybe?
“I’ll try.”
I focus the best I’m able, and attempt to create a waterball.Instantly, pain shoots through my body and explodes in my skull.
“Aaackh!”
“Aki!”
Never, ever do that again, Akari!
To make matters worse, everything now aches as well, the world is spinning, and even breathing hurts, which I cease doing immediately.Also, I haven’t felt this tired since I was human.Lately, sleeping has been optional for me, but now I’m incredibly exhausted.
First, I take one final shallow breath.
“I’m going to rest now, mum. Sleep off my meal.”
Then closing my eyes, I let blissful unconsciousness take me.