"Vira…" She heard a voice call her name from the darkness.
"Sister, please answer," it pleaded. "Let me know you are alright!"
She opened her eyes. Never in her life had she been assaulted by a godchild before; even at times when their faith wavered and all hope seemed lost, the most they'd ever do was shout in frustration. Maybe mumble a curse, never more than that.
So, as she lay alone and hurt in the alleyway dumpster, watching white clouds swim through a clear blue sky, she couldn't stop the tears from welling in her eyes.
"Vira? Sister, please respond."
Vira heard Aqwyn's voice and looked around. Among the nylon bags, discarded food, and filthy juices, there was a broken mirror leaning against the alley wall.
"Vira!" A relieved smile came across the royal headmistress's face. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Well, I'm not okay," she moaned, jumping off the dumpster and wincing as her small red shoes landed in a pool of filth. "I'm not okay at all, not even one bit!"
"Why? What's wrong? You aren't wounded, are you?"
"What's wrong? Isn't it obvious?" she cried. "You've seen him."
Aqwyn sighed. "Sister, you haven't even started yet."
"Exactly, and things already look so grim. He is hopeless, Headmistress; truly hopeless."
"You knew this from the start; we all did, which is why—despite your terrible crime—we are all wishing for your success. Nothing has changed."
"No…" Vira wiped away her tears and sniffed, then wrinkled her nose as the stink of rotten fruit entered her nostrils. "I suppose you are right, but… when he said all those things… I was starting to think that maybe… I was starting to hope…"
"I understand, Sister," Aqwyn said. "I wish I had more time to prepare you for this task, so you would know more about this world. But there is too much to tell, and I have other duties to attend to.
"What I can tell you is this: The Oathless are known for the depraved and warped way in which they view reality. Do not take anything he says for granted, and do not forget who you are!"
Vira pursed her lips. Right, she thought to herself. I am a Sister of Chivalry; I won't back down, nor give up, not without a fight… even if it means I have to fight my own godchild.
"And most importantly, Sister…" Aqwyn added. "Do not forget what is at stake."
That made a pit form in the fairy's stomach. She couldn't give up even if she wanted to; she'd have to make a proper prince out of the frog she had been given, or die trying.
"Thank you, Headmistress. I won't disappoint you, nor Her Majesty."
Aqwyn nodded and smiled. "Go with grace, Sister," she said, as her fractured image disappeared from the broken mirror, and all that remained was Vira's own shattered reflection. She nodded to herself, unfurled her wings, shaking away the filth, and looked up across the street to the damned apartment from which she had been thrown—and to the slumbering Oathless that lay within.
I won't lose to you, Oathless. She thought to herself. I will make you worthy of true love and help you find your Happily Ever After, whether you like it or not!
She flew toward his window.
***
Kai woke up at around noon, as was his habit, and checked his phone for any messages, of which there were none. He then began browsing through gaming news and various other social media apps.
About an hour and a half went by with him lying in bed before Vira decided to pointedly clear her throat.
He rose to a sitting position, alarmed that there was someone else in his room; then his jaw dropped.
"You!" he said, not quite believing his eyes, still holding on to the notion that all that had transpired only a few hours before was no more than an outlandish dream.
"Good morning, Oathless. I trust you slept well?"
He rubbed his eyes, still not believing… but there she was.
"I, for one, fell in a dumpster this morning, which does have a way of ruining one's day."
He fumbled for his glasses, without which he could see well enough, but as he put them on, the sharpness of the girl before him was suddenly rendered in a resolution all too real for him to ignore.
"Well? Aren't you going to apologize?" She leaned forward, seated on the edge of his desk, looking down at him. "Huh?!"
He blinked out of his stupor, realizing she was talking to him. "I'm sorry…?" he said absently, hoping she'd repeat her words.
"That's as good as I'm going to get, isn't it?" She crossed her arms. "I suppose it will have to do." She crossed her legs. "Now, why don't we start over? As I said before, my name is Vira—a fairy from the Sorority of Chivalry—and from now on, I'll be your godmother."
"My godmother? My fairy godmother?" He knew he wasn't dreaming; he had been awake for over an hour, and he also knew this girl wasn't normal, on account of her very realistic and alive butterfly wings and the faint reddish light that glowed around her. That left only one possibility—one conclusion that would explain all of it: he was hallucinating.
"Yes, that's exactly right. I'm sure you've heard stories about my kind before."
"Yeah, sure…" He raised his phone and took a picture of her.
"Then, you know that my mission is—as I stated before—to help you find true love and live Happily Ever After."
He posted her photo on the G.I. chat server, and the responses came almost instantly.
magic*k: 7
bestD: 8
machomacho: 7
hardstiff83: 7
pillar_of_the_cummunity: 6
nevermormon: 7
hardstiff83: wow @pillar_of_the_cumminity that's harsh
bestD: those wings look very realistic, who is she trying to cosplay?
babewatcher: i think she looks cute
pillar_of_the_cummunity: ur gay
Kai looked back up at her. She wore tiny red shoes with straps that wrapped around her pale, slender ankles. Her thighs were covered by the flaps of a rose-colored dress that was pulled tight around her narrow waist and modest bust. "Are you listening to me?" she demanded, her lips thin and raspberry-pink, her eyes a sparkling crimson-red, and her long raven-black hair flowing over her shoulders. "Well, are you?"
"You're… real."
"Of course, I'm real!"
"But… Ah…" he stammered. "So… you can do magic and stuff?"
"Of course," she touched her star-shaped ruby amulet. "Every fairy can, though I assure you my skill in wielding magic is far above—"
"What kind of magic?" He leaned forward. "What kind of spells can you cast?"
She hesitated. It wasn't customary for fairies to share details about their magic in this manner, but given the situation and how intrigued he seemed to be, she figured she could reveal some of her abilities. "Mostly Transmutation spells," she answered. "Such as Transmogrification, Personification, and Beautification, but I am also capable of—"
"Beautification!" He lunged to his feet, crouched like a tight spring, ready to jump. "So, can you make me super attractive?"
"Huh?"
"Like, buff and muscular, with a square jaw, and cool hair, and—"
"Well, yes… but—"
He threw his hands up. "I am saved!"
"Hold on—"
"I am delivered!"
"It's not that simple."
"Of course it is," he pushed his glasses up his nose. "I've got it all figured out. All I need is for you to cast your spell, and I will find myself a girl in no time."
"Really?" She floated off the desk, swept up by his confidence. Then she remembered what Aqwyn had told her. "Oh, I don't know…"
"Trust me," he gave her a thumbs up, but she didn't seem convinced. Just asking wasn't going to work… he would have to provoke her into it. "Unless, of course, it's impossible."
"Huh?"
"It's alright," he raised a hand. "I get it…" He let out a sigh and lowered his head. "I guess…" He pushed his glasses up and feigned a sniffle. "Even magic cannot fix my ugliness."
"Oh…" she frowned. "No… it's not that; it's just…"
He turned his back on her and slumped down in his bed, pulling the blanket around him—his cloak of misery.
She floated around to face him, but he refused to meet her gaze. "Oh… Um…" she let out a nervous chuckle. "I'm such a bad godmother; I forgot to ask your name."
His eyes rose to meet her. "Kai Holloway."
She nodded and smiled. "Well, Kai," she grabbed his blanket and flung it up in the air. "Cheer up!" She spread her wings, hands on her hips, posture straight and proud. "Because I'm about to show you what a fairy godmother is truly capable of!"