Author's note: Hello all.

As some people pointed, there might be errors in my chapters since English is not my birth language. Feel free to tell me where in pms or posts so that I may correct and edit them. I do strive to improve myself ^.^

On another note this is my first attempt at making a poll, let's see how it goes XP.

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In many ways, big and small, we are defined by the ties we have to those around us, be they of friendship, love, or even hate. Care for the lonely ones as if they were of your own blood, for how can one thrive without nourishment?

Translation of younglings’ lessons from the pixie language

The rest of Saturday went by without other incidents, although my mother took it upon herself to accompany Storm to the mall, squishing all my protests like so many bugs, since she couldn’t reach the policeman and was asked to call back Monday.

Swearing and pleading in sign language does lack the conviction a voice conveys. Besides, offending the one cooking most of our meals would be a very bad idea when that one has mom’s “get even” streak. I didn’t want to watch out for stray peppers or eat all the foods I can’t stand for a week straight. There is being brave, and then there is stupidity.

She probably wanted to grill him a bit more, check his personality before letting him work at the pub, after his “kill 'em all” little speech. It wouldn’t do to have the hired help poking holes in our customer’s innards whenever said customers got drunk enough to have their mouths bypassing their brains.

I think she also went to avoid awkward questions about her parents, considering how curious we were bound to be. I knew better than to ask though. She wouldn’t answer until she was ready to talk about it herself, so pushing her would only delay getting her story. We would know when she would want us to, not a second before.

I was left home to train my pitiful meditating skills, under the light supervision of my father, who was at the same time competing with my sister on a racing game. I could attest that a sulky mood is not conducive to productive meditation. But then, in my case, I rather doubt anything is conducive to meditation.

I irritably squished the mosquito biting my ankle, peeved by the whole situation. It was one of those moments when every little, or not so little thing one had to endure comes up to light, crystallizing in a single moment, in a single incident, bearing the brunt of the accumulated frustration.

I didn’t notice the accumulation of pressure around us until Uriel’s frantic voice reached my ears.

“Abigail! What do you think you are doing?”

The air calmed down as soon as I let go of my breath, pressure dissipating as if it wasn’t even here in the first place.

“What was that? What did I do?”

“From what I could see you were manipulating an enormous amount of energy, enough to annihilate a small sized town. What were you thinking about?”

“…how useless and annoying mosquitoes are?”

“Ever heard of not swatting flies with a hammer? You might have erased mosquitoes as a race from existence.”

“I don’t see how I could have; I wasn’t even aiming anything at one.”

“Didn’t I tell you how imagination have power? Wishes are a part of imagination too.”

“So now I even have to watch my every thought to avoid disasters?”

“Not your every thought, mainly when you try to meditate or sing power. Parasite thoughts or wishes can change the outcomes you try to reach drastically. With your amount of raw power, a strong enough wish could manifest itself independently. In this case, obliterating every single mosquito in the world, creating an ecological disaster.”

This opened a whole new array of possibilities I’d need to consider seriously. I wondered if my father realized the possible implications of what he just said.

A squeal came from the living room:

“Annnd WIN! You are so disqualified from the race!”

“You cheated shrimp! I was busy with your sister; see how I’ll flatten you in the next one!”

“Ah! Come if you dare, I’ll show you my superior driving skills.”

With a sigh I dived back into my pathetic attempts of meditation for the rest of the afternoon.

Mom and Storm came back home for dinner, laden with so many bags Storm almost disappeared under them. Storm had the “rabbit trapped in the headlights” expression most healthy males get when compelled to follow a woman in clothing stores. Too bad I didn’t get to watch the actual event.

She also had taken care of the bed issue while she was at it, leaving Uriel free of searching for a good ID papers forger. Apparently it would be delivered Monday afternoon, so no need to locate a truck to get it either.

After dinner my father left us to search the seediest part of the city for contacts, while we enjoyed a quiet evening at home. We had taken to spend time in the garden after dark, looking at the pixies in their real form chasing each other around the lilac tree.

I might have to move the crystal vine though, since it had a faint green glow resembling that of a firefly. Our walls were high enough to hide the pixies in mice form, and they had their illusions to hide their true forms, but an elongating vine high enough to reach my window might be a bit too much.

When we decided to turn in for the evening, Uriel had still not come back from his hunt. I only relaxed when I heard him coming up the stairs near dawn, although I would never admit to it.

He had been really quiet since the abduction attempt, only the imp managing to make him smile, and still was at breakfast. His brooding mood lasted all of the car trip to the sea, even Kate’s antics barely enough to get a weak smile out of him.

After a whole hour of looking at his bereaved countenance, I was ready to kick him in the water just to get a reaction. A sulky old man in a brat’s body was decidedly annoying. I discreetly signed to mom:

“Can you keep Storm and Kate busy for a bit?”

After an imperceptible nod, she dragged the two along in search of clams, leaving us alone.

“So, care to tell me why you look like someone attending a funeral lately?”

A ghost of a smile fleetingly appeared on his features.

“Oho, would my un-cute daughter start to care about her old man?”

“As you told me Father, you truly are like mold, un-killable, un-shakable and growing on one’s heart as soon as one stops paying attention. You’re a hard man not to like, as much as it pisses me off.”

We looked at the three puttering along the shallow waters for a while, my father’s expression more relaxed.

“You realize it’s the first time you admitted I was your father?”

“Don’t gloat old man, it’s unbecoming of you.”

He sighed tiredly, tilting his closed eyed face to the sun. His voice was very soft when he finally spoke.

“I had a family once. A mate and two sons. Lost forever to power hungry human hunters, just to craft shiny baubles I could make with one hand tied behind my back. They would have loved it here, and my sons had always wanted a little sister to spoil. Now I found the daughter, but the sons are no more.”

“What were they like?”

“Mischievous brats always plunging head first in troubles. I swear I aged more getting them out of a disaster after another in their hatchling years than in all my other years combined. Once they even managed to run afoul of a whole nest of water elementals. The birdbrains had decided their pond was the perfect place to build a warm pool, but didn’t control the flame. Water elementals do not like their pond to boil.”

His face became more animated as he told me of more of my half-brothers’ antics. I couldn’t help but mourn with him the loss of those brothers I would never meet.

After a while he fell silent again, but this silence was of comfortable companionship, unlike the first one.

“Are you happy with us? I know you came to teach me, but we can work out something else if you are uncomfortable.”

“No, I wouldn’t give my spot in the house for anything. Not when I have a chance at family again, even if I don’t understand how it came to be.”

“You mean you haven’t puzzled it yet? You even gave me the answer yourself you know.”

His clueless look was priceless. Too bad I couldn’t snap a picture of it for blackmail purposes. Note to self, carry a camera or get a cellphone that lets one take pictures easier than mine.

“Enlighten me, o wise one. This lowly one thirsts for your teachings.”

“You made us.”

Realization appeared in his eyes, though still hazy.

“Explain.”

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think you were really lonely when you sent mom away.

It’s obvious to anyone with eyes you still love her, so I think you went to sleep so as to not see her grow old and die.

You went to sleep as the last of your race, and I can’t pretend to understand how alone it might have made you feel. Probably enough to make you wish for another of your kind with all your heart.

I don’t think you were planning to awaken again too, if I had not disturbed you.

You wished for a family, and a family you made. You kept tadpole me in mom’s womb alive long enough to turn into a baby bird. You told me yourself that sometimes a wish strong enough could manifest itself, and I know that you’re way more powerful than me.”

“It shouldn’t have been enough to create a phoenix…”

“Who knows, maybe you had some help?”

“A nature’s god obviously wouldn’t want to see the world he nurtured go to waste…and you do have a blessing from one…I’m sorry Abby.”

The change of pace caught me off-guard.

“And why would you be sorry?”

“My selfishness made you a target, and will separate you from your loved ones with the passage of time, yet I would do it again in a heartbeat given a choice.”

That stupid, stupid man who wouldn’t even meet my eyes. For such a smartass he could really miss the obvious stuff.

“There are worse things that being young and pretty for an eternity. Besides, haven’t you noticed yet? For someone arguably very intelligent you can really be dense!”

Ah! His turn to be caught flat-footed. Boy, did I like teasing him instead of the other way around.

“You’re enjoying this aren’t you?”

“Very much so, thank you very much.”

“I’ll bring everyone to the Ice Garden before we get home tonight. My treat. Now tell.”

Getting treated to the best ice creams of the city was a nice perk of the teasing job. Definitely worth my time. I got up, dusting the sand off my butt.

“Then, food for your thoughts. Haven’t you noticed yet that mom looks exactly the same as when I was a baby, over twenty years ago? Not just well aged, but the exact same.”

I smirked, then sauntered away, leaving my flabbergasted father open-mouthed in the sand.

“Don’t forget the ice cream old man!”

Now, time to enjoy the view. Swimming trunks are such a nice invention. Yup, yup, there were perfect abs hidden under the clothing, maybe I could try selling pictures on the internet? I would make a fortune!

On the other side of the breakwater, Margaret’s smile was radiant. What was there, not to be happy about, on a day like that? Her loved ones were finding their places, the family was expanding, and the sadness that had been rampant since the attack had been dispersed.

She’d have to remember to look surprised when they would talk about the ice cream.

Quietly, she went back to the two people digging the ground in search of seashells. It wouldn’t do to have them coming after her and getting discovered eavesdropping.