“There’s something I’ve been wondering about,” Isabella said as we approached Stonecroft’s north gate.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“How come I don’t see male pixies around?” Izzy asked.

“That’s a good question,” I replied. “I’ve seen a few, but never that many.”

“You tell them,” Lily and Willow said at the same time. Both giggled.

“It’s because the boys are always so busy sexing it up!” Yam said.

“What?” Izzy and I both asked.

“Female pixies outnumber male pixies 10 to 1,” Willow explained. “They can be quite androgynous too, so you humans might be able to tell us apart.”

“So, they’re always getting laid!” Yam cackled.

“They are not!” Lily retorted. “Why have you become so sex obsessed lately?”

“I would like to know too,” Willow added.

“I don’t know,” Yam shrugged with a huge grin on her face. “There’s something about Izzy’s boobies that brings it out of me.”

“I could have sworn we just had this conversation,” I muttered, fighting to keep the smile off my face.

“Yeah,” Isabella agreed.

Lily flew over to Yam and grabbed her face in both hands. My familiar stared into the other pixie’s eyes. Willow flew over and snatched Yam’s head away from Lily and stared into her eyes. The two familiars then looked at each other and nodded.

“You’re really taking this prank too far,” they told Yam at the same time.

“Spoilsports,” Yam huffed. Our familiars glared at their kin. Yam crossed her arms. “Ok! I promise I’ll stop this time, but don’t blame me when Jase never makes a move on Izzy.”

“And there it is,” I sighed and stopped walking. Izzy stopped too. “Look guys, I appreciate the concern about my romantic life or lack thereof. I’m not sure Isabella feels the same way, but she is my apprentice. There will be no moves made as long as I have that position of power over her.”

“Thank you. That’s remarkedly forward thinking for these parts,” Izzy said. “Most people don’t have issues taking advantage of their power over others.”

“My Jase read that on the network,” Lily stage whispered. Yam and Willow nodded in agreement.

“Tattletale,” I muttered. Lily shot me a grin.

“I’m going to see what’s going on in the village,” Yam announced before taking off. The rest of us just shrugged.

“Network?” Izzy asked.

“It’s one of those things we need to show you,” Willow answered.

“Ah. Anyway, don’t I get a say if I’m interested in Jase or not?” Isabella replied.

“Nope!” the pixies chorused. They then burst into a giggling fit. Isabella’s mouth fell open in shock, which made the giggling turn into full blown belly laughs.

“They’re teasing you,” I said. “You know you have full control of who you’re interested in or what you want in life. That said, you might not have full control of where you go or end up. Besides we’ll always be friends.”

“I like that,” Izzy replied shaking my outstretched hand and smiling at me. “It also sounds like personal experience,” Izzy remarked as Willow sent reassuring and loving feelings to her human. “I can feel a little of what you’re doing.”

“It takes time, but we’ll get there,” Willow replied. Lily and I nodded in agreement as Willow grinned mischievously. “We’ll all be friends and whatever happens between you and Jase in the years to come will happen.”

“Willow!” Izzy exclaimed.

“Just kidding,” her familiar protested.

“Honestly, if it wasn’t for Lily, I’m not sure where I would be right now,” I said returning to the previous subject.

“Probably homeless and half dead in a ditch!” Lily helpfully replied. My mouth fell open in shock.

“That was oddly specific,” Izzy noted as Lily sent loving feelings to me.

“And horrifying,” I added to giggles from my female companions. “Lily, I know you would never let that happen though.”

“You better after I made sure we got a house and a bunch of land for the rest of our lives!” my familiar replied to more laughter.

*

“Why are people staring at us and whispering,” Isabella asked as we approached the village square. The pixies shrugged from our shoulders.

“They’re not staring at us,” I said as I stopped.

“They’re not?” Izzy asked.

“No. They’re staring at you and Willow,” I replied.

“How do you know?” Izzy asked.

“There’s your sign,” I replied pointing to a large banner hanging between Simon’s shop and the building across the street.

“That’s a banner, not a sign,” Lily said.

“Smartass,” I muttered. Lily laughed and patted my cheek. Izzy’s and Willow’s eyes widened in shock as they read the banner.

“Congratulations on your bonding Willow and Izzy,” they read aloud.

“Congratulations,” Lily laughed.

“Thanks,” Willow replied.

“Uh, who did this?” Isabella asked.

“We did!” Yam answered from the roof to Izzy’s right. April, May, and a few other pixies cheered from the same roof.

“Was this necessary?” Izzy asked gesturing to the banner.

“That’s the wrong question to ask,” I muttered.

“She’ll learn,” Lily replied.

“Of course, it is!” the other pixies answered. Several villagers laughed.

“I still think it should have congratulated them on their wedding,” Lily said as she took flight.

“The wedding never happened,” Willow pointed out.

“I know,” Lily grumbled. “I almost had that achievement too.”

“No, you didn’t. You know achievements like that aren’t real,” Willow countered.

“They didn’t know that” Lily said, pointing to Izzy and me. Willow stuck her tongue out at Lily and shrugged.

“We do now,” I replied. Izzy nodded in agreement.

“What’s the meaning of this?” a feminine voice screeched.

“Speaking of spoilsports and tattletales,” Lily muttered. I coughed to keep from laughing. Lily and Willow giggled. The other pixies laughed as well.

“Hi Ama,” Isabella turned and greeted the older woman, failing to keep the smile off her face.