The first rays of sunlight caressed Icasondra’s face with a warm touch. That was one of the problems of sleeping in a mostly open bedroom to take in as much moonlight as possible, the sun was ruthless when nighttime was over.

“Aww~” She let out a pleasurable groan as she stretched her arms.

Her body felt sore yet relaxed, yesterday had been the most eventful day in her life. It wasn’t surprising at all because in this remote village, who no one had bothered to name, didn’t occur many things. And getting kidnapped only to then be saved by a bloodthirsty shapeshifting creature was something unusual, to say the least.

Once she rubbed her eyes out of their sleepiness, she finally opened them, instantly blushing at the sight.

Alta was sleeping at her side, her lent dressing gown mostly removed, revealing her half-naked body. Yet that wasn’t what had made Icasondra redden. No, her visage was flushed with blood because the Blossomflame fairy was curled next to her and remembered doing the same.

How can I be so naïve and stupid? She kept the words to herself, fearing she might awaken the chimera. She’s walking catastrophe and I slept at her side! The Moonlight fairy could only be grateful that she woke up in one piece, or even awakened at all.

Icasondra took another look at the sleeping Alta. The powerful and violent chimera was defenseless in her sleep, but even in that state, Icasondra knew she had no hope of defeating her. Alta would need a single blink to decimate her, just like she had done with the two humans.

And yet, as she remembered the gruesome sight, Icasondra could not help but think of how cute the Blossomflame fairy looked in her sleep.

Cute? She exclaimed alerted.

She’s a monster! The fairy discussed with herself.

But a cute monster~ Her mind sang. Just look at that round face, the long and fiery hair, the peculiar wings unlike most fairies in the village, and those unprotected legs without anything covering them. Not even un-

“Stop!” Icasondra grabbed her head and thrashed it around. “Bad Icasondra, bad!”

Instants later, the fiery fairy retorted on the bedsheets and raised up with a tired look.

“Oh... sorry.” The Moonlight fairy apologized, blushing even harder after making a fool of herself. If fortune was on her side, Alta wouldn’t have heard her.

“Night’s over?” The chimera asked in a groggily stupor.

“Yes,” Icasondra said jumping out of the circular bed. “The sun has come out and a new day is upon us!”

“I see.” Alta expressed literally as she looked directly at the sun over the windows.

“You... you shouldn't look that close to the sun,” Icasondra added doubtfully.

“Why?” The chimera responded with her usual tilt of head.

“Because it can blind you.” The fairy almost rolled her eyes, but then remembered Alta wasn’t aware of that simple fact.

“Oh.” Alta removed her eyes from the star in the skies and blinked repeatedly. “That would be bad.”

“Yes. Yes, it would be.” Icasondra nodded in affirmation.

As the Blossomflame stood up from the bed, the dressing gown slipping off of her and onto the floor, Icasondra turned her gaze to the side, a hint of embarrassment resurging in her visage.

“Can you go down?” She asked. “I would like to change.”

Alta blinked twice in confusion, but promptly nodded, understating that Icasondra wasn’t comfortable with her looking. She may tell that she’s a female, but until yesterday she was a male. One can’t just change their gender. The fairy’s mouth fell a bit, trying to mussitate some words but didn’t. But Alta can. She can truly shift into anything, even other races' magic...

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Being deeply invested in her thoughts, Icasondra hadn’t realized that the chimera had already left for the living room. With a sigh, she dropped her dressing gown to the floor and stood inside her closet room.

She didn’t possess many clothes or any other trinkets to wear, but her house was big enough to accommodate luxurious and needless utilities like closet rooms. She donned another dress, identical to the turquoise one she had been wearing yesterday, but cleaner, as this one hadn’t had to undergo the same perils.

Besides her dressing gowns, dresses, and work clothes, only a pair of boots and her undergarments remained in the closet. And she only used the boots when it rained or had to help in the village. Fairies liked to have their feet au nature, as they seldom touched the ground.

She didn’t possess any talents like Aecansomdrys, so she didn’t have a job per se. That’s why she was so enthusiastic to get the bolt of silk to the village. Unlike Stillwater and Rootweaver fairies, she couldn’t help the community. Moonlight fairies could only make illusions, and she wasn’t especially powerful. She did some party tricks and was the organizer for the festivities of the village, but that job wasn’t exactly glamorous or important.

At least I’m not a leech, Icasondra stretched her tense wings, feeding her self-deprecation.

After getting dressed, she picked up the dressing gown and dropped it into the laundry basket with yesterday’s dress. She would have to bring the basket to a Stillwater fairy soon.

Icasondra got down and saw Alta who was sitting down before the table.

“I’ll make ourselves some breakfast and then we’ll go to Aecansomdrys’ shop.”

“What’s breakfast?” Obviously, the chimera didn’t know the word.

“It’s the first food of the day.” Hmm, no that’s wrong. “It’s the food you have when the sun has come out but it’s still a long wait until noon.” She corrected and went to the kitchen.

Icasondra herself loved blueberries and could eat them every single day and meal, but she thought it may be a bit abusive to feed only that to Alta, so she switched with some loaves of bread and jam...

“There’s no jam!” She screamed horrified, looking at the empty cupboard.

“Is something wrong?” Alta suddenly appeared from the kitchen door, having rushed after hearing her cries.

“Em, no don’t worry about it,” Icasondra confessed. “I’ve just noticed I’m out of ingredients, we’ll have to go to buy after picking up your dress. Go back to the table, I’ll bring some pieces of fruit.”

“Okay.” And the chimera disappeared away from the door.

But bringing only a piece of fruit would be lame... The Moonlight fairy was presented with a conundrum, but as she had nothing more than bread and fruits (and you don’t mix bread and fresh fruits) she had to do something else. So she cut some oranges and squeezed them into juice. Still fruit, but with a better presentation.

She brought to the table a bowl full of emerald-like grapes and two glasses of orange juice, then explained that to Alta.

“Hmm...” The chimera expressed with exuberant delight. “I love the crunchy feeling of these grapes.” And as she said that, she pressed another one on her teeth, violently popping.

Brief imagery of the chimera gnawing on teeth flashed through Icasondra’s mind, the thought making her ill. But she quickly moved away from such imaginations. She understood that Alta wouldn’t kill her now, at least if she maintained the status quo, but the visceral carnage she had committed when she had saved her... it lingered on her mind. And it weighed down on her.

Positive thoughts, Icasondra. Positive thoughts. She told herself. Aren’t you a fairy? Aren’t you supposed to be always happy? That was a superstition the humans commonly believed in, and it wasn’t outright wrong, though the ever-happy fae weren’t the fairies, but the pixies.

It didn’t take the two fairies a lot of time to finish the scarce breakfast. Icasondra was on autopilot, going directly to the outside door, only interrupted when she saw Alta grab her rags.

“What are you doing?” She asked alarmed.

“Wearing my clothes?” Alta tilted her head to the left.

“Those aren’t clothes!” Icasondra explained. “Just dirty fabric! For the love of the Lunar Triumvirate, just wear the dressing gown.”

“Didn’t you say those were inside clothes?” The chimera asked. “And we are going outside.”

“Well, yes...” She had said those words... “We can make an exception, I guess. They are far better than those tattered rags.”

“Okay.” Alta nodded and dropped the dirty fabric to the ground.

“Alright, follow me to Aecansomdrys’!” And the Blossomflame obeyed.

Last time they didn’t encounter many fairies outside because it was relatively late, now though, the early birds that were the fairies, walked (or rather, flew) across the village.

With great care, she guided Alta away from the eyes of the fairies.

“Why are we hiding?” She asked.

“Em...” It was difficult to answer. She couldn’t tell Alta that she wasn’t mentally prepared to show her to the village. “Well, we are waiting for you to get your dress, and showing yourself with that gown would be...”

“Indecent?” The chimera completed Icasondra’s phrase.

“Exactly!” The Moonlight fairy nodded vehemently, giving the Blossomflame fairy the reason.

I mean, there are far more indecent things, though...

Anyways, Icasondra had hidden them partially with her innate illusions. It wasn’t anything powerful, but it would make them harder to stand out. They were so weak that not even the incredibly sensitive chimera seemed to detect them.

In a matter of minutes, they had arrived at Aecansomdrys’ Perfect Snips, as her friend had lovingly called her shop.