"Whooo! This is awesome!" Trix yelled while riding on the eagle's back while making sure Pix doesn't fall out of the backpack that was sitting behind her. "We'll make it there in no time!"

"I won't be able to hold this transformation indefinitely," the bird spoke. "So far the longest I've been able to do it was for three hours. Then I will need to land and will have to rest."

"That's alright!" the fairy replied. "We'll just walk while you rest then! Or sit around a bit!"

About an hour into their flight, Pix finally woke up. He got so startled when he realized he was flying that he almost fell off together with the backpack he was in!

"Relax!" his partner calmed him down. "This is Velvet!" she patted the bird. "She will help us get you back home quicker! Isn't she nice?"

"You made contact with that girl?!" he exclaimed. "Are you out of your mind?!"

Trix sighed. "I knew you were going to react like this. Look, nobody will know. How are they possibly going to find out we made contact with a hooman?"

"Human!" the bird corrected her.

"Ah!" Pix jumped up. "This thing talks!"

"Of course I talk!" Velvet scoffed at him. "I'm only using a transformation spell!"

"A transfor-whatnow?" the fairy asked.

"A transformation spell is a spell that lets you take on a different form," the girl explained.

Trix smacked his head. "Did you learn nothing in cadet school?! You should know this!"

"I kind of slept through the elemental magics class," he admitted, chuckling.

"I'm glad to see you are doing better," the bird said.

"How's your leg?" Trix said, curious. She undid the bloody cloth she had wrapped over his open wound and looked at it.

Pix winced when she pulled it off. "Just...leave it!"

"I don't have any more healing water," Trix sighed after checking her pockets. "You don't happen to be able to use water magic, do you Velvet?"

"Not yet!" the girl chirped. "But I will one day, just you see!"

"I believe you!" the fairy smiled. "That doesn't help us now, though. Pix, looks like you will just have to not bleed out and die on your own, can you do that for me?"

"Ha-ha, very funny!" he rolled his eyes, while Velvet and Trix giggled.

"Oooh, you know what this calls for?!" the cheerful fairy yelled excitedly.

"What?" the eagle asked.

"Oh no..." the other fairy already knew. "...please, don't do that. It's really embarrassing."

"ONE LEG JOKES!!" Trix exclaimed and started laughing.

"She always does these stupid jokes that nobody but her finds funny," Pix explained.

"I like jokes!" Velvet turned her beak around a bit, eyeing them. "Tell! Tell!"

"Not these," Pix crossed his arms and looked away. "Trust me."

"Alright, alright! I got one!" her shrill voice filled their ears once again. "You know how they say you got up on the wrong foot if you're grumpy? I sure hope the ursa left Pix's good leg!"

She toppled over in laughter almost falling off the eagle's back. Velvet laughed as well.

"Please," her partner pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can you not?"

"They say I'm always one step ahead of you," Trix continued. "I guess I really am now!"

"Nooo, that's so bad!" he covered his face with his palms. "Please, contain yourself!"

"Yo, what did Pix's right leg say to his left leg? "Look at this guy! Talk about footloose!"

"Haha! That's funny!" Velvet said while laughing. Trix was dying at this point.

"No! It's terrible!" he pulled on his long ears in frustration. "For the love of the fairy queen can you please shut up?! You're driving me crazy!"

"I'd walk you crazy, but that's a bit hard to do now, is it?" she added while almost choking.

"Alina help me..." Pix sighed in resignation.

"I like you, Trix!" the bird announced after they got a little breather. "You're really funny!"

"See? Velvet loves me! Cheer up a bit, Pix! You're alive! Isn't that amazing in itself?"

The other fairy only grunted and crossed his arms, lying on the eagle's back. "Wake me up when we're back home, please..."

***

After an exhausting journey that took them almost a week, they finally arrived at the location Trix specified and guided them to. They landed one last time and Velvet reverted back to her usual human form. In the time they've been together Trix told her many things about fairies that she didn't know. For example, that their wings are made out of crystals and never stop growing.

And that they only leave their domain when going out to search for food or materials. The both of them were on such a mission right now that obviously went very badly for them. Velvet also learned that the fairies have a military force and that Trix and Pix are part of that force. Pix, of course, only rolled his eyes at Trix telling all of this to a human.

"Well, I guess this means goodbye then," Velvet said, sadness in her voice.

"Don't worry!" Trix exclaimed. "I'll see you at the next full moon right at this boulder!"

"WHAT?!" Pix jumped up on his one leg as he heard this.

"Whoops...you weren't supposed to hear this. Forget I said anything!"

"Do you want to get yourself killed?!" he yelled at her. "You can't be hanging around with a surface-dweller! If this gets out they're going to execute you on the spot for treason!"

"Relax, honey!" Trix hugged him and kissed his cheek. "I'm just going to talk to her a bit!"

"What if she brings others here?! What if she finds out where our home is?!"

"That's why I didn't make her bring us all the way there!" Trix defended herself. "I'm smart!"

"No, you're stupid for doing this!" he insisted.

"Velvet won't tell anyone about us! Right, Velvet?"

"Uhm...can I just tell my best friend Arianna?" the girl asked hesitantly. This was too amazing of a story not to talk about with her friend. At that moment, Velvet remembered. Oh no! Arianna! We've been on this hunting trip for several weeks and now I've travelled even further away from Talim! It's going to take another two or three weeks before I get back to be able to write to her! She's going to be worried sick about me!

"No, you can't tell your best friend!" Pix demanded. "You can't tell anyone, understand!?"

"Eh, relax!" Trix waved her hand. "If your friend is as nice as you and you trust her not to spread it further, you can tell her that you've met us! But nobody else, got it?"

"Got it," Velvet nodded, a look of worry on her face. She was now afraid what Arianna would be thinking back home. The way she constantly worries, she's probably panicking!

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Trix broke Velvet out of her trance, grabbing her partner's hand and taking off a golden bracelet.

"Hey, leave that!" Pix yelled.

Ignoring him, Trix handed the small item to the girl, who looked at it with wide eyes. "What's this?"

"These two bracelets are connected," Trix raised her tiny arm to reveal the very same bracelet on it. "While you have it, I can locate you wherever in the world you are! All you have to do is send off a distress signal! You do that by saying..." She flew up and whispered something into Velvet's ear.

"Are you joking right now?" the young witch raised her eyebrow.

"No, I'm serious...that's the phrase! Now go, some other fairies could fly by and see us!"

"You just broke so many rules that are stated in the code..." Pix only shook his head. "Let's get out of here before someone really sees us and puts us on death row for treason!"

"Don't be such a scaredy pants!" Trix mocked him. "Well, it was awesome meeting you, Velvet! See you at the next full moon! And thanks for all the help!"

She grabbed her husband's hand while she shouted this and the pair flew away. The young witch waved after them, smiling brightly. But a pit in her stomach started to build up as soon as they disappeared. She made new friends, but at what cost? Uncle Grogar was dead. And Arianna was probably already freaking out at the academy at this very moment.

"I need to get back to Talim and write to her quickly," Velvet mumbled and took on her eagle form again, rising up to the skies.

She flew as fast as possible and held her transformation for as long as she could, only making stops to sleep and catch herself something to eat. Still, it took her almost two weeks to get back to the hunting town, where the other hunters stared at her with wide eyes as she entered the guild. They had already written her off as dead. She was gone for almost two months and everyone immediately noticed something happened as soon as they saw no Grogar with her.

"What happened?" guildmaster Morgans asked her. "Where's Grogar?"

"He's...he's dead," the girl replied, her face darkening once again as she remembered her loss.

"Grogar's DEAD?!" the skinny man dropped the glass he was holding.

Almost the entire Hunter's Guild stood up with him. "Grogar's dead?" they whispered among each other in disbelief. None of them could really comprehend that the strongest hunter was no more.

One of them walked up to Velvet and grabbed her arm. "So, the old bastard finally kicked the bucket, huh? That means you don't have your protector anymore, right? Guess it's time I pay you back for stealing all the good tasks from me the past few months!"

The girl grit her teeth as she felt tears sting her eyes again. She turned around and punched the man in his face full-force so that he stumbled back and fell over a table.

"Ha! A girl knocked you over!" the others laughed at him as he got back to his feet.

"I'll get you for this, you little bitch!" he growled and lunged forward at her.

Morgans wanted to intervene, but Velvet was faster. "Air Burst!" she yelled and extended her hand towards the approaching man, knocking him back with a powerful gust of wind. He flew over the room and bounced off the wall. But she wasn't done yet. Walking closer between the tables, she built up a ball of light in her hand and hurled it at him.

The Light Nova exploded and took out a good chunk of the wall and a table with it. The hunter was tough and still somehow stumbled back to his feet, drawing a knife. He was met with Velvet's outstretched palm, however.

"Light Blast," she spoke sternly and a beam of light enveloped him, pushing him back through the hole in the wall. When it dissipated, he was left lying out in the street, unmoving.

The girl turned around as if nothing happened and walked back to the counter, where Morgans awaited her with a fearful look on his face. In fact, all of the hunters in the guild sat back down when they saw her obliterating that man. This girl became someone else entirely under Grogar, it seems. No more was she the smiling child that came here unprepared and unknowing, naive and unaware of how dangerous these people can be. She was a woman now. A woman who doesn't allow others to walk all over her.

"Give me a glass of your strongest ale!" she yelled, slamming her fist on the counter. "And tell me if there are any letters for me. My friend is probably worried sick right now!"

***

20th of Ookayn, 53

"Arianna!

I'm alright! I'm so, so sorry for worrying you! Something indeed happened, but you'll be glad to hear that I'm completely fine. Uncle Grogar on the other hand.... he's.... he died, Arianna! You were right. I wasn't being careful enough. If even someone as experienced as uncle can get killed by this monster, it could have just easily been me. What should I do now? Should I just come back home? But I don't want to.... I still wanted to learn so much more from him! For now, I will just take some time off from hunting to clear my head. Again, sorry for probably making you get gray hair. I hope you are doing alright.

Love,

Velvet

P.S.

Oh, I met two fairies. Uncle was right – they are real. But I will tell you about it in another letter. I'm not in the mood right now."

3rd of Nokayn, 53

"Velvet!

Oh my gosh, you scared me half to death!! You're an utter idiot, you know that?! Sorry. I just had to get that out of my system. I'm very sorry about your uncle as well. Of course, to me it mainly matters that you are alright, but I know he meant a great deal to you. I hope he is resting in peace somewhere. You should honor his memory at least. He deserves it.

You've met actual fairies?! That's crazy! Are you sure you weren't just scared or poisoned? This means the stories might be true after all! Do tell me more about them when you get better...

Yes, please come back home! I am literally dying here knowing you're running around a deadly forest every day! I might actually get gray hairs from this! Please...come back. Haven't you had enough adventuring in one year?

Hope to see you soon,

a relieved, but still scared Arianna

P.S.

Being on the student council is super interesting! Well, it could have been even more enjoyable if a certain friend didn't leave me hyperventilating while I worried about her life! But I digress. There seems to be something off with the council president lately, though. He's been acting kind of strange..."

Thank you for reading this part of the story! Your loyalty is most appreciated!

Thank you for reading this part of the story! Your loyalty is most appreciated! [https://img.wattpad.com/d7db1c2dbb832fb592b86ffd5e4122c77568fbc1/68747470733a2f2f73332e616d617a6f6e6177732e636f6d2f776174747061642d6d656469612d736572766963652f53746f7279496d6167652f6b456873474865324855564f6f513d3d2d313238353837383431342e313732376336323331343330343538633432333639333037343934302e706e67?s=fit&w=1280&h=1280]

From 1 to 10, how annoying do you find Trix's jokes? Be honest.