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In Pixie Hollow, there are many fairies. Dust fairies, the ones who manage the pixie dust and deliver it across Pixie Hollow. The Tinker Fairies build and create all the tools that make a fairy’s life easier. There are Garden, Light, Wind, and Animal fairies. But those are just the warm fairies. Those fairies cover the warm seasons of Spring, Summer, and Autumn.
Across the border, there is Winter. That is where the cold fairies live. There are Snowflake fairies, Frost fairies, Glacier fairies, and many more. Winter Animal fairies and Winter Scribe fairies. Yes, there's a place for every fairy in Pixie Hollow. I'm sure you're wondering why some fairy jobs have Winter in front. Cold fairies are not allowed to interact with Warm ones.
When a warm fairy crosses the border, their wings– ever delicate little things–will freeze and eventually snap into pieces. For cold fairies, their wings will warm up and melt, getting so soft they tear from the weight. And a fairy without their wings, can't do much. It doesn't matter how much pixie dust you get, a broken wing is unfixable.
Hiori found him yawning as he listened to the old fairy. He was a snowflake talent. Why did he of all fairies need to know about the border? His job was in the Frost Forest. It was rare he'd even leave his workshop, much less be near the border of the warm seasons. Hiori was quite content to stay with the snowflakes or glaciers. You could even visit the pixie dust spout and get a bit of a boost in flight. He wasn’t one of those curious fairies who needed to see everything. But if that were true, he wouldn’t be following after the Animal fairies as they prepared to collect their charges.
In theory, he knew what was going to happen. The cold and warm animal fairies would stand on their sides of the border. They wouldn’t touch the bridge or near the borderline, only guide and coax the animals across. The animals would get their winter coats and after all had crossed, the Winter Animal fairies would take care of them and help them begin the hibernating process. It shouldn’t take long but Hiori’s heard how some animals were fussy. It was why they worked in pairs on the Winter side.
Hiori flew a bit behind the Animal fairies. He saw them settle down next to some bushes chatting as they waited for the warm fairy. Eventually, from his perch on a snowy branch, Hiori saw the warm fairy. Cold fairies all carried cooler tones. Silvery blues and whites. Black and heavy blues. Their skin lacked warmth, chilled to the touch. The warm fairies in comparison carried the sun inside them.
The warm fairy Hiori saw had reddish hair and wore autumn leaves. Some distance behind him was another warm fairy. He was playing with some of the foxes, flying around them as they jumped at him. The fairy looked younger than the redhead. He had dark hair with a honey-yellow undertone. They chatted politely with the cold fairies though Hiori couldn’t hear what they said. As the animal procession began, he watched as the animal’s warm brown and red coats turned to snowy white fur. It was enchanting to watch. The border was something he always knew to be real. There wasn’t doubt to that but to see it work was something else. To know that all that prevented his wings from falling apart was just a bridge and a river.
The sound of a branch snapping caught his attention. It was a faint sound, one he barely heard over the sound of animals jumping through the border. It forced his head to look away from the main bridge. To the left of him, the river continues down to a little waterfall, there are large rocks that could easily be jumped across. Faintly, he could see other animals but most notably he saw another fairy—a warm one dressed in a coat and boots with cotton and stray animal fibers lining the insides. The warm fairy had his wings covered by the jacket and for a second Hiori didn’t understand why. Then he saw them jump along the rocks and cross the border. The animals smiled at him, warm sounds jumping out of their mouths.
They followed after him jumping across the rocks before attempting to leap onto him. The warm fairy’s body shook with laughter as he avoided falling into the snow. He grabbed an icicle and began to settle the young animals down. Hiori watches how the animals, despite their excitement of crossing the border, jump at every sound. They followed after the fairy and Hiori found himself joining them. He flew above them, hiding in the trees whenever he got too close.
The warm fairy was perceptive.
Too perceptive maybe. He could see how the warm fairy would watch the trees while walking. It was hard to make out details from where he flew but the dark hair that peaked out from the jacket hood would bounce with every turn of his head. Hiori tracked the warm fairy as he visited different cold fairies and gave them his animals. It was only when the warm fairy got back to the border did he say anything. He jumped back over the rocks, careful not to slip on the icy wet stones. Hiori expected the fairy to take off the jacket or even just take off the hood. He did neither, rather he stood at the edge of the river and stared into Winter.
“You can come out now.” He spoke to the air. His hair covered his eyes but Hiori knew he was staring into Winter looking for him. The warm fairy sighed as he turned his back to the Winter Woods. “You know, us animal fairies have a stronger sense of smell and hearing compared to other fairies. It makes us good trackers.”
Hiori was silent as he processed it. He fluttered his wings a bit as he slipped out from the icy, frost-covered branches. Pixie dust fell from his wings as he flew down. He let his feet crunch into the snow as he neared the border. The cotton-lined leaf boots left footprints with every step. Hiori watched as the warm fairy took off his jacket revealing the layers he wore underneath. When he finished he was back in the usual attire for the warm fairies. A sleeveless tunic and long pants that fell into boots. The warm browns and oranges suited the boy’s skin tone. It was obvious he was in the sun, a light tan was spread across his skin. He looked warm . They stood there silently staring at each other.
“Um… Hello?” Hiori spoke quietly. His voice barely traveled over the rushing stream but it was hard to be loud. He felt as if any sight noise could shatter this illusion. “You weren’t supposed to be in Winter.”
“No, but my job is done better like this.” The warm fairy spoke with an aloof tone. He hopped across the stones, stopping just short of the border. “You saw me. It was quick and efficient.”
Looking at the warm fairy, Hiori’s eyes drifted down to the stone he stood on. On the warm side, the water rushed around them, splashing at the warm fairy’s feet like a friend. Yet, on the cold side, there was nothing but ice. It clung to the rocks like a second skin covering them completely. They were slippery and Hiori knew he could hover over them but looking at the warm fairy, he didn’t want to. The warm fairy stood on the wet rocks without fear. He jumped down, catching himself as he landed. “What’s your name?”
“Niko Ikki. Yours?”
“Hiori Yo. How often do you go in Winter?”
The warm fairy, Niko, paused for a second. He jumped from stone to stone before humming to himself. “I’m not sure. Once or twice I suppose. Start of hibernation and end of hibernation.”
“I thought Warm fairies couldn’t handle Winter’s winds and snow?”
“Well, I can’t go into Winter dressed like you.” Hiori’s eyes were drawn to Niko’s wings. The wings were slender with leaf-like lines swirling throughout. There looked to be animal whiskers and insect antennae littered throughout the wings, glittering with pixie dust. Dust fell every time Niko moved his wings. They looked to be healthy. Not brittle like his guild head said would happen to warm fairy wings.
A question grew on Hiori’s tongue but before it could grow legs and escape a voice called. “Ikki! Where are you!” It was a faint voice, coming deep from the Autumn Forest. Niko turned to the sound quiet before looking back to Hiori. He waved goodbye and jumped across the stones. He took his coat and things before disappearing into the forest. Hiori was left standing alone on the icy stones.
He couldn't explain why but he was drawn to the border. His hand pushed through and immediately he felt the warmness that would supposedly melt his wings. It wasn't Winter's icy chill and cold breezes. It was softer. There was something about it that made Hiori want more. Soon it was more than just his hand across the border. It was his arm, his face, and his leg. He was close to just jumping across the border, he wanted to experience their warmth and know what made them love it.
Snow crunched behind him, freezing Hiori in place at the sound. “Hiori Yo. What are you doing…?” The snowflake fairy took a step back. He wasn’t sure what came over him, a sudden surge of curiosity that felt so foreign. Turning around he saw a familiar face. In Winter, there were a variety of different fairy organizations. Hiori was a snowflake fairy and some of his closest friends were also snowflake fairies.
This one, however, Isagi Yoichi, was not. Isagi was one of the few Winter scribe fairies. Bookkeeper, notetaker, historian, whatever you want to call it. He was going to be in charge of the Winter Library one day. It was just a shame that Isagi was one of the nosiest people he had ever met. Perhaps it was his talent's nature to know everything about everything that pushed him to act like this. The warm fairy flashed in his mind as Hiori collected himself, he smiled at Isagi, fluttering across the icy stones back to the snowy forest. Isagi stood there with wide eyes, his hands clutching a bag he wore on his shoulder. “You were trying to cross the border…”
His voice was a slight whisper as Isagi processed what he saw. Hiori was quick to dart over, stopping just before he hit Isagi. “No. No, no, no, no it’s not like that.”
“Explain. Talk and walk.”
“Ah- Fine.” He let his wings droop as he sunk into the freshly fallen snow.