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Odette and Nymphadora arrived from A'aru and Cedarfall mansion respectively to the Land of Sweets and Dreams to visit their oldest and mutual friend, Mellan Nicholas Steel. Sometime after Valeria and Cassim returned from visiting Drosselmeyer and Fritz, they had told Odette and then she told Nymphadora about Mellan and that he not only wants to see them again, but also to introduce his girlfriend to them. Accompanying them are Atem and the twins, and Magmus Mulberry.
Atem: I was surprised that your uncle allowed you to come with us, Magmus.
Magmus: I have been training someone new in making the pastries back in A'aru and Virginia is a fast learner.
Nymphadora: You are training a new person, Magmus?
Magmus: I still plan on working in the kitchen, and sometimes the family's chocolate factory, but I want to be able to spend time with you, Nymphadora.
Nymphadora: Ever since my birthday, we have been seeing each other, either at the factory or when I am visiting my cousin and her children.
Odette: Does that mean you two are officially dating?
Nymphadora: You can say that, Ette.
Magmus: Yeah, and my family are excited about it.
Lumina: You're close to our family.
Magmus: I work for your family.
Uri: So?
Magmus: Huh?
Nymphadora: I think the twins are saying that even if you are working for their family, they feel that you are a part of it.
Uri: Yeah!
Atem: We consider our staff, including you and your uncle part of our family, Magmus. Even if we are not blood-related, we all look after each other like family.
Magmus: I do notice that kind of dynamic at the Crystal Palace. I does feel like a family unit there.
Nymphadora: Maybe someday, you will be part of our family.
Magmus: (blushes) Well, only time will tell if that is going to be reality. I mean we do like each other now, but it could change later down the road....
Nymphadora: That's why I am not rushing into marriage. I am going to be taking its time and I know you will too.
Magmus: I agree.
Atem: Still, this mutual friend of yours...
Odette: You mean Mellan? It has been a while and for a time he has been training under Merlin, so I saw him only a few times and because of Grandpa Foster's spell, I didn't remember Nymphadora well to even answer any questions that he had about her.
Atem: Despite that, he remembers you two fondly and he seems to be happy with this Shimmer Lightblossom.
Odette: Something about her name is familiar, but I can't put my finger on it.
Nymphadora: (sees that they are approaching the Lollipop Valley train station) We are almost there and found out about Shimmer.
Sure enough, the train was just about to arrive at the station and when they arrived at it, they were greeted by two fairies, one of them that Odette and Nymphadora recognized as Mellan. The other fairy is a young lady around the same age as him with long purple and dark blue hair with a lilac rosette crown and dressed in a purple gown with a crystal flower broach and blue and green ribbons. Odette then remembers a human girl with the same rosette crown.
Mellan: Odette! Nymphadora! (hugs the two women when they stepped out of the train) It has been too long!
Odette: It has been several years.
Nymphadora: Very true. (looks at the lady fairy) You must be Shimmer Lightblossom.
Shimmer: That's right and I am glad to meet you, Nymphadora and to see you again, Odette.
Atem: You have met my wife before?
Mellan: You must Atem, Odette's husband and (sees the twins in the baby carriage) you two are Lumina and Uri, their children.
Lumina: Yeah!
Uri: Hello!
Atem: Yes, I am her husband.
Shimmer: We have heard of you, but haven't been to see either of you up close until now.
Mellan: (sees Magmus) Magmus Mulberry? From Mulberry's Chocolate Castle Factory?
Magmus: Yes, it's me and that's my family's business.
Nymphadora: I have been seeing Magmus for some time now.
Mellan: Currently dating each other. That's great.
Shimmer: Anyway, yes I have met your wife before, but not as this....
Nymphadora: “Not as this?”
Odette: You were a human girl, weren't you? Your original name was Anna.
Shimmer: (eyes widened) You remembered my old name and yes, I was human.
Odette: I thought something about you seemed familiar to me. I recognized your rosette crown, you were wearing it during a spring event in Ireland years ago when Mom and Dad was still alive.
Mellan: You did tell me that you were human before and had met Odette during a spring festival in Ireland, but nothing more than that.
Shimmer: Yes, well my past wasn't a pleasant one and when I met Odette, I was trying to find something to live for and not be a burden on someone.
Nymphadora: What do you mean?
Shimmer: (looks at Mellan, then looks back at the group) Follow us, we can talk more at the picnic spot.
Odette: Sounds fair to me.
Nymphadora: Same here.
The family and Magmus followed Mellan and Shimmer to the picnic area and saw that it was a clearing near a series of bushes of round lollipops. In that clearing there is a large blue blanket with a large basket of food, containing savory and sweet treats.
Nymphadora: Wow, you guys did this? You two didn't have to do that for us.
Shimmer: Maybe, but we wanted to make everyone comfortable and we can catch up.
Odette: That's very considerate of you guys.
When everyone arrived at the site and start settling down and then each of them start helping themselves with the food. As everyone were close to finishing the picnic was when Shimmer spoke about her past as a human:
When she was born, her original name was Anna and had a rare heart condition that made being able to play with other children difficult. Due to this heart condition and that her parents didn't want a child that was going to cost money for to be healthy, she was placed into a children's home. Although she was treated well by the people running it, no one wanted to adopt her because of her heart condition and the people running it couldn't afford to pay for the surgery to fix it. Anna wanted to be normal and play with the other kids, but running around would stress her already problematic heart and endanger her life. Due to her ailment, Anna required a lot of care and not everyone wanted to provide that care without complaining. It was because of some of the people fussing about her constant care that Anna started to feel like she was being a burden to everyone and wished that she could be healthy and be something to someone. One day, a wealthy family came to the children's home and adopted Anna, much to her surprise and despite being told about her needing constant care due to her heart condition. The family took Anna to a hospital and got her the surgery that she desperately needed to repair her heart. Although the surgery was a success, her adoptive parents didn't consider Anna their daughter because they ran a business and they needed someone to watch over the younger children and Anna was twelve years old. Anna was made to be a babysitter for these spoiled children and although she was given food and clothes, she wasn't treated like part of the family.
One spring day, Anna and the family were at a festival when they decided to leave her behind, leaving her alone among the crowds. It was during that time she was looking for the family was when Anna met a young girl around the same age as her named Odette and her parents, Sirius and Rosalie and they seemed to be dressed in fairy costumes. They offered to help her find her family, but they were unsuccessful. Odette and her family took Anna to the lost and found area before leaving to go home. While waiting for the man at the lost and found to contact the family, Anna happened to wander around the corner of the area and saw Odette and her parents fly!
Shimmer: That was when I realized that you and your parents weren't in costumes, but were the real deal.
Nymphadora: What happened to that family? Did they ever came back?
Shimmer: No. The man was able to get in contact with them, but they wanted nothing to do with me anymore.
Atem: Even though they were making you watch over their kids?
Shimmer nodded and then continued her story:
It turned out that their business was going through a tough time due to several lawsuits and they needed to cut costs somewhere. She wasn't consider part of the family and she was just an extra mouth to feed, so they decided to abandon her. The lost and found man contacted Social Services and she was put in their care for a while. The family wanted nothing to do with her and refused to come pick her up, so Social Services were making preparations to send Anna to a foster home. Not wanting to go to a home and ended up being used or be considered a burden, Anna ran away to the woods within Ireland. Remembering the stories about hidden fairy gateways in Ireland and seeing Odette and her parents flying, Anna continued to walk in the woods hoping to find a fairy gateway. While wandering in the woods, a storm was approaching and Anna had to seek shelter in the hollow of a tree. As she waited for the rain to lighten up, Anna saw a couple with wings on their backs. Anna realized that they were probably fairies and tried to follow them, but they saw her, following them. Before they could say or do anything, Anna told them that she was alone and was looking for the fairy world. The fairy couple were Light Fairies named Javan and Clairette Lightblossom and they saw something in her eyes and saw that she was indeed alone. The couple offered to take Anna to Fairyland and decide for herself if she really wanted to live there to which she accepted.
When she arrived in Fairyland, Anna stayed with the Lightblossoms during that week, where she had told them about her life and how she was made to feel like a burden or unwanted. Clairette then revealed that she too, had a heart condition that made things difficult for her, like wanting to have a child of her own. Though she wanted children, Clairette couldn't guarantee that she survive after giving birth, so she and Javan had hoped to one day adopt a child or find a means to cure her heart. Clairette did eventually get cured of her heart ailment, but it was revealed that Javan was infertile, so even if they did make love, they couldn't conceive a child of their own, so they decided to either give up on their dream to have a child or adopt one. Learning that another individual had suffered due to a condition similar to her own, Anna became closer to the couple. By the end of that week, Anna asked if she could stay with them forever to which the Lightblossoms asked her if she meant that she wanted to be their child and she answered yes. Javan and Clairette took Anna to the Spectral Castle where she met King Kellen and his sister, Lady Rosalie, the woman Anna recognized as Odette's mother. The Lightblossoms explained that they and Anna decided to become a family and if it was possible to become a fairy like them. Rosalie recognized Anna as the girl from the festival and was told of the events after she, Sirius, and Odette left and she agreed to changing Anna into a fairy.
Shimmer: King Kellen allowed Lady Rosalie to transform me into a light fairy like my new family. Afterwards, I asked my new parents if I could change my name, since I felt I was reborn and Anna didn't feel right to me now, so with their blessing, I renamed myself Shimmer, which means gleaming light.
Odette: Seeing me and my parents would eventually inspire you to try and find Fairyland....
Shimmer: Yes, I owe you, Odette. I was ready to just be part of some foster care system and be subjected to whoever I would have sent to and go through a cycle or either being loved or be used. After realizing that you and your family are fairies and remembering all that tales Ireland about our kind, I chose to take control of my life and find a purpose in life. When I took that step, I found my family.
Odette: I am glad to help you, even though I didn't know that you saw me. Mother didn't mention that you came here for some reason. Maybe I was training with Wynter at the time? It has been years.
Shimmer: It no longer matters, I am here now, having a better life than I did before and I have met a wonderful person like your friend, Mellan here.
Mellan: You see, Odette... You do have a special form of magic that brings people together.
Atem: That's for certain, considering that is how she is loved nearly everyone in Fairyland and her siblings have been restored to her and the rest of the family.
Nymphadora: Not to mention our part of the family reuniting after long last.
Magmus: Our family willing to work under her and the family, even though some of them are retired, like my Uncle Cynder. He really loves what he does and he knows that Odette and her family would not burden him.
Lumina: Mommy is the best!
Uri: Best mommy of all!
Odette: Thank you, everyone.
The group continued to talk and catch up with each other and by the time they said good bye to each other, it had become late and the family went back to their respective homes and went to sleep. As they were getting ready to sleep in their respective homes, Odette and Nymphadora were happy that Mellan has not only been doing well, but is happy with Shimmer, so they are hoping that their mutual friend's relationship with Shimmer continues to bloom.