“Oh no, not Mushroom Condo Village!” Fingle Daggadar Northstar said to his mother, Jin-Jangle Northstar, Fae-Mayor of Rushing Fairy Glen.

“Dear, you’ll have to live somewhere if you go off on your own.” Jin-Jangle said.

“But just look at them. Tiny, some of them are just barely taller than me!”

“Finn, darling, just live at home while you study toxicity eliminicity in Twist Trunk University.”

“Oh, mom, only dorkus fairistinkers live at home while they go to TTU.”

“I have a great little property leafside, just follow me,” The fairy realtor, Romantica Bellsvoice, said with a glittery smile, tucking her finder into her belt and zooming off, trickling fairy dust behind her, causing the grass to shine greener and the bees to fly faster.

Finn and Jin-Jangle zipped after her to a beautiful Japanese Maple Tower.

“They have a vacancy here, my dears, on the ground floor. You’ll have to room with a slug and a June Bug, but they are very friendly and quiet.” Romantica said, parting the leaves. A slug was clinging wetly to the leaf, and a June Bug was gnawing it. He stopped immediately, and grinned sheepishly with his cheeks full of red leaf.

The realtor tsked: “My dear, you soon won’t have a roof over your head if you insist on eating it.”

“This won’t do,” Jin-Jangle said shortly, after glancing at Finn. “What about that nice big maple over there,” she pointed out an older, more established community, with the sun glinting through the leaves.

“I’m afraid that doesn’t accept TTU students,” the fairy realtor sniffed, consulting her finder again. “Okay, this is the last vacancy I have today, follow me.” Off she zoomed, not even looking to see if Jin-Jangle and her son were following.

Soon, the fairy realtor led them to a dark shrub beside a tall Aisan lily.

“Oh, yes, I like the lily.” Finn said, finally feeling they were getting close to a good choice.

“That’s full, dear. A gather of honey bee fairies live there. I’m afraid it has a long waiting list. You can live here, under the yew bush.” Finn flew in to look, but he couldn’t see well, and he flew right into a badger, who snapped his teeth at Finn.

“Now, now, Razor Teeth, he might be your new neighbor. Be nice,” chided the fairy realtor.

“We don’t want any lightfoot hopping toads here, Romantica!” The fairy realtor hemmed and hawed, but managed not to guffaw at the Badger’s unflattering description of  Finn.

Jin-Jangle huffed and retorted, “I beg your pardon, my good Badger, I am Fae-Mayor Jin-Jangle Northstar, and this is my son, Fingle Daggadar Northstar. I’m sure he did not mean to bump into you; he was just slow to use his dark-sight.”

Finn retreated behind his mother, feeling less like a fairy-grown than he had in weeks. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. Clumsy of me. I hope you weren’t hurt.”

“I’m fine, but I don’t see how you can expect to live here when you don’t look where you are going.” Razor Teeth the Badger turned his back and stalked off, all offended dignity. Jin-Jangle sighed at his continued hostility.

“Sorry, mom. Next time, I’ll use my dark-sight, but I had no idea it could be so dark under the yew, when the lily is so bright and cheerful.”

“My dear, it was an accident. Don’t worry. Do you want to live there,” Jin-Jangle pointed to the moldy ground beneath the yew, marked by badger tracks.

“It also has a family of newts living here, so it will be a squeeze. Badger is a bit of a grump, but he hasn’t eaten any fairies yet.” Romantica said, smiling bravely. “And it’s this or the mushrooms,” she added.

“Let us think it over for a few days,” Jin-Jangle suggested when her son did not speak. “Let us know if anything new comes up.”

“I will, dear.” Romantica consulted her finder, and nodded sharply.  She zoomed off again, still spilling fairy dust, causing dragonflies to dance and roses to bloom.

Slowly, Finn and Jin-Jangle flew back to their home in the Elder Maple. They settled into their favorite crook in the tree, and kicked their feet, sighing from relief at resting their wings.

“I don’t know how Romantica has so much energy, going from place to place all day. She’s almost as busy as a bee fairy!” Jin-Jangle said with admiration. “I’m exhausted.”

“I thought Razor Teeth was going to eat me!” Finn admitted.

“He did look a bit cranky.” Jin-Jangle agreed. “He probably wouldn’t eat you.” A silence fell.

“Will it be Mushroom Condo Village then?” Jin-Jangle asked, attempting to sound indifferent.

“No, I’ll stay here awhile. You were right, Mom.” Finn put his arm around his mother. “I can just stay here with you. You need someone to look after you.”

“That’s right, Finn. And you are the fairy for the job!” Jin-Jangle decided to send Razor Teeth the Badger a basket of blackberries and acorns. He had convinced Finn to stay home when she could not.

 

 

Copyright 2013 Brenda Davis Harsham