Ky's foot landed on the next branch, "Number 579," she called to Jer. Jer almost fell.
"You've been keeping count of the branches?!"
"Well... What else am I supposed to do when jumping across the branches?" Jer had no answer and just stared at her.
"Can we play a game?" Jer asked a few minutes later. Ky shrugged and jumped the next branch.
"JER!!" Ky screamed as the branch snapped and she fell to the ground. Jer made a mad scramble to grab her hand and missed by a second.
"KYY!"
Ky felt something catch her before she hit the ground. She opened her eyes and looked around. An orange light floated in front of her face, it's silvery wings pulsing rapidly. Ky's feet gingerly touched the ground and Technicolor fairies zoomed around her.
Jer jumped down the trees and slid next to Ky. The orange fairy fell into what looked like a bow and he and the others zoomed away.
"C'mon, let's follow them," Jer said, pushing Ky between the shoulder blades.
"Kay." Ky said and zoomed after the fairies. After a few minutes, they slid to a stop and stared above them. Ky clambered on a rock and stared at the dancing fairies. Jer climbed next to her and they watched as the fairies gracefully danced...
---
Ky opened her eyes and looked around, her head had fallen on Jer's shoulder and the fairies had stopped dancing. She sat up and looked at them. Two of them were holding what looked like shells. They glided over to her and she pointed to herself.
"Yes, you," the orange fairy said. Ky put out her hand and they dropped the little periwinkle shells in her palm.
"There will come a time when you may need them." Ky fingered them.
"What do they do?" she asked, looking over at her sleeping friend.
"They enable the user to breathe under water. But, if you lose it while under the water, the magic stops. And, you only have until it turns turquoise to reach the surface or the magic also stops. Do you understand, child?"
"Y-yes..."
"Good..." the deep voice said as the fairies disappeared. Ky shook her head and slipped the shells in her pocket.
A high pitched scream sounded and a green blur ran by. Jer shot up and stared around. "What? What?" he shouted, rather stupidly. Ky rolled her eyes and grabbed his wrist.
"C'mon!!" she shouted and dragged him towards the direction the haze ran.
"What screamed?"
"No idea, but I guess we'll find out..."
"BACK!!! BACK YOU FIENDS!!!" the voice sounded, and Ky could detect a British accent.
"Hello?" Ky called.
"MISTRESS?! HURRY!!! HUUUUUURRRRRRY!!!" Ky and Jer stared at each other then ran forward. They skidded to a stop in a clearing where a large, insect-looking thing was waving a shovel at several skeletons. Ky pulled her Soul Robber out which immediately turned to her scythe and swung it in a circle.
"Hey! Save some for me!" Jer cried pulling his sword out. Ky giggled and swung her scythe again. Jer flung a dark cerulean card at a skeleton and it irrupted into flames.
"Jer! Pitch to me!!" Ky called and held her scythe over her shoulder. Jer laughed and flung a fire card at her. Ky swung her weapon and sent the fireball flying into a skeleton.
"Home run!" Jer called. Ky giggled and wiped another skeleton out. She landed catlike and looked down at the green monster. It circled her slowly.
"Hmm... Built and sounds like my Mistress... But... Not Mistress..." It muttered. As Ky studied it more, she noticed that one eye was navy and the other pumpkin orange. Ky and Jer stared at each other as the monster circled Ky, muttering to itself.
"Er... Excuse me...?" Ky asked.
"Oh! Beg, my pardon! Thank you for saving me, I don't know what my Mistress would do with out me!"
"Er... Would it be okay if we could... erm... Meet? Your mistress?" Ky asked.
"Oh, of course! Mistress doesn't get much visitors. Daughter died, two sons can't visit... Husband went to watch something... So Mac stayed with her!"
"Mac?" Jer asked as they followed the thing through the forest.
"Me."
"Ah... Ky?" Jer said, tilting his head at Ky. Her face was pulled into a look that said, 'What?'... "You okay?"
"I'm fine..." Ky said, pulling one of the small shells out and studying it in her palm. Mac suddenly stopped at Ky looked up.
"Wooooow..." Ky whispered as Mac pushed the small white gate open. "It's like... a cottage in a fairy tale story..." Jer nodded his head in agreement.
"Hmm... Mistress must be out for a walk. Oh well. You are welcome to look around until she gets back, then I will announce you to her."
"Okay..." Ky said, kneeling down to look at a lilac bush. Jer laid down in the grass as Mac glided inside.
Jer watched Ky as she wandered around the garden, looking at all the different plants. "I feel like... I've been here before..." Ky said to Jer as she pulled a weed from a pansy bed. "But, I know I can't have..."
"That's weird," Jer answered, sitting up. Ky sat next to him. "Maybe it just reminds you of somewhere else you've been."
"Maybe..." Ky muttered. Mac came floating back out, carrying a tray with a pitcher of lemonade.
"Mistress will be pleased to find out she has visitors!" he said happily as he glided back in. Ky smiled as the lemonade poured itself into glasses.
"I like Mac," she said, taking a glass.
Jer nodded, "Me too."
They sat in silence, soaking in the beauty of the garden. A monarch flew from a flower and landed on their empty glasses. Mac slid back out with gloves and a shovel. He hummed happily to himself as he dug and pulled weeds. The three of them looked up as the gate opened.
"Mistress!"
"Hello, Mac. Sorry I was so long. Oh! Hello! It's been a while since we've had visitors."
"Hello," Jer answered. He looked at Ky who just gapped at the woman. "Ky?" Ky didn't answer but stared into the woman's eyes.
"K-Kylie?" Ky muttered.
---
WOOHOOOOOOO!!!! Yeah, yeah!!! Heeheee... Now you have to wait for the next chapter!!!
