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[the-phoenix-sovereign]

hi :)

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

Even though the “Mab is actually a faeid” plotline got scrapped, and I could very well just give her normal wings, Mab’s small wings are going to stay and become more a commentary on invisible disabilities and the hard line society has drawn in the sand to determine who is “really disabled.” 

She has wings, so in technicality she isn’t wingless, and isn’t treated as such, but she’ll never be able to fly like her properly winged peers and has to adapt and work around that because faer society is geared towards fae who can fly and screw anyone who can’t.

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

Mab had no sense of time, anymore. She’d been in and out of Arcadia so many times, visited so many different realities, so many different worlds and places and times that it was getting hard to keep track of. She did, however, remember sleeping for a week straight when she finally made it back to Arcadia. No one had disturbed the Queen - most knew better. It’s a little known fact that interdimensional travel is far, far worse than jet lag. 

But the point of it all was that - when Mab finally rejoined the waking world and made herself presentable again - the court was surprised to see her ‘up so soon.’ 

Mab was always a fairy full of energy. She had a spitfire spirit and never took no for an answer, not even from the forces of the universe itself. But when she napped, she napped hard. 

She took a deep breath and shrugged her jacket tighter to her shoulders, her boots heavy against concrete. She’d never liked wearing shoes. She couldn’t feel the world around her when she did. But Mab had made the mistake of staying barefoot in snow once, and only once. Despite the nostalgia, that wasn’t particularly a part of her past she wanted to repeat. 

The glasshouse was as bright and flourishing as ever. As she walked through the conservatory, she traced the path in her mind. While Mab was particularly old, she did still have a wonderful memory - and especially for something as important as this. 

She sat herself down at the same table, the same rocking, uneven chair that she’d sat in last time, and reached into her jacket, turning the little notecard over in her hands. 

Mab had expected maybe two or three weeks of absence, so she was understandably surprised to hear that she’d been gone for nearly an entire year. Time often wouldn’t work the same between dimensions, she knew this, but she never expected, or planned, to be gone that long. 

When she’d finally rejoined the court, Lady Lily had been the one to greet her back with a brief summary of what she’d missed, and at the end of it all had given her this slip of paper, a simple address, time and date. 

So far, she was alone. Granted, she’d arrived nearly twenty minutes early - she’d get the hang of time again, eventually - so she wasn’t surprised to sit down to an empty table. For now, she supposed, all there was to do was wait. 

@cryptid-believer

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

May’s mouth became a hard line in response, a thoughtful expression as she looked between her mug and Mab. The information she had was limited, and there was an amount of privacy she wanted to leave the man, but Mab was so out of the loop.

Best to paraphrase it, then.

“He did take off–but, uh, Simon found out he did something really bad, and his friend, Bonnie, she had a tracking chip in him and she brought him back without the boys knowing. She made him play this…. cursed board game, basically, and it sucked him in, for maybe a coupe weeks or so. She showed Simon and Dib the game and they started playing and they got him out and figured out what happened.”

There was no real need to tell Mab about his being turned into a child–it wasn’t knowledge May was even meant to know, and Kass was already so private a person. She took a long swallow of her tea.

“So, he’s back, and most things are sorted out, but I–I mean, I figured he had tried really hard to get out of that house but he didn’t have really any place to go, so when he got back, I offered him a room here. That’s the short story, at least. It’s not really my story to tell, you know?”

The girl shrugged, looking at nothing in particular. “I don’t think he’s doing so well, and I think the boys know that, because they’re being pretty serene about it all. Honestly I think Simon’s just glad he’s okay, the kid’s been a real worrywart. He broke in and everything just to deliver cake!” A little laugh was thrown in here, as she looked back up at the faerie, eyes crinkled.

“I’d ask the kids if you wanted to know more details, I guess. I still need to go over there at some point and see if Dib has Frank–Kass didn’t bring him over and Simon said he didn’t have him, and I’m not sure where else the guy might be.”

That was the danger of leaving Tesla drive for more than an hour or so at a time. It was only to be expected, of course, when you put two interdimensional kids, an interdimensional space alien, a dragon, and Goddess only knows what else week-to-week in the same house together. She’d long ago realized that any semblance of normal refused to exist at 1, Tesla Drive

“And - he’s living here, now?” That sent a prickle of discomfort between her shoulder blades and down to the tips of her wings. Huh. Quietly, she took off her jacket to stretch them now that she was inside the relative safety of the house. She glanced out the kitchen, down the hallway. She got the distinct feeling that Mab wasn’t exactly someone he’d like to find in his kitchen, even if he did know she and May were friends. “Oh - that’s good!” She didn’t want to seem like she thought poorly of the idea. “It’s -- good, for him not to be with the kids. For his sake more than theirs.” 

She sighed, and took her teacup into her hands; it was warm, warmer than anything Mab had felt in the last several weeks. It was lovely, and for a moment she closed her eyes, just to take a moment and appreciate the sensation. “I know. We had a talk some time before he left. He told me about what happened with the kids and the foundation, and... with him and the foundation. Our conversation went about as well as you would expect a chat between us to go.” 

There was a pause, Mab seeming to remember something. “Oh! Frank!! Yes, no, I’ve got him, he’s back in Arcadia at the moment. I would have kept him with me, but I wasn’t sure what sort of effect gatehopping would have on him. Better safe than sorry, right?” She gave a bit of a nervy chuckle and a grin. “I ended up picking him up next door after Kass had left. I can bring him later tonight!” 

[magickalwitchling-deactivated20]

just one moment of peace …

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

May snorted hard. “You know, as likely as I am to survive that, I don’t think I want to risk the laws of time right now. I’ve got another shift tomorrow, would like to not miss it.”

She poured the tea into the mugs and set the sugar bowl and milk container on the table, falling into a seat with a bit of a huff.

“You know it’s kind of ironic? Because, um.” The girl made a face, trying to figure out how to word the joke she wanted to make. “Well, cos Kass is here. You know, the actual bee dude, and he’s the least active of all of us.”

She scratched her cheek before resting her head in her palm, squinting at Mab with a half smile. “That joke didn’t land so well, see if you can’t dimension hop to a place where I made a better one and then come back to me with it.”

The only word to describe the look on Mab’s face was “buffering.” 

It took her a moment to really process what May had just said. What had happened since the last time she’d been here? “Kass? He came back? Do the boys know? How are they - is he okay, Kass? He just took off a long time ago, the boys wanted to look for him but he didn’t want to be found, and--” 

Mab shut her mouth very quickly. She could go on for ages, a chatterbox when she was in a flurry, but for once in her life she took a moment and allowed May a chance to answer. She posed one more question.

“What... happened?” 

That probably covered it. 

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

Mab was warm, and May grinned, pressing her cheek into Mab’s side. “We’re terrible at this whole communicating thing.”

The kettle began to whistle, and as May gave one last grin, she pulled away to pour the tea and set the mugs on the kitchen table.

“That’s what we get for being busy, busy bees, right? I work retail and you jump universes, how are we ever supposed to sit down and update each other on life?”

Mab smoothed her hair down with a soft laugh. “We are. It’s terrible. We run entire kingdoms, somehow.” 

The Faerie Queen was well aware that she was a wreck, but she was a wreck who was pretty good at stumbling through holding reign over an entire country. Five thousand Fae might not seem like a lot but with magic and gates and the outlands, it was more bewildering than it sounded for sure. 

“We need to make more time together. I wish I knew how the Queen of Birds handles interdimensional travel. I think it’d be quite the experience, having tea together in a place that doesn’t even exist! Wouldn’t have to worry about time, either. If we land it right we could come back to this very moment!” She hummed happily, and then paused for a moment. “I mean, granted, I’ve not been able to get it right, yet... but it’s a possibility!” 

“But busy bees we certainly are.” 

[geekdawson]

Kindness is often mistaken for softness and let me tell you, friends….that is a mistake you don’t want to make. 

Kind people are not born that way, they do not stumble into it, kind people are forged in fire and darkness and imploding stars…they have steel cores. Throw a punch and you’re going to break your hand. 

[fairiencarnate-deactivated20260]

Kind people are kind because they know firsthand that life isn’t.

[jiemba]

I was just talking to someone about this. Kindness isn’t a natural-born trait, it’s a daily choice, so when you call someone kind you’re not praising their personality, you’re praising their effort. 

[scullyloves-science]

Thank you

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

May took a second to register the question, and then she began to laugh, incredibly embarrassed.

“Oh yeah, shit, you–Gimme a sec!!” She was giggling, putting her heads in her hands as she realized that, despite her best intentions, she had not done a crucial thing she had meant to do.

She had never texted Mab that she was moving.

Her snorts subsiding, May said in an amused voice, “Dib’s still there! He and ZiM are at One, don’t worry. I just moved into 3 about a month ago, after the neighbors moved out, and–christ, I’m sorry, I should have actually said something, I’m such a goof.”

It takes a moment for the understanding to really sink in. Mab feels a wave of relief. She was in the right universe, that was important, yes, thank goodness. 

As soon as this passes, however, May can hear Mab’s own little giggle bubbling from her, slowly blossoming into a real laugh as she laughs alongside her friend and fellow queen. This seemed about right, yes, but she was just glad to be home, confusion be damned. 

“You are a goof, and I love you to bits~” she sang, an arm around May’s shoulders. “Besides, it’s fine - I’m not too sure you would have been able to get a good hold of me. Some of those other universes have terrible cell reception - and the ether! Forget it.” She waved it off with a dumb grin. 

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

May stopped where she had been reached into a cabinet to grab a couple mugs, and finally began to feel the uncomfortable knot that she had been ignoring, forming in her stomach.

Empathy was a bitch and a half, and so she set the mugs down on the counter and left them there, turning her full attention to Mab. The smile she had had was gone, replaced with inquisitive concern.

“What’s up? Everything okay?”

Her curiosity caused concern, and the Faerie had no intention of seeming uncomfortable here - regardless of where she’d ended up, seeing May was always a delight and she wouldn’t want the Bird Queen to think anything differently! But it was a feeling akin to deja vu, except the complete opposite. 

Like she’d returned to all of the furniture being moved three inches to the left, in a completely different house, that also looked different from what she remembered. 

Mab jumped towards an apology: “Oh, gosh, no, yes, everything’s fine!! It’s just my head’s all turned around from being out there and I was wondering - what’s over at One, Tesla Drive? Like I said, a ridiculous question, but I’m a confused old lady.” 

Despite being the picture of immortality, she was over two thousand years old, and her memory wasn’t quite as impeccable as it used to be. 

[sunstained]

I edited an old picture of Tiana concept art I had on my computer for a dnd campaign I’m using Mab in.

[the-arcadian-queen-blog]

Pictures from the trip!! Thankfully our visit to every Waffle House on the list went without incident and we remained in the appropriate plane of existence. I think.  

Anyway! @cryptid-believer and I spent the week flying cross-country along the path of totality visiting every Waffle House, and along the way he taught me about Bigfoot and Bigfoot sightings! It was so much fun and it was nice to finally spend some time with him after… months, Goddess.

We took the bubblerunner - which was significantly less terrifying than I thought it’d be - and quite frankly I don’t want to know what happened to the waffles we brought it but they disappeared at some point during the trip. It also had a phone jack, which I thought was kind of… a weird thing for an alien space ship to have.

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

If Mab was uncertain about being in the right universe, entering the house probably didn’t answer any questions. True to human suburbia, it was a mirror reflection of 1, Tesla Drive in stature, but far less lived in. Its white walls, decorated with only a couple simple pictures, were a contrast to the color that one would find at Dib’s residence. It was also a fair bit neater, what with not having a 16 year old parascientist roaming its halls.

May led Mab in through the hall and into the kitchen, and moved to fill the kettle with water. She smiled instinctively at it–Simon’s gift had been put to good use.

“I know you’ve mentioned time being a bit funny, and Simon’s said something similar–especially after that whole, uh, thing in 2016 where he didn’t show up at Dib’s until December.”

She set the kettle on the stove, thumbing the tiny bird whistle in its pipe, and turned to grin at Mab again. “You’ve popped onto the plane a couple times in the last couple months, but nothing so substantial as to get a sense of the time, I think? It’s March now.”

She traveled through the halls like an old habit, the layout like a second home but the atmosphere foreign and concerning. Mentally, she picked out the subtle (and not so subtle) differences. There was no scorch mark in the door, no busted banister. There was no row of claw marks on the wall outside the kitchen from Dee’s claws or the drywall patch where ZiM had punctured the ceiling. For a moment she was starkly convinced that these things had never happened here, and was surprised to feel a rush of relief when May mentioned Simon and Dib. 

At least that was still the same. 

She did the quick math, grimacing a bit. “Gosh,” her voice was soft. “Six months? It... didn’t feel that long. I thought I was gone for a week - two tops.” She held her voice much more steadily than her bewilderment would have had her sound. 

“Time doesn’t actually exist, out there. It’s only when you’re inside reality, it’s incredibly disorienting. I think I visited 1518 once on accident.” There was a giggle. “I really hope I can stick around this time. No more gates, for now, they said, so I get to keep around here. Around - home, I mean.” 

That was a good enough segway. 

“Uh - May, darling, can I ask you a question? It’s going to sound ridiculous.” 

[pagewoman]

Kelmscott Manor, Cotswolds, West Oxfordshire, England

built circa 1570 with later 17th Century additions

via national trust

[the-phoenix-sovereign]

feathery-queen:

May was all lit up, her hands tight on Mab’s forearms, and it took her a moment to remember they were standing in the cool evening outside the houses. She pulled Mab towards the steps of 3, Tesla Drive.

“I missed you! Come inside, I’ll make us some tea! And then we can catch up!!”

She pulled out and fumbled with her house keys, and unlocked the door, holding it open for the woman with a smile.

Mab followed happily, but something in the back of her head said that this was... off. Had she really been gone so long? It was 1, Tesla Drive, wasn’t it? That was the number ingrained in her mind after these short few years. When she and May met here, it was always at 1, Tesla Drive. 

Oh, Dana herself - had she landed in the right universe? 

Part of her was very tempted to mention this to May, to ask if she’d somehow gotten her realities mixed up upon reentry, but her fellow sovereign was simply too excited, and when the door to 3, Tesla Drive opened without any argument, the Faerie Queen let it slip from her mind for the moment, following her inside. 

She was a very polite, very confused Faerie who had a few questions to ask once they started catching up. 

“It’s so good to see you again, I don’t even know how long I’ve been gone. Time doesn’t work right when you travel like I do,” she said with a bit of a huff. “We handle it in such a particular way compared to other realities, did you know that?” 

[1st-1]

The Universe is a beautiful and mysterious place full of wonder:

[thvndermag-deactivated20200419]

[eyeisrandomchiz]

@staar-munch