9"Hello!? Anyone!"
Timmy's voice was only drowned out by the lifeless stone of his square cell. Abandoned to the corner and weighed down by shackles on his wrists and ankles, he looked up at the tall ceiling that taunted him with its absolute stillness. Bringing one of the heavy chains over his knee and dropping it to his side, he wobbly got to his feet and held the stone wall for support.
"Hello!" Timmy yelled at the wooden cell door across the way. Upon it, there was a square window sealed with bars, and beyond that, only darkness.
Although, even in the windowless room, the surroundings were no stranger to the boy. But even in the domain of Anti-Fairy World, there was no telling what kind of monstrosity he was stuck in this time.
A stinging feeling suddenly grasped his wrists, and he hurriedly tried to push the cuffs on his hand in easing the pain. Upon looking at the marks that occupied his wrists, he let out a crippled sigh. He'd been avoiding looking down at the fingernail markings on his wrists in the past hour that he had awoken. It only reminded him of all that had happened that got him here in the first place.
He attempted to stick a finger into one of the cuffs and rub the markings on his skin. Even if it would do very little, the pain was little by little getting on his nerve and becoming burningly itchy. Timmy knew Cosmo and Wanda never would've meant to hurt him, even with such small markings of their nails. What pained the boy was knowing that the marks were reminders of his fairies desperation only moments before he had forced them back despite their protest, and the utter horrific looks in their eyes that Timmy could not unsee from his mind. Like he's confirmed, the eyes of fairies really were hauntingly beautiful, and could not so easily leave the mind.
He just couldn't bear to think about what would happen if they were reeled along with him. The anti-fairies certainly didn't want anything with his godparents, so Cosmo and Wanda's unwelcome appearance with Timmy wouldn't be good for either of them. The boy denied it before, but he knew now, his gift was much more valuable than he'd been recognizing. Enough in which a greedy race such as the anti-fairies would fight tooth and nail for, and willingly knock his godparents to the dirt.
Timmy shook his head in adamancy, trying to remind himself that forcing them back had been the right decision. He could figure out an escape on his own, he knew it. Cosmo and Wanda have had belief in him before, so it shouldn't be any different now. If anything, that fact that it was made clear that he too was a magical being, should give his fairies more confidence in their godchild. Timmy may have been reckless, but when it came to battling his endless list of people who hated him, he knew what he was doing. And hey, was he good at outsmarting some fools. With his own magic, how could he not be unstoppable?
Grabbing hold of one of his chains, he squeezed it tight in breathless preparation. He then tried to reel all his focus out of his own body and onto the grimy cold chain that held him down. Just as Terra told him when handling any target. His eyes were locked on it with a complete absence of movement, risking the pain of a headache as he fought for focus too hard the longer it led on without any sign of his magic coming to his aid. As his hands produced nothing, he angrily gripped the chain with a shakiness, before letting it go in defeat.
"Crud."
So much for being born with universal power.
The boy jumped in startlement at the sound of a lock clicking. The sickenly sound of the door opening echoed throughout the tall room and Timmy watched in fearful anticipation as it creaked open.
Upon the being's entrance, Timmy couldn't help but roll his eyes.
"Why am I not surprised..."
"You and me both, child." The anti-fairy gave a fanged smirked.
The boy crossed his chained arms across his body, leaning against the back wall to assume a casual position. Anti-Cosmo was no threat to him, after all. "And I assume, you know what's been happening?"
Anti-Cosmo mused a wicked smile. "Not entirely." He floating further into the cell.
Timmy rattled in his heavy chains, attempting to lug forward. "Don't be cheeky, how'd you know to come after me?"
"Oh calm yourself, I'm following orders from my council." Anti-Cosmo shushed. "And since you and I are a pair to face-off often, I was put as the head of this operation."
"And how, exactly, would your council know?" Timmy snapped.
"That's for you to mind, lad." Anti-Cosmo noted. By now, he knew how to get under the boy's skin and smiled in satisfaction at the disturbance growing in Timmy's eyes as he was weighed down in the corner of the room. The boy shook once more in the chains as an indication of hostility.
"If my arms were free, you'd be toast by now." Timmy threatened.
"And you'd be skipping out of here like a mirthful schoolgirl." Anti-Cosmo mused. "Oh, how much of a delight it must be for you now that you have your own magic. Not having to rely on those two fools for everything you could possibly want."
"Yeah, it's been a real treat." The boy mumbled.
"Timothy, Timothy." Anti-Cosmo floated up, setting a sense of dominance as he looked down at the helpless child. "You must think your entire life is in shambles."
"Don't even try it, fancy pants." Timmy warned. "You're the least threatening thing I've faced so far.."
"Yes, I'm sure being dragged face-down was punishment enough." Anti-Cosmo said. "I am as well sure you've been well acquainted with your little playmate."
He was beating around the bush, and it was infuriating to Timmy. He knew the anti-fairy was no idiot, he had a plan in his back pocket but he would not so easily spill it to the boy. Being held in chains was enough to throw Timmy over the edge. Especially knowing that whatever scheme the anti-fairies had, Timmy was no doubt the core of that plan.
Unlike Cosmo and Wanda though, Timmy's first instinct in a situation was not to panic. Rather, find any possible way to get the answer he was looking for. While the past few days have been beyond terrifying and an emotional rollercoaster as is, Timmy always prioritized looking at the facts before jumping to conclusions in severe situations. Ironically, wishes were his only weak spot. He was more analytical than anyone who knew him could see. Even those who kept him in check the most, like his godparents.
Anti-Cosmo was not one to give straightforward answers. Although, this time in meeting him was different. Rather than Timmy being an obstacle, he was the thing the anti-fairies wanted. Timmy's role was different now. He was both an enemy and a treasure. He'd no doubt be manhandled by the anti-fairies with his magic, but carelessly with his health and security. If the anti-fairies sought domination, Timmy was essentially a tool.
A tool who was loudmouth, which he knew Anti-Cosmo hated.
If he wanted answers, Timmy would have to play dumb.
"I was passed out, lard head. What d'ya expect when you're dragged across the galaxy?" Timmy challenged in return. "So are you gonna tell me what that black shadow was?"
Anti-Cosmo shot a knowing glance across at Timmy, shrugging to provoke the child.
"You should know." He spoke evenly. "Since you seem to be the chosen one in all this."
Shoot, he was on to him.
"Let me guess, the lives of kids that YOU destroyed?" Timmy accused, going back on his plan.
"HA!" Anti-Cosmo's laugh ate up the stillness of the room, piercing roughly through Timmy's ears and making his heart leap in fright. "Oh, you mindless child. We don't destroy the lives of godchildren, that's on them."
"Wanda said all darkness originates from the anti-fairies."
"Well then, your godmother clearly isn't as smart as she's built up to be."
"Then how do you explain the godkids that have lost their godparents?" Timmy retorted. "How do you explain all those kids that were ruined forever until they aged? The darkness that is made from it, that made me who I am! I'm basically the creation of all other kids who's lives were completely ruined!"
"There it is!" Anti-Cosmo cackled. "There's that wallowing self-pity I like about you, Turner. It's a good thing you think so little of yourself, it'll make our project a lot easier."
"Stop trynna stray from the point!" Timmy once again lashed out, shaking in his imprisonment. "How? How are the anti-fairies not the reason godkids lose their godparents too early?"
"We have nothing to do with the godparenting field." Anti-Cosmo made clear. "If a child and their fairy are separated too soon, that's on them."
"How?"
"Through the ridiculous amount of rules the fairies make." The creature hissed. "Truthfully, lad, a godchild's loss of their fairy isn't always their fault. In many cases, it is the godparent's fault."
With the chains wrapped in heavy loops around his arms, Timmy lowered them. "What're you talking about? Godparents wouldn't let their kids fall apart. The fairies are the leading hand in good nature."
"And humans are the leading hand in craftsmanship." Anti-Cosmo differed. "But does that give every human authority to hold a hammer?"
"I don't get it.."
"Oh, Timothy." He cackled once more. "You surround yourself with fairies constantly, that you're entirely blind to the fact they are far more imperfect than you can see. Take a look at your godfather, you think he is a prime example of the so-called 'perfection' that fairies are?"
In sudden defense of Cosmo, Timmy again tried to lug forward from the chains. "Cosmo isn't a bad fairy!"
"Yes, and neither is Wanda." Anti-Cosmo said. "Yet, she was the one accused of being a prober."
"Even if I knew what that was, I'd say you're wrong."
"Once again, Timothy Turner speaks louder than he thinks!" Anti-Cosmo spoke to the emptiness of the cell as he faked applause.
Timmy only scowled in loathsome as the anti-fairy turned towards him.
"Probers, child, are living proof that not all fairies are what children make them to be in fairytales." He said. "They used to experiment on their godchildren in exchange for cold cash from the pixies."
"Oh please, you expect me to believe that?"
"You don't have to." Anti-Cosmo considered. "But let me ask you this child, with all the lies Cosmo has told, you think I as his counterpart would make any of this up?"
Timmy's face fell into vacantness.
"That's what I thought," Anti-Cosmo derided. "Not all anti-fairies seek domination, as weak as those few are. Just as not all fairies believe in good nature."
Timmy looked up. "Then what does that make me?" He asked. "Because humans are definitely not perfect."
"Doesn't matter." Anti-Cosmo sneered. "The fact is that you're a half-breed. And that's something no race would want to claim as their own."
Timmy's hands rolled into fists as he launched forward in a feeble attempt to shoot a blast, though nothing came out. He tugged forward and let his arms outstretched behind him, the chains showing no sign of budging.
Anti-Cosmo laughed at his pitiful state. "Let's face it, Timothy. Your time constantly spent with the fairies will never get you to where you want to be."
The child eased his tug at the chains as Anti-Cosmo cocked his head to the side. "You'll never be a real fairy."
He leaned forward.
"And you'll never be a real human."
Timmy lowered his shackled wrists.
"So, what are you really?" Anti-Cosmo decided. "A boy who's just chasing the impossible? Or a boy who can never live, because frankly, you don't belong anywhere."
Leaving Timmy without so much a word in defense, Anti-Cosmo made way to the cell door. He put a hand on it, stopping momentarily, before turning around and looking at the child. Timmy's gaze was cast down, obliterated from his wits entirely.
"But don't worry," Anti-Cosmo sneered. "We have a special little spot for you here. Oh, but I should mention it's because we're interested in your magic. Not the pathetic boy who's attached to it."
Timmy's hands laid limp to his sides in quietness.
"There is no fairytale, Timmy. Only reality." The anti-fairy lugged open the door. "And don't bother using your magic. This cell is power-proof." Anti-Cosmo slipped out quickly into the dark hallway.
It closed with a large slam, and Timmy weighed his back against the stone wall. He slid down with his gaze drawn forward as the heaviness that had been weighing down in his heart for days, as harshly as he has tried to push it aside, returned to taunt him once again.
Bringing his chained legs to his chest, he buried his face into his knees.
"Tracy.."
Mr. Turner sighed in relief as he walked towards his wife on the platform of the Fairy Court entrance.
She glared daggers in return, and no one was prepared for her next decision. When Mrs. Turner suddenly jerked her hand across his face, a sickenly sound emerged of a palm striking skin as Mr. Turner arched back from the hit. The two onlookers' eyes widened, though Cosmo and Wanda had to restrain the urge to grin like goofs. Lord, how long they had wanted that to happen.
"Where. Have you. BEEN." Mrs. Turner demanded.
Mr. Turner held a hand to his face. "Where have I been? You kicked me out!"
"That is a poor technicality!" She blamed. "You could've stayed and fought, I gave you that option! But you left because you were scared of our own son!"
He heatedly looked to his left in anger, still holding his face.
"Where have you been!?" Tracy demanded once more.
Mr. Turner's hand left his cheek. "My brother's."
His wife shook her head in spite. "Pawning for a ride out of town no doubt.."
"I was never gonna leave Dimmsdale." Mr. Turner argued. "Not without you two, I was hoping to find somewhere to go and bring Timmy with us. Somewhere where we could figure out whatever is going on."
"Well, I've done plenty of that without you." Tracy crossed her arms. "I'm exactly where I need to be for those answers, with helpers of my own, thank you very much."
Mr. Turner looked around at the floating beings once, before speaking to his wife in a low whisper.
"Honey, are you aware that your helpers are a couple of elves..?"
Tracy rolled her eyes.
"We're not elves!" Cosmo complained with a throwing of his fists to his sides. "We're fairies."
"Touché.." Mr. Turner mumbled.
"You don't have any right to be here, so you're lucky for us to be hearing you out!" Wanda snapped.
"And who exactly are you two to have any say in this?" Mr. Turner eyed the two fairies in judgment, taking Wanda's word with little to no care.
Mrs. Turner sighed, motioning a hand to the fairies with a dull look. "Hon, meet the reason for our son's happiness."
The tall man arched a brow. "What now?"
"His godparents."
Mr. Turner's eyes lidded in disbelief as he looked once more to the fairies. They stared back in bitterness, waiting to see what smart answer the human would have for them against his wife's word.
Timmy's father looked back at his wife. "And you expect me to believe that?"
Mrs. Turner, in mockery, snorted.
"Todd." She said.
He blinked.
Tracy threw her arms in the air. "Look at where we are! Does this look like earth to you, idiot!?"
Todd shook his head, unfazed by his wife's anger. "Trace, what is going on. Why is Timmy in trouble?"
Tracy could barely answer before the doors of the courthouse came swinging open. Jorgen emerged, his gaze immediately falling upon Mr. Turner as he clucked in scornfulness at the sight of him.
"Look at what the cat dragged in." He said. "Well, let's get going."
Jorgen began to march forward, Cosmo and Wanda immediately following.
"Wait, but what-" Todd tried, although his wife grabbed his arm and dragged him along, still unmistakably angry, as they followed the fairies.
"I informed the council of the transpired events, and they've put me in charge of this operation," Jorgen explained as they walked. "We'll start at Fort Jorgen and work our plan from there. This trip won't be as easy as past ones with Turner have, so we'll need to be better prepared."
"So, we're gonna get him back?" Cosmo asked hopefully.
"Supposedly," Jorgen said. "I told you he had yet to be in trouble. Although, it doesn't mean it couldn't have been prevented..."
Wanda didn't dare allow Jorgen to hold blame against them. "Jorg, you can point fingers at us all you want. But, you had the chance to tell us from the beginning."
"The council would have berated me."
"Like I care." Wanda huffed. "We all could have known about this sooner. I see no reason why the council had to keep it a secret. So don't blame us for slipping up."
Jorgen stared forward in anger as he walked. "You are so lucky I'm humoring you after losing Turner, or you'd be burnt to crisp right now."
"It's appreciated..." Wanda mumbled.
The Keeper of the Rules wasted no more time as he brought his staff down in a strike to the cloud surface, engulfing all five of them in a mist before they vanished from the outside and were brought forth to Fort Jorgen.
With the smoke clearing, Mr. Turner latched onto his wife in fright at the change of scene. Mrs. Turner shot him a look, and he immediately retracted himself in embarrassment.
Jorgen walked further into the room aligned with shelves of blueprints and weaponry, drawing himself to a stack of blueprint rolls at the end. He trailed his fingers along the shelves in search, before falling upon what he needed and swiping the blueprint out from the shelf.
"It's a long shot." Jorgen said. "But, possible."
"Getting Timmy back?" Tracy asked.
"Knowing where they're keeping him." Jorgen set his staff side, before unrolling the blueprint with a large shake, puffing a cloud of dust to blanket over the other four and allow them to cough as they tried to clear the dust out of their systems.
Placing it on an examination table and flattening it with his hands, Jorgen motioned for the others to surround it.
"Our plans for Abracatraz. Fairy World's maximum-security prison." The Keeper of the Rules explained. "We originally built to keep trespassing anti-fairies locked away."
"I suppose maximum security indicates near impossible?" Wanda said.
"Yes." Jorgen growled. He pointed to the plans. "We built it as a quadrilateral, four corridors along the interior, with a larger holding space in the middle. That's where the majority of prisoners are kept. At the back corridor, however, there are three specific chambers outside the main room that is shatterproof to our more threatening prisoners."
Wanda ran a hand over the plans with a growing smile. "Brilliant."
"I don't understand, what does this have to do with Timmy?" Tracy asked.
Wanda looked up from across the table. "Don't you get it? If we have this prison here, Anti-World has the exact same one."
Mrs. Turner blinked. "Gee, bite me."
"So, so Timmy has to be there, right?" Cosmo hoped.
"In one of the heavier chambers, yes." Jorgen said, indicating to the three in the back. "His magic is foreign for the anti-fairies, so they'd want to keep him under maximum control."
"So, it's just a matter of getting past them, is that so?" Mrs. Turner tried.
"Not quite." Jorgen said, trailing his finger to the right corridor. "This hallway is implemented with mechanical traps, as to trick magical intruders into thinking there is no magic to harm them that they can't sense."
He pointed to the left corridor. "And this hall, there is magic. One that can short out any fairy's magic, or in the case of a different creature, potentially paralyze them."
Jorgen stood up, crossing his muscular arms as he studied the plans. "Which means as well, Anti-Fairy World will have the same set up."
Wanda held a hand to her chin, tapping it in consideration. "This may be a long shot, but would that mean the prison in Anti-Fairy World would have opposite corridors? The paralyzing magic being on the right side?"
"I don't think they're that opposite.." Cosmo tried.
Wanda looked to the Keeper of the Rules. "Jorgen?"
His eyes studied the paper in thinking. "Perhaps, but you won't know until you face it." He leaned his hands back down to the table. "Either way, you two bumbling idiots will take the magic corridor. Even if it's a risk of shorting out your magic, it's better than sending one of these two."
Jorgen motioned to the humans.
"Wait, wait, wait." Mrs. Turner said. "You think I'm gonna sit back and wait for them to get Timmy? Absolutely not."
"You wouldn't make it through," Wanda said. "We're fairies, we can sense oncoming magic. Also, it will only short us out, it could paralyze you."
"Then send me through the mechanics." Tracy pointed to the right corridor. "Someone can guide me. There has to be some way, you can't use magic to make me a god-darn earpiece? I'm not sitting and waiting."
Wanda looked down at the blueprints. "Well, I guess we could-"
"No." Jorgen said.
"And why not?" Tracy snapped.
"I said this trip won't be easy," Jorgen said. "The Anti-Faires have implemented security like us. If we poof from here to Anti-Fairy World, our arrival will be noticed under their radar. We'd have better luck traveling to earth by foot first, and then leaving in a poof from there. They can't sense arrivals from the earth. And if their prison is anything like ours, the use of magic within those walls will be sensed. The only form of magic that could be used while in those corridors is any means of self-defense, but that's it. There's no poofing Timmy out of there."
"But, that's impossible!" Wanda said.
"Which is why," Jorgen said. "Only you two are allowed in."
"Jorgen, you might as well cover is in stake's sauce and throw is into a lion's den." Wanda said. "We can't get through without some kind of guidance!"
"As long as they sense magic, you two are on your own."
There was a pause. Until a new voice was added.
"Can they sense wireless technology?"
The four looked towards Mr. Turner. He stood the furthest away looking at the others in waiting.
"Wireless tech." Todd repeated to their confused stares. "If we need earpieces and such, I've got it at the house. My uncle was on the Special Weapons and Tactics Teams for the FBI."
Mrs. Turner shook her head. "Todd, that technology is tricky. Would it even work?"
"We'll make it work." Wanda slapped her wand's end to her palm. "We'll renew it with our magic, it'll be good as new."
Considering it, Tracy looked to Jorgen.
He sighed irritably, taking hold of the blueprint and rolling it. "Fine. But we have to get moving." Grabbing hold of his staff, Jorgen motioned with the end of the blueprint. "This way. We'd better prepare to make way to the Turner house before all this."
Mr. and Mrs. Turner were quick to follow Jorgen, as Cosmo and Wanda did as well, though they were much slower. In silence, Wanda made a grab for Cosmo's hand in an urge for him to look at her. As he did, she gave a knowing smile, attempting to somehow give a promise that their dependence on Jorgen would work.
Her husband smiled in return, and the fairies carried on to the exit of Fort Jorgen.
It suddenly hit them like a strike of lightning, as soon as they passed the border of the front door.
Stopping in their tracks completely, Cosmo and Wanda tore their hands away from each other as they both let out a choked gasp. The feeling reaching out from deep within them and causing their eyes to grow ten times their size.
At their sudden halt, the other three stopped and turned around. One look at the fear in their eyes, Mrs. Turner's concern came instinctively.
"..Cosmo, Wanda, what is it?"
The feeling in the fairies was an alert that they definitely knew, but could not say they remembered.
And it was a long minute until they realized what it was.
