[ Afternoon - same day ]

  Thompson arrived at 1.30 pm, and we're again sitting in the living room.

  Mom asked Rachel to give him a slice of chocote cake, while we're restricted to having Rachel's regur cake. The poor man is going to try Rachel's terrible chocote cake failure any moment now. Mom loves to prank people, but this is just pure evil!

  "Mr Thompson?" I said while he sipped his coffee.

  "Yes, Ann?"

  "I never understand when you are going to pay us a visit or when Major Rees will show up. I mean, not that you aren't welcome or anything."

  "Ah, I can see why you would say that. In a nutshell, I'm working with your mother's employees to research the monsters. From their biology to finding weaknesses. The military has other reasons for showing up, like how to use your fairy dust or your other physical abilities to fight off monsters. And sometimes the two separate worlds meet in the middle, and that's when it gets confusing. So that's why...in a nutshell."

  "Oh...okay. That makes sense, I guess."

  Mom then says "didn't you know, Ann? I've been working from home every day. Reviewing reports, reading up on how they use your fairy dust in the b?"

  "Eh...so you've been working?" I grimaced. "Sorry, but you're always there for me?"

  "Well, well...well....that's disappointing to hear, but I still appreciate the compliment. Mr Thompson and I have been video conferencing every day. My company also keeps experimenting on monsters and that's where lots of your crystals are coming from!"

  "I'm sorry, okay?"

  "Hahaha, it's okay, honey."

  When Thompson finally starts "enjoying" his cake, we're surprised to see him either actually enjoying it, or practicing his best poker face.

  After he finished the slice, Rachel asked...with a mischievous smile of course, "would you like to have another slice? I put a bit too much chocote on it, though."

  "Ahh....so you are the master chef, Rachel? True, there's lots of chocote on it, but it tasted much better than my wife's. And....please pretend I didn't say that."

  "Hahahaha...your secret's safe with us." Mom said, and now we understand why the cake's taste was bearable to him.

  About an hour ter we approached the park where the new bug stone was discovered. Military personnel have sealed off the region, so bugs hopefully won't make it out of the park alive.

  Now I understand why Queen Ivy thinks of this park as a forest. While there are a few sandy roads, there are lots of trees and only a few clearings. The park isn't small by human standards either, but to fairies...it's easy to see it as a forest.

  We are being guided to the stone and I immediately see the now deserted home tree. This is where Queen Ivy and her Cn have lived for decades....and now it's a total mess. Many trees are uprooted and lots of those have fallen to the forest floor.

  "This was the fairy's hometree I told you about." I point at the tree with a huge hive at the top. It's now totally smashed, just as the Queen had told me.

  "How can you tell?" Thompsons asked me.

  "There's a hive at the top of the tree. You can't see it, because it uses Concealment. Don't ask me how they do it, but it looks like a huge beehive to me, but it's totally smashed. I think I even see car tire tracks running through it."

  "There was no way for us to know. Military personnel have been trying to keep the pce secure."

  "I know, I didn't mean to offend. The fairies are all safe and sound, so no worries."

  "Yes, I heard that they are living in your attic now. How does that work out?"

  "They are happy. A bit too happy perhaps. But they'll have to move out soon anyway. They belong here, or in another forest. They wanted to return here, but noticed that the trees were all in bad shape."

  "And we're here to find out why. Are you ready?" That sounded like something unexpected was about to happen.

  "Ehh......that sounds ominous. Ready for...what?"

  "CNN's Lindsey Bennet is joining us here today. We're doing this thing on live TV. See?" He points at an approaching news van.

  "Okay, but why? Back in my world none of this would be made public. Let alone on live TV!"

  "This is a different world, Ann. Anyway, smile...you're on."

  "Oh...hello, Lindsey! Hello people at home!" I waved at the camera which showed a blinking red LED. Let's py along and pretend to have fun.

  Lindsey is wearing civilian clothes today and is accompanied by a cameraman."Hi, Ann! We're Live right now. What are you going to show us today?"

  Thompson replied instead. "This park has many uprooted trees and we believe that this newly discovered bug stone is the culprit. Our resident fairy here is going to use her magic. Let's see what happens."

  "But isn't it dangerous to have a bug stone in this very densely poputed area? Do people need to evacuate?" Lindsey asked.

  "That's what we're about to find out. And as always, we're giving you full transparency. The military is keeping everyone safe, while the government is trying to keep everyone informed. Can we proceed?"

  "Of course. Do you need me to step back?"

  Thompson nods. "She'll be using fairy dust, but we'll take it step by step. Safety first."

  I shake my head. "Em...I think that we should be really careful with the fairy dust. It seems to have more use cases than we thought."

  Thompson agrees. "Yes, and Lindsey, the people back home should know that fairy dust might...I repeat...might have healing properties. Look forward to a new interview about that soon."

  "Of course!"

  Thompson asked me to first demonstrate to the world that I can actually touch the stone. First he demonstrates that humans can't.

  A blue shield forms when his hand approaches the stone at a distance of about one foot. There's no way for him to move any closer, it works just like a solid wall.

  "Now show the world what fairies can do."

  I nod and simply walk to the stone and touch it, completely unhindered.

  Lindsey walks closer and hits the invisible wall as well."Incredible! You can really touch it!"

  He then asked us to step back, so that they could use their equipment to analyze the stone and the immediate area. It was all a bit technical so I just let them be. Usually these stones appear in remote areas, swarming with monsters, but we can now finally investigate one in a safe area.

  The shield is still in their way, so I'm waiting for them to realize that I should be using the instruments instead. But so far they don't seem to need me.

  When they finally called for me, I walked over to them with a pstic cup of coffee."Do you need my help?"

  He saw the cup in my hand, but didn't comment on it. Perhaps it's not polite to show that on TV? I finally got a cup and then have to return it? Not happening!"Yes, Ann. Can you put a tiny bit of fairy dust over this shield? We want to see if we can touch it and use our instruments."

  "Are you really, really sure? It might explode. Bugs get zapped by their own shields, so this might happen now as well. I mean.....I'm thinking about a cold pce far away right now." I was talking about Antarctica, and by the look of it, he understands my concern. They basically nuked Antarctica by blowing up a bug stone there.

  "I see your point. Do you have any other ideas? We can't even dig it out, it's rock solid."

  "I know, but..." Someone bumped into me, causing me to spill coffee over the bug stone. "Oops!"

  "What?! It went right through the shield! What's in that cup?" He demanded to know.

  "Just coffee with creamer, I swear!" I have a feeling that mom is watching this on live TV and is thinking about how to tease me. I know it, she will definitely exploit this to the best of her abilities!

  He touched the shield, and indeed it was gone! He crouches and then carefully touches the stone, "I can't believe it. Regur coffee works on the shields too?!"

  "Don't look at me!" I raised my hands and accidentally dropped my now empty cup in the process. "Oops. Eh....maybe it's a combination? The coffee, the creamer and me standing next to it? Or just a coincidence? Maybe the shield just ran out of energy?"

  "That's of course also a possibility. But we're definitely going to try this on other rocks."

  "But what are you pnning to do with the rock now?" Lindsey asked. She's taking a closer look as well.

  "More coffee first. Ann, pour it on the rock."

  "Okay...Lindsey, you should step back." I wait for her to step back and then pour a fresh cup's content over the rock. Bye bye coffee. Such a terrible waste.

  "Nothing..." Thompson said. "Maybe it was just a coincidence after all. What else can we try? Any ideas? Do we want to take a sample?"

  "NOOO! Ah...sorry, I don't know why I shouted just now." No idea why, but I almost panicked. Is this another 'fairy' thing?

  "Ann...." He's gring at me.

  "No, sir. I respect you very much, but I won't let you harm that thing. I don't know why, but I FEEL that you shouldn't harm it."

  "But it's just a small sample of a rock! Okay, then at least give me an alternative."

  "Okay...let me think. I still feel some static electricity, you too?"

  "Yes, there's some minimal voltage running through the stone. Almost zero. Maybe we should use....regur fresh water? Water is a conductor for electricity, so it may show a reaction."

  Someone fetches a bottle of fresh water and carefully empties it onto the stone.

  "Again nothing. Just a rock. It can't be a coincidence that monsters appear near these stones. Either they are created by these rocks or are drawn to them. That means that in any case, there should be some sort of measurable effect."

  I nod. "I agree. Do you want to lure a monster here and see what happens?"

  "That might be an option, but not here in this poputed area." He gnced at the camera.

  "Then.....maybe we should try to put some organic material on the stone?" Just trying to think of something.

  "Why? We touched it, nothing happened."

  "I know that, but I mean....I dunno. Something else? Like food?"

  "Food? But the thing can't even eat it, it's not alive! Okay, I'm open to suggestions. Let's check the current first, before we try the food."

  A scientist plugs a few rods into the nearby soil and says "Let's see the voltage. Interesting, a steady 214 volts."

  "Isn't that lethal?" I asked.

  "No, the amps are negligible. Not enough to harm you, only to let you feel the current."

  Thompson nods. "Is the voltage steady? No change at all?"

  "No, sir, still the same, 214 volts steady. A direct current."

  "I wonder why. Let's get back to the basics. We know that these things first appeared when the monsters did. So how are they connected?"

  "Instead of theorizing, why don't we simply take a monster crystal and find out? Just throw it towards the stone and see what happens?" I suggested.

  "Alright, let's see what happens. But I must ask all of you to stay at a safe distance while we ask the military to bring some reinforcements...just in case." He gestured us to follow him, away from the stone.

  "Do you expect monsters to appear?" Lindsey asked.

  "We're not sure, but safety first." Thompson replied.

  I chatted with Lindsey about being a fairy in general, just to fill up the needed time. After about 10 minutes, we saw lots of armed soldiers standing by.

  We're standing at a safe distance from the stone, next to Thompson. A soldier uses a garbage picker and slowly approaches the rock with the smallest avaible crystal, one from a Wyvern.

  The rock starts to buzz and a lightning bolt from the rock suddenly hits the crystal. We all run away and see a Wyvern looking around...coming to life.

  "KAAAAAA KAAAAA" It starts fpping its wings, but is immediately shot down by the soldiers. Dead.

  "All clear!" One of the soldiers shouts.

  We slowly approach the monster corpse and see a sparkling effect around it.

  "Stand back!" Thompson ordered, and we all remained at a safe distance. The monster is turning into goo and is absorbed into the ground.

  We gnce at each other and return to the stone, step by step...ever so slowly."Well...that happened. It actually absorbed the monster?" He said, just as surprised as everyone else.

  "Either that...or the current created some sort of acid?" The scientist suggested.

  "Someone give me a sandwich!" Thompson demanded.

  "Which one? Chicken?" One of his staff asked.

  "Any!" Thompson shook his head.

  Thompson then looks at me. "We're going to try your idea next....feeding it a sandwich."He then unwrapped the sandwich from the pstic, tears it apart and throws it at the stone, waiting for a reaction. And sure enough, it slowly dissolves.

  "Well...well....that's interesting. Why didn't we dissolve?"

  The scientist says "perhaps because our bodies have a current as well? It's one way to tell life apart from dead matter. The monster was dead and so's your sandwich...basically."

  "Excellent observation, but still conjecture. Let's feed it some more. I'll have the soldiers on high alert."

  He fed the rock at least a dozen sandwiches and poured lots of water and coffee over it, and finally got what he was waiting for.

  "I can't believe it. Come see this!" He motioned Lindsey to approach as well.

  What we see defies all logic. A seedling has just appeared right in the rock's center. A tiny green pnt with two leaves, nothing more.

  "A...pnt?" I asked. "How? Why?"

  "Your guess is as good as mine. Maybe the bugs are drawn to...whatever this is? For food?"

  "But if these stones eat dead monsters....doesn't that mean that monsters are coming from somewhere else?" I asked.

  The scientist replies. "The scientific community is betting on meteorites until we can understand more. Besides, Earth did pass through a dense debris field about..."

  "....3 years ago!" Thompson finished his sentence enthusiastically. "I remember hearing that the debris came from a passing comet back then. What if.....these things from hell....are truly from another world?"

  I'm trying really hard not to shout 'conjecture!' right now.

  "Panspermia, yes, that was our theory as well. I'll ask to put a few recently found meteorites in an electric current and see what happens."

  "Yes, please do, but take the necessary security precautions. Good.....but that still leaves the pnt. Any ideas, Ann?"

  "Only that I know....somehow....that this thing is good and not evil. I suggest feeding it more water and dead monsters. Just take the crystals out first, just in case. The pnt may simply need help to grow at first?"

  "We have lots of good questions, but not many answers. We need more time to study it, but I agree with you. Let's feed it a bit more and see what happens. What else can we do? We can't talk to it, but it doesn't seem harmful to us either."

  "I personally think that it really loves coffee." I said while smiling at the camera. I'm sure that mom knows that the message was intended for her.

  He closes his eyes, but the scientist actually defends me. "Maybe the caffeine acts as a catalyst?"

  I'm grinning. "Just admit it, Mr Thompson. It loves coffee."

  Thompson shakes his head and sighs. "Okay.....that's exactly how it looks, but it's hardly scientific proof!"

  "I need coffee to live, and there's no scientific proof for that either. And yet...here I am."

  "I think you had one too many. Hahahaha."

  We gave the pnt some lukewarm coffee, but nothing happened. The coffee just dripped from the stone into the nearby soil. We used water to clean the rock, but again no effect.

  "So, it isn't interested in more coffee or water. Is there still a current?"

  "Yes, no changes in the current."

  We then tried various things until Thompson threw another crystal at the rock. Once more the stone buzzed, but instead of forming a monster, the tiny pnt zapped the crystal and then absorbed it into the rock. The seedling gets an immediate growth spurt and is now a few inches tall.

  "Ahhh......so it's not creating monsters anymore, but living on crystals now?" Thompson said.

  The scientist nods. "What if..... the monsters and these pnts evolved on the same pnet? And this pnt eats them like the Venus flytraps we have on Earth?"

  "Sounds pusible again, but still....conjecture. We need more information, more facts. Let's feed it a few more crystals! Everyone, stand back!"

  The next crystal was a bit bigger and it made the seedling grow into a regur tree.

  "Wow....it really loves to eat crystals!" I said.

  "Look at the rock! It's being absorbed into the tree now!" The scientist added.

  And sure enough....the tree gets another growth spurt, and keeps growing....and growing....until we're faced with a true miracle. This thing is at least 10 feet wide now, and is insanely tall as well! Everyone around me rushes away, afraid that it might keep expanding.

  And it's still growing.....settling for a trunk which is at least 20 feet wide. The tree reminds me of the 'Jack and the Beanstalk' fairy tale.

  "Wooow......that's unexpected." Thompson said while looking up at the tree's crown.

  The scientist nodded. "Yes, but what exactly is it?"

  "A tree?" I replied. Seems fairly obvious to me?

  Thompson gives me that look again. "We know that, Ann. But....how...why?"

  "Why don't we ask the fairies? They seem quite knowledgeable about nature in general. To me it's just a big tree." I shrugged.

  Not even an hour had passed when I returned here with Queen Ivy and lots of her Cn's fairies.

  Thompson has met her before. "Your majesty." He's very polite, not only because of our future retions, but also because Lindsey is still here.

  Lindsey seems to be enjoying the many fairies, and some of them seem to think that her shoulders are the perfect resting pce. These forest fairies seem to trust me completely, but still.....they shouldn't nd on other people.

  "Mr Thompson, it is a pleasure to meet again." The Queen replied, and then looked at the tree. She studies it, and then slowly tilts her head, looking all the way up. "No....this can't be! A world tree! Ann! How did this happen?"

  "Em...the strange stone which damaged your hometree grew into this one."

  "Queen Ivy, how is it possible that you recognize it?" Thompson asked her. Good question.

  "Legends. Once, a long, long time ago, there were many of these and we fairies lived in them. The world was a beautiful pce back then. When they disappeared, all fairies had to find a home in the forests and cities. We will gdly build our hive here."

  I nod. "So, does this tree meet your requirements?"

  "Of course! It's an honor to care for such a beautiful world tree! Are there more of these?"

  "Not yet, but I think that there will be soon. Do you have any idea why they suddenly reappeared?"

  "No, I don't. But it has been ages since we st saw one. We assumed this to be a legend, but here we are, seeing with our very own eyes what our ancestors described."

  Thompson said "can you please wait to move in? We're still testing and don't want anyone to get hurt."

  She then hovers in front of him. "Mr Thompson. We are forest fairies. We know what we do. We will care for this tree and you may test however much you wish, as long as you don't harm it. This tree is to be treasured. If the legends are true, it will protect this world...from darkness."

  "Could those legends perhaps be referring to monsters?" He asked, sounding genuinely interested in the matter.

  "Not sure. Legends are legends, but I will gdly share them with you. Darkness could mean anything. Perhaps to keep the sun from leaving?"

  He smiles. "The sun won't leave, your majesty."

  "It does, every night so it can rest." She replied matter of factly.

  "Em....okay, my bad." He simply gave up.

  She pats his left cheek. "It's okay, you are still young. One day you will learn how the sun works. If you don't mind, we'll move in tomorrow morning. Will that be acceptable to everyone?"

  He nods. "Yes, you may move in, as long as we get to measure a few things. And I promise, nobody will harm the tree. But now that you're here. Please tell us what it's like all the way at the top of the tree. Maybe there are strange fruits growing there, flowers...anything that's different. We wish to learn."

  She seems very impressed. "Very admirable. Knowledge purifies the soul. Maybe one of your ancestors was blessed by a forest fairy?"

  "Who knows?" He replied, but mostly as a courtesy. "May I ask? Would you be open to the idea to have regur talks? We wish to learn about fairies, your life, how you care for nature and such. In return we can provide you with necessities and maybe our wisdom as well?"

  She nods. "I agree. Let's become friends."

  He nods to show respect. "It was an honor. May our cooperation benefit everyone."

  "Well said." She then flies to me. "Thank you, Ann. You have truly earned your pce among us. As of now....our Cn shall be called the Finley Cn."

  "Huh? Why would you want to rename it?"

  "Because, dear, you cimed this tree for us. The humans won't harm it and we even found a way to have regur talks with them. Something completely unthinkable not even weeks ago. And since the creation of a new hive means that we will have a new Cn, you rightfully may become Queen."

  I raise my hands and shake my head. "Oh no, no no no...you are the Queen! I respect you very much. I mean, you are nice, elegant, smart, pretty, and a born leader! I just kill monsters as a Defender and don't even know anything about being a proper fairy! If anything, it is you who should lead and teach me!"

  She smiles and hugs my nose, because I'm still in my big fox-form."Thank you for your kind words. As you wish. Then at least become my advisor and our strongest Defender!"

  I nod. "I gdly accept, but I also have duties in the human world."

  "That's fine. As long as you realize that we will always welcome you home."

  When I noticed that Lindsey was still there, I blushed for a moment from embarrassment. I looked straight into the camera and said "people back home, you should know that I'm a forest fairy and she's my Queen. I already have a home and a wonderful family, but....I also have my Cn now." I then bow to the Queen. "Thank you, Queen Ivy."

  [ Back home ]

  Back home it was as expected. Mom teased me about the coffee and asked me if Rachel's cake might work as a fertilizer. Poor Rachel needed a few hugs and I happily gave them.

  "So, will they leave my attic in the morning?" Mom asked.

  "Yeah.....maybe not just yet? They will need to build a hive first."

  "So...two days?"

  "Hahahaha...trust me, as soon as possible. Maybe I'll even lend them a hand?"

  "No, Ann, you are going to school. At least in the morning. It'll do you good to talk to people your age. You're spending too much time with Thompson and the military folks."

  "Riiiiiight. Totally forgot about school. But first, a party tonight!"

  "Yes, I've heard. No alcohol for you, you are still a minor, don't you forget."

  "Yes, mom."

  "No loud music either."

  "Hahaha, no mom."

  "No coffee spilling on trees in the attic."

  "Hahaha....c'mon!"

  She patted my shoulder. "It was fun seeing you on TV. I think that humans and fairies will get along just fine. Call it a minor miracle that we have met them at all."

  "But we do have stories about them, don't we?"

  "True, very true. But not a single one described a big coffee drinking fairy."

  "Ah...c'mon! Stop it already!"

  "Hahahahah..never! When you go up tonight, ask them if they want coffee!"

  "Stop it!!"