I was sitting in front of the mirror in Aria's bedroom, continously running my fingers through my hair, staring at the multitudes of different colours now adorning it. I wished to rub my ears as well, as they ached so, but when I had done that earlier, the pain had increased ten-fold. I pulled back my hair and stared at the stud now sitting so prettily on my lobe.

                "If you stop touching it, it'll heal faster," Aria told me from where she sat on her bed. Allen and Mekaîle had come back to the farm with us, Allen sat upon the bed with Aria, discussing homework, while Mekaîle stood infront of the window staring out into the night. Standing up, I walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

                  "Is this your first time?" I asked him. He nodded his head slowly before looking down at me.

                 "Last time, there had been an epidemic where we were, and the elders forbid us to go out into the human world, to prevent one of us from bringing it back and infecting everyone. This time however," he took a deep breath, "we were determined to go. Our lakes have become polluted from the power plants near us. Our village is not so secluded, yet still, we do not know everything that we wish to. Humans have come to try and help the animals, but nothing works for very long." His eyes were moistened, as though his eyes we filled with tears he would not shed.

               "Let us go and see what we may," I told him. I took off my shirt, leaving on the torture device that Aria had described as a bra, and allowed my wings to unfurl. Opening the window, I jumped upon the ledge, launching myself into the night sky. Flapping my wings before I fell, I gained my balance and went back to the window. "Are you coming?" He answered with a shout as he followed after me, Aria and Allen yelling and running to the window.  They watched with awe as we soared into the night sky, our wings lit by the light of the moon. Laughing, I lead the way into the trees on the edge of the farm. We flitted around the boughs, soaring high and crashing back down where it was capable of doing so. Still laughing, I settled upon a bough of an old oak tree, drawing my knees to my chest and leaning back against the trunk. This was beautiful. This was home, here, in the trees, hearing the whisper of the wind as it circled each twig and leaf.

             "Is this your first time?" his deep voice sounded from beside me. My head whipped around to look at him, startled by the deep blue of his eyes. He was handsome, there was no doubt as to that fact. Now that his hair was cut, it curled slightly at the bottom, and his skin was slightly tanned. I had no problem imagining all the girls in his village clammering for his attention.

             "No. I came here many years ago. Apparently even to the same family. It has changed so much here, I hardly recognize it," I looked off wistfully. "There was a time when there were more farm animals then humans living here. I think there were a dozen farms living in close proximity to each other, with five more far on the outskirts of the community. Now, there seems to barely be enough breathing room for any one. It saddens one desperately to see what man now values." Mekaîle moved to sit upon the branch at my feet, his face showing he was deep in thought. Without thinking, I picked up a chunk of my hair and began braiding it, running my fingers through the braid once I was finished and starting again.

             "How will we teach them?" He asked after a long bout of silence.

              "I'm not sure. Everyone is different, therefore, each teacher must teach their student a different way. I have promised to try and create wings for mine in reward for her studies."

               "Mayhaps that would work with mine as well......We had best get back, for Allen and I must return to his house tonight," He stood up and offered me his hand. I reached out, accepting his aide. Silently, we dove off the bough and made our way back to Aria's room. The window was still open, and we carefully climbed back through, furling our wings as we did so. Reaching down, I picked up the shirt I had previously discarded and put it back on. Aria and Allen were no longer there, though there was a din coming from downstairs.

                  "I think they are eating," I turned and told Mekaîle. He stood there at the window once more, his shirt held in his hands, his muscles bunched in his shoulders. I could see clearly the lines upon his back that echoed the pattern of his wings, and now the black rose laying against his lower arm, on the inside. Compared to mine, his families mark was rather simple and plain, yet to me, it was far more beautiful. Mine seemed cluttered, filled with more then was necessary. I was glad at that moment that mine was so easily hid from sight.

                                                                                        ~*~

                 "Can you believe them?" Aria was asking Allen as they walked into the room, quite a while later. Mekaîle and I were watching the television, as Aria had called it when we had first come back from shopping. There were small people, and sometimes only parts of people, walking through the box. I found myself wondering if they were pixies stripped of thier wings and forced to perform for the humans.

                "Honestly....thinking we could ever date? What a laugh!" Allen replied, mirth lacking from his voice. "Well, Mekaîle, I guess we should be getting home. There's school tomorrow."

               "Yes, you're lessons must start as soon as possible!" He stood up, punching his fist into the other hand.

            "Not that school. Human school. You two should come with us. You can learn about us, and get caught up on whats been happening while you hid away in your forests!" Aria said, flopping on the bed beside me.

            "We were not hiding. We just didn't wish to interact with the people encrouching on our land!" I retorted, then saw the smile on her face. I realized she was jesting with me, and so I laughed, and she laughed with me.

              "It's still a good idea. Not to mention, this way we can keep an eye on you," Allen added through the laughter.

              "Very well, I'll come with you," I told Aria, then turned and looked at Mekaîle. "And you?"

               "Yes."

              "Good. Then maybe you guys'll learn how to speak like normal people! Instead of all this archaic stuff that spills outta ya! Alright, boys, scooch! Us girls need our beauty sleep!" Aria picked up the packages belonging to Mekaîle, handed them to the boys, and escorted them out of the house while I walked to the window and watched them leave. Allen did not live very far away, I knew, since he had pointed out his house on the way. And it was likely that Mekaîle would use a transportation spell, facilitating the walk.

           Aria came back up the stairs, came into the room, and closed the door behind her.

          "God that boy's cute," she sighed, picking up the parcels and opening them. I watched as she took wires bent into odd shapes and placed my new clothes on them before placing them in the wardrobe.

             "Of which one do you speak?"

             "Say it right, will ya? It's 'which one is it?', k?" I nodded my head. "Allen, I guess. He's always had a bit of a crush on me. We kinda grew up together, but ya know, that fey guy's pretty cute too," Aria winked at me as she took my shoes out of their boxes and placed them on the floor of the wardrobe. Then she turned to her set of drawers and pulled out a long shirt and a pair of shorts, "Change into these while I make up a bed for you." I pulled off the clothes I was wearing and put on the ones she handed me.

             "What about this.....thing.....this torture device? Surely you do not expect me to sleep in such an uncomfortable contraption?"

             "God no! Thats like suicide! You can take it off once you get the shirt on. Its real easy. Just undo the clasp and pulle the straps off down the arms. Once you got that done, reach up, grab the stupid thing, and whip it off," she giggled, "just don't do that around guys. I still can't believe you took off your shirt and went flying in your bra!"

              "Why? If I had kept the shirt on, my wings would have ripped it," I told her. "Still, however, I was covered, is that not what matters?"

             "I guess things are a little more lax where you come from. Anyways, heres the futon, all made up for ya. I'll wake you up in the morning, so try and get some sleep, you're gonna have a few shocks at school