"Welcome to... uuhh... my city! Welcome to Boomtown." It wasn't so convinced of itself as the elder fairy welcomed us into their place of residence.
I could understand why. Simply put, this was a collection of marquees strewn around without rhyme or reason.
Some nestled high up the branches, some nestled below where roots met bushes, some anchored in between like the home of bees...
In comparison to Lylanlone, they lacked everything in the department of order. "Nova's back!" "Oiii... how you doing?"
"Sup, where ya've been?" From all around, noisy questions swarmed us from the very moment we set foot on the campsite.
"H-hey you guys... you make me blush!" What I noticed immediately, was the warm nature and sincerity of the other fairies' behaviour in stark contrast to what I had experienced earlier.
Even the most disgruntled one nodded in greeting at least twice. "Whaaa—look! Our eldest came back with a man!"
Just... they were very similar to Nova Twinkleflame to a fault, if not to say as perverted... or worse. "Finally, it's a she. Nova's decided to become female!"
From elsewhere among the messy tents came an even absurder statement: "Expect offspring, everyone? Gotta build a big tent!"
"N-nooo. Please, guys, don't embarrass me further!!" Nova Twinkleflame was literally melting due to her embarrassment, her form flickering in and out of existence.
"Big? Nay. Must be huger than huge! Thiiiiiis giant! The hideous groom, though... gotta take some garb, loooong garbs..."
Their heated discussion turned towards a direction I absolutely wasn't happy about. There was a limit to everything, no?
I was almost sympathetic to its fate, if not for the perverted stares and mutters about shiny scales and whatnot it... or was it she now? I was anything but sure...
Anyway, what it-she couldn't suppress. This was a bit too... open to my tastebuds. Nova Twinkleflame even went through the hassle of changing its-her physical appearance.
"Married? So he's unfaithful! Where are the ripper brothers." "Sush now! Who cares? Nova's happy, don't ya see? Get yer eyes checked!"
It-her form appeared no longer hazy, ever-shrouded by auspicious red clouds, but was reborn as a spicy beauty.
The downsized version of an elf with ample bosom, excessive curves and slender tights greeted my eyes.
The outfit it-she wore was sensual but revealing, not crossing the utterly slutty line. "Ancient fairy," there was an issue bothering me something fierce, "don't. Just don't!"
The vivid beauty visibly deflated, the bunch drowning me in poisonous stink eyes. Those who happily swung the effervescent youth around momentarily stopped their play.
"Y-you don't like me? ...as expected." It-she misunderstood. That was the problem with young folk, the biggest issue running counter to a long-term relationship.
"Stupid," my voice somehow grew softer, "appearance is but fleeting. Especially for your kind who changes even gender on a whim."
It-she didn't seem to get it, so I went in-depth in a rare moment of tenderness. "Who you are, not how you are.
You see, for immortal existences, this counts even more so. Chemistry must be complementary." I took a step forward, tapping her chest with my pointed finger.
"Without these qualities, living together is hollow and only temporary." The stink eyes diminished in numbers, with lost stares taking their place.
"So... we aren't compatible?!" Nova Twinkleflame was just this short on bursting into flaming tears. It-she failed to see my point in trying so hard. In trying too hard.
"Scratch that...," I gave in to another ill-advised impulse and embraced her. The elder fairy didn't even reach from my horns to my navel.
"...your earlier appearance was much more beautiful. Because within that freedom of an unlimited shape lies your true self.
Don't lock that away just to please someone else. Don't ever." As the Great Consciousness happily chatted me up, the place grew silent.
The elder fairy in my embrace stiffened up, her tiny fingers glued to the crevices between each scale.
For this occasion, I decided to ignore the funny feeling. There was no hurdle too big when it came to teaching young people.
"—I will grow. To your liking! You just wait!" Nova Twinkleflame hadn't understood the entirety of what I was trying to teach her, but at least the most important points of note appeared to be clear.
Hopefully. "Booo!! It's no marriage... Getting us all hyped up for nothing..." "Bloody fool," from somewhere I heard a surprised yelp, "that ain't true.
It's an engagement. An engagement, I tell ya!" As I groaned and they cheered, the Great Consciousness laughed at my expenses, talking up a nonsensical storm.
It always did that when it came to affairs of love and I never understood why... Believing this went on for long enough, I disengaged from Nova Twinkleflame, leaving her with that longing look on her slowly dissolving face.
"Sovereign Gardener," I addressed the taciturn automaton that hadn't moved a single fibre in all that time, "anything we have but they lack?"
While behaving like an immature punk, the elder fairy did help me after all, with no strings attached too. I had to reward that!
"Reply: After calculation, the broken Sunstone lying in the Master's bedroom is deemed appropriate." Sunstone?
That was just what I had been looking for. "Relocate it!" To me, besides some research and experimental value, the stone wasn't worth a lot.
But for fire fairies... the story was definitively different. "Well, you lot. You'll soon get—" "Commence the party! Ready... fire... drum roll!!!"
Before I knew it, I found myself in the middle of a lavish feast. Each of the fairies disappeared from time to time, bringing their own edible treasures for all to appreciate.
In the beginning, I had trouble adjusting to the explosive atmosphere. But it didn't take even a minute before I was swamped with various conversations, each sillier than the next.
At some point, Sovereign Gardener carried over the Sunstone, resulting in them excessively praising me and dancing to various tunes atop the cleanly broken-off edges.
So did the youth, for some reason. How she loved taking the stage even if she had yet to learn how to walk properly, much less dance.
On all fours, she clowned around with the fire fairies, not at all scared about the heat and occasional fire tongues she was greeted with. Long live my bloodline, to protect it all!
Feeling bad about me coming empty-handed, I soon ordered Sovereign Gardener to pluck something nice and bring it here.
I had to say that later on, with all the gardeners under its command, the feast never lacked food and drink.
While partying and frolicking around, I swore to return to business tomorrow. This evening was all I gifted myself with, for the clock cared not about desires.