A Rare Sophistication

Tinker Bell was a fairy. In actuality she was over ten thousand fairies.

With the successful writer celebrating her, the name of Tinker Bell became incredibly popular amongst the ‘small folk’. And thus they multiplied.

Fairies associate with mortals far more than mortals can ever realize these days. They love to copy their clothes and mimic their ways - and with their dual evolutionary pathways they are either destined for heaven for for hell, depending very much upon their mortal brothers they emulate so well.

Very few have managed to successfully take form within the material world, to be seen concretely by a human.

Puck and Goober were far ahead of their race when it came to presenting a strong appearance. Whilst they appeared to be as solid a presence as any other who walked the earth, they were in truth, in substance, purely ethereal.

Travelling between worlds as they did, required a sophistication that was rare indeed. To be this adept, depended largely on their close affiliation with Mankind - taking thousands of years of identifying with what it meant to be human - to feel as they did, to breathe as they would, to know and to be.


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Eccentric

“Granted Dad’s a little eccentric, but there is really nothing wrong with my father’s thinking. I can see where you are coming from … but” - here she hesitated trying to find the words to reassure him.

The exit door burst open and through it tumbled Puck and Goober. Puck had a top hat on and was waving a British flag, whilst Goober was chasing after him with a capsicum aerosol, spraying the air randomly.

“Careful with that!” hollered an irate Calvin who recognised the product immediately. I54 - Pepper Spray - Johnstone Pharma supplied half of the United States police with these and were adapting an even stronger propellant for the military market.

Puck sharply did a 360 turn back to Goober and pushed him into a bed of spongy hydrangeas, he then ripped the spray out of Goober’s hand and projected its contents two inches right into his eyes.

Calvin was horrified and immediately reached for his phone to call the onsite medics.

Goober did not rise out of the bush, but gave an almighty sneeze and wheeze, and then vanished into thin air. Calvin rubbed his own eyes in disbelief and looked again - still the fellow had disappeared.

“I win!” exclaimed Puck with a hail hearty boom.

Francis stumbled into the bright light wearing a live pigeon on each shoulder. His rainbow kaftan glittered in the sunshine having fine threads of silver woven through the rustic fabric. He casually drew a handful of seed from its side pocket and held his palm open for the two birds to feed from.

Meanwhile Puck removed his top hat and was collecting stray petals from the flower bed, muttering something about making a cup of tea with them.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

A Woodcarver's Son

“There’s a magician sixty leagues from here that houses a brothel … he has been bewitching children into mules.”

Robin looked quizzically at Francis, and then nodded him to continue.

“After a time in service, the boys sprout ears and tails - it is disgusting to hear them whine for home, stamp their metal-shoed feet, in the barns wherein they are imprisoned.

“It begins with a frivolity that soon turns dark. The boys are runaways: a few escaped the military, some are so young they are truant from school; tempted with promises of mystery rides and candy, very soon they are neck-tied and being led to the paying men whose members seek out young flesh and unformed bodies.”

“Have you seen this for yourself?” Robin asked deeply disturbed at what he was hearing - he had not been aware of any bordellos housing halflings such as this.

“No, I have only heard reports. One, from a woodcarver who recently lost his son and came to us asking that we pray for him.”


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

A Bromance

Goober, Mr Fabaceae, was in love with Puck like no other - it was a bromance with a humble love - as plain as plain could be - simple, straight and self defining - where the admiration of one does not over shadow the other; a love with respect supported by the certainty that no matter how far one is adrift in the Cosmos, your friend will come and find you.

Mr Fabaceae loved Mr Black - and Puck loved Goober back - they had met so very long ago they had quite forgotten their first meeting.

Charley was immensely fond of her lanky uncle and had privately wondered if the two were intertwined.

“No,” said her father having read her thoughts on this question - "we go deeply, we do but not, in such communion.”


- Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Vision of the Golden Age

The Fey, for the most part, were obedient to their cosmic obligations, and by nature, co-operative.

But the Humans had brought greed into the realm - awakening the preposterous deception, that one could want more than they need, and house it for the morrow. Yet nothing keeps, worth keeping, and with the desire to amass, came wizards and hobgoblins, bat-crazy furies, snake charmers, idol worshippers, whip cracking masters - masters of doom and masters of dark, masters of divine, fallen angels, demigods, and gods.

Some of the more notable opponents to Humanity’s graces, had crossed paths with Puck along the way - and, undeterred, he had promised himself to stay true to the earliest vision - that of the Golden Age - that period he had loved the best - that era when Men were his natural friends, and the borders between the two worlds did not exist.

“It will come again” he muttered to his invisible friend “it's only time”.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Tangled Mesh of Karma

Puck had no idea whatsoever what was to come next.

Even the Elvish are caught within the uncertainties of this world.

Long had he been committed to a life well lived - both in his Etheric residence and the play of Humankind. His affinity was born of compassion for the weaknesses of men, and the admiration for their strengths. One could almost say that he loved Mankind, yet he did not envy them.

This perhaps was the biggest myth of all when it came to the kingdom of Faerie … that Men bethought themselves worthy of envy. No, these fellows were the younger brothers and twice disgraced - falling out with paradise into the tangled mesh of Karma.


-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances

Tin Man

The tin man he had made had attracted the fairies, for the metal itself was of the planet Juniper Berry - Jupiter - a frivolous partner to the juveniles of the wood, whose cosmic rays of jest and joviality lit the tin of the giant like a beacon to the face. They loved to gather at his feet and have their pictures taken - swinging from his shoulders and playing hide-a’-seek amongst his intricate armour.

Yes, the Fay too have a passion for selfies, and although they do not work a lens as we might, they can use the light to cast their impressions, making fast their images onto the fur of the rose petals, or on the gossamer of a snail’s trail, capturing a moment in perfect detail, inscribing these images onto the surface of any living thing as though it was the finest engraving - sealed with moonbeams coupled with the dust of dawn and a tweak of time, adjusting it back just a moment or so.

-Gabriel Brunsdon, AZLANDER: NEVER ENDINGS: Second Chances