20 B1 — F1. The Struggle Is Real

Fiona frowned as she got off the plane at Miami International Airport at eight P.M. I was only in Ireland for two days. Honestly, what the crap is up with all these demonetization claims? Unlocking her phone, she called her lawyer and manager, Erica Kohne; the line rang a few times before she answered.

"Fiona, I'm so sorry I had to bother you when you were overseas seeing your family. How was Clifden?"

She took a deep breath as she walked down the hallway toward the luggage section. "I was able to see my family for about two hours before traveling back to Knock Airport—I was looking forward to spending more time with my little sister. Maybe we can fly her out next time."

"That would be nice," Erica commented.

"I think she'd like it. So, over three hundred of my videos have been flagged, not user-friendly?"

"Yes, most of the claims are for inappropriate language."

Fiona's brow furrowed as she got on an escalator, going down. "I don't swear?"

"I know, it could be from the comments other people are leaving, or it could be how some words sound in the language you're using within the videos." She said with a heavy sigh.

"Wait, are you saying they're marking Gaeilge as an offensive language … because it sounds like offensive words in other languages? So, my native language—my instructional videos and songs in Gaeilge are the ones being flagged?"

She got off the escalator and continued toward her luggage. "That's ridiculous. The email I got didn't say anything about that; it only said if I had an issue with the claim, then I should appeal it, but you're saying I have to appeal over three hundred videos?"

Erica was silent for a moment. "Two more were just hit; it keeps going up."

Fiona sighed, slowing her pace to let a group of tourists pass. "This, right after dealing with Barbra's lawsuit about me correcting her pronunciation guides. So, what can we do?"

"For right now, you'll have to go appeal every video that was flagged. I sent a message to talk to a representative at the company three hours ago, but I haven't heard a reply back."

"Alright, thanks, Erica." She made it to the luggage area and waited for her bag. "I'll go back to my condo."

"Sounds good," Erica went silent for a moment. "I'll head over there in a bit. I'm going to try getting them on the phone again; I'll come over to help you appeal all the videos."

"Thanks, see you later." She hung up with a heavy puff of air, putting her phone in her back pocket.

This is so stupid. I've been planning this trip for a year. Nora's grown up; she'll be eighteen this year—if my income is cut like this, then I won't be able to go back and visit home, much less bring her to Miami. Is it Barbra trying to spite me after the lawsuit was dismissed?

Catching sight of her bag, she hoisted it over the belt guard, grunting at the weight. Extending the handle, she walked out to her pre-arranged car. The driver helped put her bag in the trunk as she got in the back seat. Getting behind the wheel, he asked, "Destination still Miami Beach, sixty thirty-nine Collins Ave?"

She nodded without a word, vision turning to stare through the window as they entered traffic. The driver tried to initiate some friendly conversation, but she wasn't in the mood. The drive took thirty minutes with a bit of traffic; stopping in front of her condo, he got the bag out of the trunk. "Need anything else, Ma'am?"

"No, I'm fine, thanks." He nodded before getting back in his car and driving away as she entered the lobby. Going to the elevator, she pressed the button for the sixth floor.

It stands to reason that I should make a video about this, but I should wait to post anything online until I talk to Erica. What a disaster; still, being twenty-one and owning my own condo in Miami Beach. It probably won't cause me too much trouble if I get on top of it now; hopefully, this won't become a regular thing.

Arriving on the sixth floor, she went to her condo and unlocked the door. Going inside, she frowned. She had replaced the wallpaper with different colored walls, making a whole video about it when moving in.

There were canvases with Gaeilge sayings and pictures she'd taken of her homeland spaced across the walls. It was a simple design, a bit colorful, but practical; most of her decorations were subtle advertisements for her online products.

Shutting the door behind her, she walked to her couch and dropped into it; her orange-coated cat came out of her room to rub against her legs. "How was your time with Ms. Valory, Brion?" Petting him, she chuckled. "Yeah, she fed you more than she was supposed to?"

Taking out her phone, she glanced at the time, eight forty P.M. She text Erica as Brion jumped onto the couch and curled up next to her: How soon will you get here?

It took a moment before she responded. Probably an hour, I'm taking care of some business down the street real fast. Another client had an emergency, but I'll be up soon.

Got it. I'm going to take a shower then. TTYL

She dropped her phone beside her closed laptop on the oval table. I wasn't supposed to open my computer for another week and a half.

Sighing, she pushed it open and turned it on. It responded quickly as she scratched Brion's forehead before typing in her password. Chrome popped up with her channel, showing a lot of notifications.

Growling, she scratched the back of her ginger hair. "This is so stupid!" She fumed. Glancing down at Brion, she said, "Alright, I know you're happy to see me, but I need to take a shower."

Getting up, she walked to her bathroom and shed her clothes, Brion following her; turning on the hot water, she threw her old outfit into an empty hamper. Brion was quick to bail as soon as the water hit the tile, making her chuckle. Might as well get new clothes after the travel and flight.

Running her hand through her hair, she sighed as she stared at herself in the mirror. Irish through and through. Maybe I should think about dating. I'm cute … seems a third of my comments are about that, but where do I actually meet guys? The content creator conventions … not that interested.

Shutting the bathroom door, she got inside the shower, taking a deep breath as the welcoming water eased her muscles. She closed the shower door and began singing a modern song in Gaeilge as she washed.

Fiona was about to bend down and press the cap on her shampoo bottle when something rippled through her body, oscillating within her. "What…" Everything around her seemed to expand before she felt the shower water turn into a waterfall.

The stream turned into a jet, colliding against her body, and throwing her upside-down against the tiled wall. The air was forced out of her lungs, and her back stung as she fell to the tiled floor. She struck the ground, gasping for air, but only water filled her lungs. Pelting water pounded against her skin.

Coughing and sputtering, she tried crawling out of the explosive burst that stung her body, and after a few seconds, she finally managed to exit the stream. It felt like she was on fire as she trembled in the hot steam that rose around her, crying as the bullets of pelting liquid ricocheted off the ground and walls, striking her from nearly every angle.

She began hyperventilating, slowly curling into a protective ball as her vision squeezed shut. Liquid continued to beat her from all sides as she held her breath, slowly regaining control of her body.

Teeth chattering, she stiffly stretched out and began crawling toward the wall, everything she saw was massive. Looking up, she read the large label of her shampoo bottle. What's—happening? It hurts … everywhere hurts…

She shakily moved behind her large conditioner bottle and outside of any water jets. Tucking into a ball, something sweet touched her lips as tears dripped down her cheeks. Why did everything grow?

A lump dropped down her throat as she looked down. Why are my legs so long and smooth? She glanced over her body, panic rising. Elf ears? I'm thinner … my chest is basically gone! What's up with my hair? It grew down to my waist … it's white… "Why is my hair white?"

Her hands shot to her throat. "My voice—no, no, no, no … my voice changed." Swallowing, she cleared her throat. "My voice is slightly higher than it should be and—why does it sound like this? Can I even sing still?"

Taking a deep breath, she fought past the pain, trying to sing a modern song in Gaeilge. "It … it doesn't sound bad," she muttered. "Still, it's different than my ordinary voice." She licked her lips, tasting the sweet flavor again.

Taking a deep breath, she examined her body once more, pulling her long silky white hair back. I feel bruised all over, but I don't see any marks. Looking up at her colossal shower products, she pursed her lips. It doesn't look like everything's grown—I've shrunk … like Alice, but I didn't drink some magical bottle.

Peeking out from behind her conditioner bottle, she watched the shower water pound the floor; the reverberations they made against the tile caused ripples to transfer up her bare legs. It's like watching a hundred fire hoses … how do I protect myself? At the thought, she knew the answer. I can create a Wind Shield…

Holding out her hand, she fed the desire and watched in wonder as she started to glow a brilliant green; she couldn't see it, but air wrapped around her body in a protective bubble. She pulled her hair around with shock. It's green! My hair and nails turned green, and I'm glowing!

Swallowing nervously, she walked out from behind the bottle; the bullets of water struck the shield of air and shot off to her right. I have wind magic? This is insane! Am I dreaming? She looked up at the spout, a skyscraper away. How small am I?

Glancing at the tiles and products around her, she tried comparing her height. No way … I'm like, three inches tall! How am I supposed to get out? Her thought broke as the information fed into her mind. I can fly…

At the desire, she felt the energy appear at her back. Looking behind her shoulder, she watched a pair of large glowing green fairy wings with intricate designs appear.

It's like Navi's wings … am I a Pixie … no, I'm a Mythickin Prismatic Fairy? What's a Mythickin … don't want to give me that one, eh … a Prismatic Fairy … okay, like colors; I'm a color fairy…

Taking a deep breath, she rose into the air. It's so natural; I know exactly how to fly. Looking over at the shower again, she frowned. Can my Wind Shield handle the pressure? I should probably stay close to the ground.

Her wings were nearly stationary while floating to the floor; she didn't even have to beat them to stay afloat. A jet of water struck her shield, and she could feel the pressure eating at her stamina as she watched the spray scatter, changing directions.

She moved out, and the drain almost diminished entirely. I see ... so my shield can determine the power output needed to keep me safe … that's cool.

Rising to the shower tap, she tried turning it off, but no matter how much strength she mustered, it wouldn't go in. Okay, let's try to beat my wings and… "Oof!" Her shield hit the shower control as she plowed into it; a large chunk of her stamina vanished.

Floating to the floor, she panted slightly. Really? I'm not strong enough to turn off the stupid shower? Am I supposed to leave it running forever? At least I'm drying a lot quicker than normal.

A chill ran down her spine. The door! Flying over the shower barrier, she hovered at her bathroom doorknob. Why is it the flippin' twist kind? There's no way I can get my arms around that … it was always pretty stiff too.

Moving to the floor, she breathed a sigh of relief. At least I can get through the door crack.

Flying to the mirror, she floated to a non-fogged section. I look pretty cute for a fairy; I have a beautiful multi-shaded glow, too … should I just accept this? I mean, I don't see many other options right now. I just turned into a small little fairy out of nowhere. Why is this happening? I guess Erica could help me when she gets here … what am I going to wear? I've got nothing. Maybe I can use the small silk wipe I keep for my computer screen.

Breathing out a sigh, she looked left and felt her skin prickle; staring right at her, not two feet away, was a massive Wolf Spider. That thing's like half my size!

She darted back to the opposite wall, her Wind Shield keeping her from striking it. "Were spiders always this scary looking?" She muttered. I think I want out of the bathroom! I'll have Erica smash it—that thing could literally eat me!

Moving to the crack in the floor, she froze as she heard a deep masculine voice beyond the door. "Master eats, master feeds me, master eats, master feeds me!" Master? Who the crap is in my apartment?

Getting on her hands and knees, she frowned, lifting her dirty hands. I really should have swept before leaving. Peeking under the door crack, she saw Brion's tail swishing back and forth outside the door. Can I understand Brion now?

Swallowing, she released her wind spell and wings; her glow faded, white hair returning. I guess this is a Prismatic Fairy thing; I glow when I use magic.

Crawling under the door, she stepped on the carpet. Man, it's like long blades of glass … I should have vacuumed, too. She moaned.

Looking up at her condo, she had a new appreciation for how big the hallway was. Well, okay, I should probably fly to the cloth and figure out some way to make a robe out of it. She froze as Brion's soft purrs cut.

Looking left, she found large copper eyes staring at her. Fiona took a step back as Brion tilted his head, rising up on all fours. "What's this?" He purred.

Oh my … he's like three times taller than me! A cat three times my size … he's as big as a house! "Brion … nice, kitty…"

Her spine tingled with unease. Oh, no … he's going to attack.

Brion's eyes widened as he tensed to strike; his muscles shifted in slow-motion as Fiona's wings appeared on desire, and she shot up into the air.

He hissed. "Little thing knows my name? Master and Master's friends call me Brion." He circled her. "Why is glowing white bug in Master's home?"

Clearing her throat, she hovered five feet above him. "Brion, it's me, it's Fiona, Master."

Brion's eyes narrowed. "You don't smell like Master? Master is in the falling water … you're trespassing in Master's home!"

The cool air felt like needles against her skin mixed with the bruises across her body; she rose a little more as Brion leaped at her. "Brion, stop it!"

"Glowing bug! You trying to hurt Master? I protect Master's home!" Brion hissed as he circled under her. "Leave home!"

Fiona growled. "Brion, I'm your Master! I got changed into this little fairy."

"You're a—fairy … not a glowing bug? Fairy isn't Master; you don't smell like Master!" He crouched, and Fiona rose a bit higher. He jumped up to swipe at her again, not getting nearly as close as the first time.

"I can't believe my own cat is trying to kill me…" Fiona groaned. "Plus, I'm naked—I want some clothes!" She sighed as she began flying toward her open computer, Brion running after her.

"Leave, Fairy!"

She hovered over her oval table, Brion jumping up on the table to look up at her. "Hey, Brion! You know you're not allowed on the table."

"Only Master tells me what to do!"

Growling lowly, Fiona looked down at the cloth by her computer. How do I get Brion to realize I'm his Master? Food … he's a bulimic! He'll just keep eating before puking if I don't regulate his meals. That might work!

"Hey, Brion, are you hungry?"

Brion's menacing demeanor shifted. "What? Hungry? Yes, I'm hungry … oh, you might taste good!"

Fiona pressed a palm against her forehead, breathing tiredly. Great. "No, Brion. I don't taste good, but your cat treats taste good."

She was a little shocked to hear Brion gasp. "What—Fairy knows about cat treats?" Cats can gasp?

"Umm—yeah, Brion. I know about cat treats. Your master gets up at seven in the morning, feeds you, and then feeds you when she eats at five. When do you get cat treats?"

"You know Master's words? Master feeds me treats at seven!"

Fiona nodded. "Right, but you didn't get your treats today, did you?"

"I didn't!" He said with big eyes, his tail shifting, flipping the cloth off the table. "Master's friend didn't give me any when Master left."

"You want one?"

"Yes! Yes, I'm hungry!" He purred.

"Will you call me your Master?"

He swallowed before saying, "Yes! Master feeds me; if Fairy feeds me, then Fairy is Master, but why does Master not smell like Master?"

Fiona huffed. "Because I turned into this tiny Fairy! It sucks!"

"Master says that too! It sucks. You really are Master!" Finally, at least we're getting somewhere.

"Alright," she lowered herself a little. "Brion, I'm going to grab that cloth on the ground. You go wait in the kitchen for me to get you some snacks, okay?"

"Cat snacks!" Brion cheered as he jumped off the table and raced to the kitchen.

Flying down, Fiona grabbed the microfiber fabric and rose back into the air. Okay, got the cloth … wow, it's a bit taller than I am. She breathed a depressed sigh. Alright, let's fold it a little bit and wrap it around like a towel … freaking hair gets in the way! She struggled with it for a bit. Doing it in the air is a lot harder than I thought...

"New Master! I'm hungry!" Brion meowed.

"Give me a second; I'll be there in a bit!" She yelled back as she dropped to the tabletop. Tuck it in, and … there! Her eyes settled on a shed whisker. Oh, that would be a decent belt! She picked it up and tied it around her waist. It's a bit stiff and long, but it'll do. I'm so freaking small!

Flying to the kitchen, she landed on the black granite countertop; the floor was white tile, and there were plenty of lightly stained wooden cabinets around the stove, fridge, and microwave. She looked at the plastic container filled with cat treats in the back corner, grimace creasing her lips. Crap, how am I going to get this open.

"You're going to have to give me a second," Fiona grumbled. "I need to figure out a way to open the jar."

"What, why? Master can do it super fast; you can't?"

"I am your old and new master!" Fiona huffed. "I'm a lot weaker than I used to be … physically at least."

How am I supposed to open this? It seems like a harder task than turning off the shower. She folded her arms. Yup, seems impossible, but if I want Brion to behave, then I need to get him one. I'm at the mercy of my cat's attitude... "This is sad…" She muttered.

"What's sad, new Master?" Brion asked innocently.

How can I open it? Wind? Nope, nothing. Well, what about fire… "Yes!" She grinned. I can use fire! Flying close to the container top, she held out her hand and called upon the element with a desire. A small flame lit in her hand as her fingernails, hair, wings, and glowing aura turned red. This is pretty cool.

She expelled the radial heat toward the lid in a jet of hot air; she watched as a hole opened in the plastic, the edges curling. Great! This works. I can feel it draining me like the wind, though, and it's a lot faster than the passive Wind Shield. She finished a big enough hole for her to slip into and cut her fire, light dimming as her wings vanished.

Okay, just gotta get in and grab one! She stepped near the sides. "Ach!" She quickly retracted her foot. Stupid! Of course, it would be hot near the edges. Do I have ice … yup! Sweet! Holding out her hand, she began glowing a bluish-white as she expelled a cold burst of air; cutting the magic, she stepped forward. Round two! Smiling, she sat on the edge and lowered herself into the bowl.

"Okay, these things are pretty big—the size of my head." She lifted one up with a grunt. "They weigh like freakin' fifteen pounds!" She hoisted it up through the hole, dropping it on the counter. "They used to weigh nothing when I was a human." She sighed, looking down. Two more!

Finished lugging the treats through the hole, she climbed out. "I hope you're happy, Brion. These things are heavy now!"

"I'm hungry!"

"Okay, here they are!" She tossed them over the edge, watching Brion scramble to get them with a small chuckle. It's so crazy watching a cat the size of a house run after treats. Okay, well, Brion should be satisfied now. Slowly flying down, Brion looked at her, blinking as her white glow faded.

"What's New Master going to do?" Brion purred.

"I'm your old master, okay? I'm Fiona! Say it, Fiona."

"Fiona," Brion repeated. "My master is Fiona."

Smiling, Fiona flew up to his head, scratching between his eyes. "That's a good boy, Brion." He purred, pushing forward. "Oof!" She gasped as she was sent flying back, skidding across the ground, wings vanished. Coughing, she wheezed, "Brion … I'm fragile now—okay? You need to be gentle with me."

"I don't understand?" Brion asked with concern; walking up to her, he sat down, feet tucking under. "I always rub against Master."

Fiona chuckled. "Well, Master got a lot smaller and weaker; now Master rubs against Brion. Sound good?"

Brion cocked his head. "Okay, I understand."

"Good!" Fiona got up, fixing her makeshift robe. "Alright, let's see if we can figure out what's happening."

She flew to her laptop, Brion following behind her. Standing beside the touchpad, she glanced over at her cat as he leaped onto the tabletop, sitting beside the computer. "Hey! What did I say about the tables, Brion."

"I like to be close to Master…"

Do I have water? The knowledge came. This is awesome! A globe of water appeared above her hand. "Brion! Remember the rules."

He tensed as he caught sight of the water. "You are Master! Master uses water to punish!" Leaping off the table, he ran into her room.

Feeling a little bad, Fiona called after him. "Aww, Brion, hey! Look, you can sit on the couch, but remember, no scratching! You have a scratching post for that. Brion!"

She looked at the water above her palm with a frown; on a thought, the water turned into vapor, and her dark blue light faded, tinting red for a moment. This is so fascinating, but I can't feel my magical power building back up; I just keep using it. How much have I used … a quarter … well, snap.

She pressed a key with her foot, but it didn't drop. I'm too freaking light! Stepping on the key, she jumped, and it compressed, lighting up her screen. This is going to be such a pain; freaking mechanical keyboards and stiff keys! She slowly typed in her password, hovering between keys to drop down on the right letters.

Entering her desktop, she used her feet to slowly move the cursor down to her streaming program. Opening it, it took her a few minutes to initiate a stream. "Finally!" She growled as her stream went live. She watched the side of the screen, and after a minute, a few people started to join, and the messages started flooding in.

Daxton: "Fiona, what the crap? You're one of the changed people!"

Nonumapu: "She's like a little pixy! She's so cute!"

Daxton: "She's obviously a fairy, not a pixy."

Ulitron13 "What's the difference?"

Seabrax: "Do you have powers?"

Trollex1313: "What the crap is this? Fiona's a gnome?"

Daxton: "Freaking Trollex again!"

Daxton: "How can you troll when the world has gone to ****"

Nonumapu: "Hey, who knows … she could be a Gnome."

Seabrax: "That towel looks so cute! You're so small and beautiful!"

"Guys!" Fiona said with a tired sigh. "So, I changed into a Prismatic Fairy—anyone know what's going on?"

Trollex1313: "Hey, at least you're a smaller target for people to shoot at!"

Seabrax: "Okay, that's dark! Where's a mod when you need them?"

Daxton: "Yeah, that was too much! I'm hiding in my basement right now."

"Wait … what?" Fiona asked. "Are there people being shot right now? What's going on?"

Nonumapu: "There were a ton of lights in the sky.

Trollex1313: "The sky cracked like an egg!"

"Seriously, Trollex, please be serious," Fiona muttered.

Daxton: "Actually … he wasn't trolling on that one…

skGGh: "The epic troll juke … but seriously, dude."

Nonumapu: "I just heard another gunshot! What's happening out there?"

Seabrax: "You guys didn't hear? The U.S. just went into Martial Law."

Trollex1313: "Australian dude, get that American garbage out of here!"

Fiona frowned. "Martial Law? The sky cracked, and there were lights all over? What's going on?"

Ulitron13: "Okay, so, basically, the world is going to ****, and everyone's gone crazy. Some people changed into monsters, not pretty like you, like scary monsters. The U.S. has gone full lockdown, and the CDC has been called in."

Daxton: "People have changed and … yeah, Ulitron's got it. Government's saying find a safe place."

Nonumapu: "I'm sitting in my closet with my phone and a shotgun…"

Trollex1313: "CDC … Clinically Diseased Citizens, A.K.A. Stupidity! Run for the hills!"

Pushkin1: "Bottle of Vodka, MP-443 Grach, my dog, and my ZIL-130."

skGGh: "Actually … seeing Trollex makes me feel a little better. At least I know trolls will never die."

Daxton: "Seriously, guys?"

Fiona watched the comments with pursed lips. What did I expect?

Trollex1313: "Hail Mother Russia *salutes* Pushkin1."

Seabrax: "Seriously, though, Fiona, do you have any powers?"

Pushkin1: "Wait, when did Fiona turn into a tiny person? My cow's floating … Anatoly's stealing my cow!"

She shook her head. "Yup, I have magic powers. Someone's seriously stealing your cow … by making it fly?"

skGGh: "Oh **** **** his **** up Pushkin!"

Trollex1313: "Rule 1: Don't steal a Russian man's cow!"

Daxton: "It's sad your cow is being stolen, but can we get back on topic? Fiona needs some answers. And you know the no swearing rule skGGh..."

Fiona looked to her right as Brion came around the couch and hopped up on the cushion, ears pulled back with pleading eyes. "Master won't punish me?"

Sighing, she shook her head. "No, Brion, I won't punish you. Just don't get on the counter, okay." She turned back to the screen as Brion meowed his acceptance, reading the short backlog of comments.

Seabrax: "I want to know your powers! Fairy powered Fiona!"

Tolvesta3: "Wait, Fiona's a fairy? Can she still sing?"

Nonumapu: "Oh, you do have powers?"

skGGh: "It's probably flying powers; she's basically Tinker Bell."

Daxton: "Oh, Brion is there."

Trollex1313: "Brion's a giant compared to Fiona! Well, goodbye, my small dream. Your lovely voice has been recorded for history."

Roxy44: "RIP Fairy Fiona..."

Seabrax: "Wait, you can talk to animals now?"

Tolvesta3: "F's in the chat!"

Daxton: "F!"

Nohh: "f"

Nonumapu: "She's a cat whisperer! 0_0"

Trollex1313: "Sabrina, is that you?"

skGGh: "We going to talk about the floating cow in Russia?"

Seabrax: "Powers, Fiona, Now!"

Roxy44: "My role model just turned into a Fairy … I don't know how to feel about this…"

basti1993kekyo: "f … what we f'ing? Pixy Fiona!"

Daxton: "I'm interested in her powers, too, Seabrax."

skGGh: "No … okay…"

Tolvesta3: "Sing Ocean Eyes!"

Nonumapu: "Oh, don't let Daxton hear you say that, Basti!"

Trollex1313: "Yeah, Basti, Pixy! She's totally a Pixy! Pixy in the chat!"

Daxton: "She SAID she was a PRISMATIC FAIRY! Fairy!"

skGGh: "F's in the chat for Fairy?"

Fiona puffed out a long breath. "Okay, guys, focus here. Yes, I can talk to Brion; he's a good boy. I've only tested out ice, fire, wind, and water magic so far, but I can do all of them. I can also make Navi like wings, and my color changes when I use specific magic, like green when I use wind, see? Then it goes back to white when I stop it."

Seabrax: "0_0"

Nonumapu: "Pretty!"

Daxton: "Wow…"

skGGh: "F!"

basti1993kekyo: "I feel blessed!"

Nohh: "Donating 5k right now! Give us m0re!"

Trollex1313: "What's up with the microfiber cloth? Thought this was a family stream >.>"

Fiona's eyes shot to the door as she heard a key inserted in the lock; Brion shot to his feet, vision locked on the door "Master, who is it?" Is it Erica?

The door opened to reveal a scared-looking Erica, but she seemed five years younger; she appeared to be in her early twenties now.

She wore her standard business outfit, a black undershirt with a gray overcoat and skirt. Her feet were bare, and her long black hair that hung to her lower back was tangled. More surprising were the furry fox ears and tail poking out from under her skirt, both black with white tips.

"Fiona! I've—you—what?"

Fiona's white wings appeared as she rose into the air, soft glow enveloping her. "Erica! You're a fox-girl?"

Erica quickly shut the door, rushing over to her. "Fiona? You're so tiny! What's happening? There were all those lights in the sky, and then I got a message on my phone about Martial Law and the CDC being mobilized."

"Yeah, my stream says there's chaos all over the world! I was in the shower, and suddenly there was this pulse that shot through me, and I turned into a Prismatic Fairy … it really sucked. What about you?"

"Prismatic Fairy? You're a fairy … this is so surreal." She breathed a tired sigh as she moved around the table to sit next to Brion, but paused as he hissed, fur on end.

"Master! Who is this new thing? It smells dangerous!"

"What's going on with Brion?" Erica asked with concern.

"It's okay, Brion. It's only Erica … well, I guess she would smell different than what she normally smelled like. It's okay, she's a friend, okay?"

"I smell different?" Erica muttered, glancing at Fiona with a furrowed brow before returning to Brion as he settled down.

Fiona motioned for her to sit as she hovered over to her. "I guess you do, and it's okay to rub against Erica, okay, Brion." He meowed with cheer as he moved to rub against Erica's hand. "So, umm, I can talk to Brion now … like literally, I can understand him."

"This is so bizarre…" Erica shook her head, scratching Brion's forehead; he purred with joy, pressing against her hand.

"Tch, you're telling me … I'm freaking three inches tall—I couldn't even turn off my shower!"

Erica's head shifted toward the bathroom door as the sound of the water amplified in the ensuing silence. "Wow, really? How much can you lift then?"

She hovered down, sitting on the edge of her laptop display with a huff. "Brion's treats felt like they were fifteen-pound weights—I'm super weak. I just hope this isn't permanent because I don't know how I'll live being … this—oh!" Erica's vision snapped to her. "There's a spider in my bathroom!"

"...Okay?"

"You don't understand! I'm three inches tall, and that thing was half my size! It's super scary … can you please go smash it?"

Erica scratched her left fox ear with a soft hum. "Should we really be focusing on spiders when we changed into … this?" She gestured at her ears and tail. "I don't have human ears anymore, and you said you were a Prismatic Fairy…"

"Yes!" Fiona nodded fervently. "If you had a killer spider the size of a large dog in your house, what would your priorities be?"

"Eh, okay—I get that." Sighing, she rose and moved to the shower; Fiona trailed behind with Brion in-tow. She scowled as Erica opened the door without a second thought. I can't believe how much I took that for granted!

Floating in, she squinted her eyes as the moisture hit her. "Being small sucks so much!" Fiona growled.

"Is that right?" Erica chuckled. "Where was it?"

"By the mirror—spiders are super scary looking. I've never really looked at one close up, but they're freaky."

Erica frowned as she looked around the sink. "I don't see it…"

"Master! I see the thing! The thing!" Brion jumped behind the toilet to swat the spider; it tumbled across the ground.

Erica jumped. "What's up with…"

"The spider!" Fiona yelled, pointing down at it as it tried scurrying away.

Shaking her head, Erica stepped on it with her right heel. "Alright, feel better?" She sighed.

Fiona breathed a deep sigh of relief. "I really do … I mean, it's a spider! What if it just jumped me from behind, or I got caught in a web or something?"

"I don't think those kinds of spiders make webs, but I could be wrong," she muttered. "Anyways, what should we do? The CDC is being mobilized; are we infected by something?"

"Got me," Fiona crossed her arms. She looked over at her shower, turning back to Erica with pleading eyes.

She closed her eyes, pursing her lips. Taking a deep breath, Erica put her hands on her lips. "Seriously … where are your priorities?"

"I don't know," Fiona frowned. "I just—it's a solution, I guess … it's accomplishing something, and I feel like I need wins right now…"

"Fine…" Erica opened the shower door and turned off the water.

Fiona's nose burned a little as she watched Erica effortlessly press the knob in, her emotions flaring. "You—you don't know how hard that is … how hard it is being small." She sniffed back tears.

Erica turned to her with concern. "Hey—it's okay; it's just the shower."

"Right … it's just the shower—just the stupid shower … just a door … I had to melt Brion's treat bag to get one out for him. Brion tried to kill me…"

"Okay, okay," Erica held up her hands, a little lost how to comfort her, the rumble in her throat reverberating through Fiona's body. "Do—do you need a hug or something? I just—I don't want to hurt you."

Her shoulders began to quake as her chest convulsed. "I—I…" She shot toward Erica's throat, hugging her as best she could. "I don't know—what do we do?"

"Hey, it's okay…" Erica carefully pressed her fingers against her back as she cried, trying to be gentle with her wings. "You're pretty warm."

"Master?"

"Hah—I'm warm?"

She swallowed. "Yeah, why don't we go back to the front room and try to sort this out. I'm sure your chat has some answers. Maybe we can check out some other streams too, or the news."

"Okay…" Fiona sniffed.

Erica chuckled as she walked back to the front room, Fiona still clinging to her throat. "How's your voice? It seems a little different."

"Master! I want to help!"

Fiona cleared her throat. "Yeah … it changed a little; I'm a little scared, but I also don't feel super scared. It's really odd … it like, flips off and on."

She sat on the couch, and Brion jumped up next to her, front paws pressing against Erica's thigh as he looked up at her. "Master, what's wrong?"

"It looks like Brion's pretty worried about you."

"Your voice vibrates my whole body," Fiona chuckled as she let go, floating back to hover in front of her. "Thanks, Brion … I'm okay."

"Really, Master? Nothing hurts?"

"No, nothing hurts. I'm okay."

"Okay," he purred happily.

Erica smiled, examining her a bit more thoroughly. "I think your makeshift dress is becoming a bit too loose."

"Oh!" Landing on her left leg, she secured the cloth. "This was the best I could do…"

"Yeah, it must have been rough, sorry."

She smiled up at her lawyer, manager, and friend, wiping at her cheeks. "I'm just happy you're here with me."

Cracking her neck, Erica pulled her black hair over her shoulder and secured her bangs behind her ears. "So, what's your chat saying then?" They both moved to look at the screen, Brion sitting at the edge of the center couch cushion. Skipping the backlog, they looked at the newest messages.

skGGh: "Erica!!"

Seabrax: "Foxy Erica! I want to see!"

Daxton: "Did you guys get the spider?"

Erica laughed. "Yes, we got the spider."

Dodokumi: "Brion's so big compared to Fiona!"

Nonumapu: "Erica's a giant fox lady compared to our girl!"

Roxy44: "Were you crying, Fiona?"

Trollex1313: "You okay, Fiona?"

Nohh: "Fiona's cheeks are wet?"

skGGh: "So, I just watched my neighbor summon an imp?"

basti1993kekyo: "Wait, Trollex cares? What's up, Fiona?"

Seabrax: "So, what other powers do you have?"

Fiona took a deep breath. "Yes, I'm okay … I guess. This is just a lot to take in."

"No," Erica huffed. "We're both not alright. Anyone know what's going on or what we should do?"

Daxton: "I'm with Basti … Trollex cares? BTW, seriously, an imp?"

Trollex1313: "Hey, I'm not inhuman or a monster…"

Olusculum: "Oof … wrong words?"

Trollex1313: "Eh, wait, not what I meant … yeah…"

skGGh: "C'mon, it's Trollex; of course, he meant it!"

Roxy44: "Hey, Fiona, I'm sorry that happened. My little brother turned into a wolfboy … I don't know how to handle this…"

Tentec667: "So, been getting caught up on the conversation. Yeah … so, lights, changed people, powers, Fairy Fiona with powers … I'm going back to bed."

"Wait, Fiona, you have powers?" Erica glanced over at her.

"Eh, yeah … I can feel this energy within me—maybe something like mana or some resource from games. I'm running out fast when I use my powers…"

"What kind of powers?" She shifted on the couch, making Brion shift a little to keep balance.

"Umm—water, fire, and wind are what I've tested out."

"Is that right? Well … I think we should probably go down to the CDC. I'll … oh, the network just went down?"

Olusculum: "Aww, cheer up, Fiona! I'm sure it'll work out."

Daxton: "I guess I need to go … my girlfriend has powers."

basti1993kekyo: "I'm just waiting for my dog to fly … wait, ALL those powers? Freaking OP!"

Dodokumi: "Did you water strike Brion? He looked pretty scared you were going to punish him when I came on! PETA!! Hehe…"

Seabrax: "You're an elemental magical Fairy! Wait … CDC, IDK about that one, Erica…"

skGGh: "CDC! They'll freaking lock you guys up for life!"

Fiona sighed. "I don't know … maybe they can help."

Roxy44: "I'm kind of with them on this one ... you two don't seem sick. The government isn't the most trustworthy."

Nonumapu: "Yup, don't trust the government! Rule #1 of monster change movies!"

Dodokumi: "Wait, what? Government?! NONONONO!!! They'll dissect you!"

Daxton: "C'mon, guys … I mean, my gut's with you guys, but who else is equipped to handle this … Martial Law, too…"

basti1993kekyo: "Fiona can just blast her way out if they go all evil on her!"

Olusculum: "Wait, if it's the CDC, then you should get there as soon as possible! Get help!"

skGGh: "^^^ First guy to die in a movie."

Seabrax: "Hehe, actually, yeah, sounds about right."

Erica rubbed between her eyes. "Right, well, there is a store that sells doll clothes down the street. Maybe we should go grab some that will fit you … then we can come back up and figure out our next step." She smiled at Fiona. "I think you're right about needing some wins, and you could use some proper clothes."

Fiona ran a hand through her hair with a slight smile. "Yeah, I'd like real clothes. Alright, guys, we'll be back in a bit. Brion, stay here, and keep chat company."

Brion's big eyes widened as he looked around. "I don't smell chat? What's chat?"

Chuckling, Fiona moved to pat him on the head. "You're a good boy, keep the house safe for me." Without looking at chat's reaction, Fiona left the camera's sight, Erica rising with a stretch. "Right, let's get going then! Our first Fairy shopping trip."