Atop a hill of verdant green pastures sparkling with the morning dew, a little girl knelt in the soft grass, her eyes fixed on a tiny ladybug climbing the slender blade before her. She could almost hear her mommy’s voice warning her to keep her dress spotless, but for now, she ignored the thought.


    The delicate fabric of her bouffant gown brushed against the cool morning grass, its pastel lace staining with the wet roughage of nature, but she didn’t mind. She tilted her wide-brimmed hat to shield her face from the day star so she could better watch the ladybug crawl, entranced by its slow, purposeful journey.


    The sudden movement of her hand sent the ladybug fluttering into the air, its beautiful polka-dotted carapace shifting aside to reveal four delicate crystalline wings that whirred into action. Undeterred, the girl sprang to her feet, her determination burning brighter than her frustration. She raced after the tiny creature, her bug-catching net waving wildly in the air, each swing a hair’s breadth from victory. Her short legs struggled to match the ladybug’s swift, erratic flight, and her breath quickened as she tried to keep up.


    She chased the ladybug all the way to the edge of the field, her tiny feet clumsily barreling through the tall grass, her puffy dress trailing with the breeze, but even the fervent energy of youth was not enough. The nippy insect beat her to the shadow of the forest, and she screeched to a reluctant halt.


    She wasn’t allowed to go into the woods—Mommy had always said it was too dangerous. She lingered at the boundary, her breath coming in short gasps, watching as the ladybug flitted deeper into the gloom. Just before the tiny thing disappeared into the undergrowth, it was suddenly engulfed in a small green light, shocking a surprised EEP! from the little girl.


    The green light lingered, its glow casting strange, flickering patterns on the nearby foliage. Curiosity peaked, the girl squinted, trying to make out what might be hidden within the tiny luminescent sphere, but the brightness stung her eyes, blurring any details.


    Slowly, the light drifted toward her. As it got closer, the radiance grew less bearable until she eventually had to shield her face with a small hand and retreat a step back. Yet, with her eyes squeezed shut, her ears took focus. She could hear it—a faint, melodic humming that grew louder as it approached, both soothing and strange.


    A not-so-human-like squeaky voice caught the little girl’s attention. “Hiya there! I haven’t seen you before. Are you new here?”


    The little girl hesitated, then slowly spread her fingers to peek through the gap. The green light had drifted closer, hovering just a few steps away. It was as close as it could be while staying within the boundaries of the forest. It glowed with a peculiar intensity—painfully bright, yet strangely ineffective at lighting up its surroundings. She felt an odd duality stir within her: the instinct to turn away, like when staring too long at the blazing day star, and an irresistible allure to keep looking, as though the light itself held a secret meant only for her.


    Within the glowing light, she could now make out a tiny figure—a human-like creature with delicate, shimmering insect wings and a pair of fuzzy antennae that twitched curiously. Its eyes, however, were like nothing she had ever seen, as if borrowed from some strange bug. Instead of the familiar inward curve, they jutted outward from its face, each a brilliant, iridescent dome of countless hexagonal facets. Among the kaleidoscopic array of tiles, two small circles of brighter hexagons stood out, like pupils, giving the alien eyes a strangely human quality. These luminous pupils shifted within the compound eyes, tracking her every move. At that moment, they were fixed on her, wide and eager, as though the tiny being found her just as fascinating as she found it.


    What struck her as even stranger was that, despite the tiny figure being entirely naked, she couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl. Its body seemed to blur the lines, defying the distinctions she was used to, and it sported no genitalia and a flat chest It didn''t even have a belly button.


    After a moment of hesitation, the little girl responded, her voice soft but curious, “I’m m not new; I just haven’t ever been this close to the forest before. My Mommy says the forest is dangerous.”


    The tiny flying human let out a peculiar snicker, a sound like the clicking of cicadas on a summer night. “That’s funny,” it said, its voice lilting with amusement. “I never left the forest since my Mommy says that it’s the outside that is dangerous.” It tilted its head, the iridescent pupils in its strange compound eyes darting playfully. “What’s your name? Do you want to play with me?”


    The little girl found herself liking this spontaneous new friend. Everything about her—the delicate wings, the glowing light, and those strange, captivating eyes—felt so whimsical and otherworldly. The glow certainly added to the effect. “My name is Surcease,” she said with a shy smile. “What’s yours?”


    “Nymph!” the tiny being replied with a delighted chirp. “Come on, follow me! I know a really pretty place in the forest that’s absolutely full of ladybugs. Like, I mean, full!” Nymph flung her arms wide in an exaggerated gesture, her wings fluttering for emphasis. “Like this full!” She strained, stretching her arms as far as they could go before pausing to add with a mischievous grin, “I know it doesn’t seem impressive because I’m so tiny. But trust me, it’s like the whole sky is made of them!”


    Surcease took a small step back, her brow furrowing with apprehension. She glanced at the shadowy trees, then back at Nymph, her voice wavering with uncertainty. “I’m not supposed to go into the forest. Mommy says it’s dangerous.” She hesitated momentarily before offering, “How about you come to play with me in the field instead?”


    Nymph pouted, hands placed firmly on her hips, and let out an exaggerated huff. “My home isn’t dangerous! Your field is the dangerous place! A bird could swoop down and carry you away in the blink of an eye!”


    Surcease giggled, her voice light and amused. “No, they can’t. Birds aren’t that big, Silly.”


    Nymph grumbled cutely, “For you maybe...” Then she thought for a moment, her fuzzy antennae twitching as she considered. She grabbed her antennae in a soft hold and tugged as she searched for a solution to their dilemma. Then, her eyes lit up with an idea. “How about we play a game of rock, paper, scissors? The loser has to play in the winner’s territory!”A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    At first, Surcease didn’t like the idea. She thought Nymph should just come over to her side and play. But after a moment of thinking, she realized that wouldn’t be fair. Nymph was in the exact same position as her, so it wouldn’t be right to demand that things only go her way.


    She took a deep breath, her expression softening. “Okay,” she agreed, her tone reluctant but fair. “But only one game. No best two out of three nonsense.”


    “Deal.” Nymph hid one hand behind her back, and Surcease did the same.


    "Rock…"


    Their eyes locked, and for a brief moment, all cordiality vanished. The air between them crackled with the silent intensity of the greatest battle of wills ever fought.


    "Paper…"


    Two master strategists, each carefully calculating countless possibilities as they narrowed down their chosen move. Surcease’s fingers curled into the shape of her chosen weapon, her gaze unwavering.


    "Scissors!”


    Surcease threw out scissors just as Nymph simultaneously revealed rock. Their timing was flawless—there was no way anyone could claim cheating.


    With a victorious laugh, Nymph flew in a delighted circle, her wings fluttering with excitement. “Yay, I win!” she cheered, her tiny hands thrown high in the air. “Don’t worry. The forest isn’t dangerous, and the place I want to show you isn’t even that far from the edge anyway.”


    Surcease was still a little scared to go into the forest, but a promise was a promise, and if all the other things in the forest were nice like Nymph, then maybe there was nothing to be afraid of.


    Nymph, full of confidence, grabbed hold of one of Surcease’s fingers with both of her tiny hands. She tugged eagerly, her wings fluttering as she pulled, trying to lead the way. Nymph’s hands were so small that even using both, she could hardly manage to grasp more than a fraction of Surcease’s finger.


    Surcease wasn’t sure if it was rude to ask, but her curiosity got the better of her. “Why are you so small? What are you, and… are you a boy or a girl?”


    She hadn’t meant to ask so many questions at once, but once she started, her words tumbled out, one after the other, her curiosity running wild. She winced, a little embarrassed by her lack of restraint. She hoped Nymph wouldn’t be offended by her barrage of questions.


    Nymph snickered again, the sound echoing like the hum of cicadas. “I’m a fairy, a spirit of the woods!” she exclaimed, her wings fluttering with excitement. “And I’m quite tall for a fairy, thank you very much.” She paused midair, her antennae twitching in a mock huff. “As for boy or girl, we fairies don’t really have those kinds of things. You can just call me whichever one you want!”


    “Wow, so fairies are real,” Surcease said, her voice filled with wonder. She felt like she was living inside a fairy tale come to life. “I think I’ll call you a girl since I’ve always wanted a girl friend. And how are you supposed to be tall? My cat is way bigger than you, and he’s the smallest thing I know.”


    Nymph’s flying grew erratic, her wings buzzing with speed as she zipped around like an irritated fly. “That’s not fair!” she huffed, darting in every direction. “Cats are giants!”


    Surcease tried to stifle her giggles, but Nymph still noticed, causing her whole body to turn a shade redder. Her blushing was so apparent that Surcease could have sworn it tinted the green light that glowed around her. The two continued to joke and laugh as they made their way to Nymph’s special spot.


    It had taken longer than Surcease had expected. She’d started to doubt Nymph’s claim that the place was close to the edge of the forest, but all of her doubts vanished when she finally saw it.


    Before her stretched a vast clearing, round and open, where an ocean of blue flowers covered the ground, each one alive with thousands of ladybugs, nibbling and fluttering in a mesmerizing display of synchronized movement. The sight was nothing short of magical.


    One might think that the flowers would have been picked clean long ago with so many bugs, yet the clearing appeared untouched, as though the scene existed in a perfect, eternal balance. The colours swirled together in a breathtaking dance of red and blue, a harmonious blend of life and beauty that Surcease could have never imagined, even in her wildest dreams.


    Surcease was at a complete loss for words. She had never seen anything like this outside of the forest. It was a sight so breathtaking, so otherworldly, that she knew she would never forget it. She hadn’t even realized she’d dropped her bug-catching net; she was so absorbed by the scene before her.


    Nymph, completely at ease, zipped into the clearing and joined the swarming ladybugs, her wings shimmering with the light. “Come on, Surcease!” she called, her voice cheerful and inviting. “You won’t scare them; this place is magic.”


    Surcease took a cautious step forward, but when she saw that the ladybugs simply moved aside to make room for her and then returned to their quiet, busy life, she couldn’t help but smile. Without hesitation, she dashed into the clearing, her laughter spilling out like a song.


    At the center of the clearing, it was an infinitely more wonderous sight, a complete dome of gorgeous insects going about their lives undisturbed. The blue flowers were a little itchy, rubbing against Surcease’s exposed legs, and she thought that they would probably leave a rash by the time she left. But that was a small price to pay for taking part in this wonder.


    Surcease and Nymph must have spent hours in that magical clearing, lost in their laughter and games—chasing bugs, picking flowers, and marvelling as the flowers would bloom again the moment they were picked. It was the most fun Surcease had had in a long time, and she felt lighthearted in a way she hadn’t felt in forever.


    But as the day star began to dip lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the clearing, Surcease realized she was starting to get hungry. She didn’t want to leave; the magic of the place was too enchanting to let go. Yet, with a reluctant sigh, she turned to Nymph and said, “I’m really sorry, Nymph, but it’s starting to get late, and Mommy is probably getting worried now. I think I should head back.”


    Nymph’s wide, beaming smile instantly faded, and her whole body seemed to deflate with disappointment. “Aw, really?” she sighed, her antennae drooping. “But if you stay until night comes, you’ll get to see the fireflies take their turn in the clearing. And if you thought the ladybugs were pretty... well, you haven’t seen anything yet!”


    Surcease bit her lip, so terribly tempted by the promise of fireflies, but she didn’t let herself give in. She shook her head gently, her voice soft but firm. “...I’m sorry Nymph, but I really got to go.”


    Nymph clearly wanted to argue, but when she saw the worrisome expression on Surcease’s face, she relented with a soft sigh. “Okay, fine,” she said as her shoulders slouched with disappointment. Nymph was never one to stay down, and she immediately perked back up. “But you have to promise we’ll get to play again someday.”


    Surcease’s mood lifted instantly, the weight of leaving seeming to melt away. “Definitely!” she said with a bright smile, her earlier hesitation gone.


    Silence hung in the air as the two awkwardly stood in place. Surcease scratched the nape of her neck and let out an uncertain laugh, "Umm, can you guide me back? I don’t remember which way we came from.”


    Nymph let out her characteristically aberrant snicker, a bit more awkward this time. “Yeah, no probs… um.” She spun in a few circles, glancing at the trees in each direction. “It was this way—NO, wait, this way. Yeah, definitely this way.”


    Surcease gave Nymph a quizzical look. “Are you sure?”


    “Yeah, definitely. I just got a little confused because the lighting is different now, but I’m back on track. It is this way, one hundred percent fairy guarantee!” Nymph leaned in closer to Surcease, cupped a hand over their lips as if in a whisper, and spoke conspiratorily, “In case you didn’t know when a fairy makes a guarantee, then it is guaranteed.“


    The two giggled, and Surcease’s worries drifted away.