Little Butterfly (MCYT AU)

Section 1

It was quiet in the meadow. The grass was billowing in the calm breeze, making the ground look like a green sea on land. There was hardly anything showing life, with there being but large scraggly trees and rocks, but that's just at a first glance. Most humans wouldn't bother to look twice, let alone even care. But if you'll look closer in just a little bit, you'll see, and you'll realize that you're not the only one who matters in life.

A small yellow blur suddenly darted into the open area, its thin velvety wings fluttering like a hummingbird's as the creature headed for the other side. A small bird of prey quickly followed, keeping up with the butterfly-looking blur by matching its speed-- but not its cleverness.

It weaved through the  bushes, barrel-rolling in the air and juking through the trees, then it doubled back and landed in a bush. The bird, having lost track of its quarry, shrieked out an echoing threat before flapping and flying away. For a moment, everything was still, then the leaves rustled, and the creature peeked up. It was a fairy.

He grinned once he saw that the small hawk was gone, and he climbed out of the dry undergrowth, adjusting his wrinkled attire and brushing some dust off of it. His golden eyes kept a look out for any other signs of danger as he briefly messed with his rich brown hair, then he jumped up and flew back into the air. He glanced around one last time before zipping away, heading back to where he was originally going. He flew up along the base of the large hill before coming across a large pond with some mallards in it, and he smiled a little when he saw the familiar cave that was hidden behind a small waterfall that poured into the little body of water. He flew past that, then went up the rocky hill a little more before finally entering a clearing. There were 'bird nests' dotted about in the largest tree at the center, and there were some hollows too. The fairy paused in the air, looking around at the cozy place with comfort.

'Home...' He thought both with content and irritation. He sighed quietly, looking back at the way he had come from before hesitantly fluttering over to a hollow. However, as soon as his red shoes touched the wood, a voice made him jump.

"You've been out flying again, haven't you?" He whirled around to see a blue-winged fairy, who was staring at him from the darkest part of the nest with a mostly unreadable gaze. His expression, however, betrayed his thoughts.

He was not pleased.

The yellow fairy grinned sheepishly, scuffling his feet.

"No..." He lied admittingly, casting his eyes down in slight guilt. The older fairy sighed.

"Adam, how many times have I told you to not go flying out before morning?"

"... Countless times."

"And how many times have you gone flying out before dawn?"

"..." The blue fairy sighed again, running a hand through his shaggy black hair.

"Look, now I know you're hesitant to follow the rules and all, but-"

"They're necessary and stuff, I get it!" Adam snapped, looking away from his domineer.

"Adam." He narrowed his cold blue eyes, making Adam swallow nervously. "You do realize this means you get no flying lessons again for the week, am I correct?" The yellow fairy widened his eyes.

"B-but-but Ian-" he stuttered in an attempt to protest.

"No 'but's." There was no sympathy in the iridescent blue eyes. "I am your leader, and I'm trying to protect not just you, but the others. They seem to understand, but you don't-"

"Because they're not curious and don't want to go to the outside world like I do!" Adam had blurted those words out, and he immediately clamped his hands over his mouth as Ian widened his eyes. It was forbidden to go past the pond that Adam had indeed gone past, unless you were assigned the job that allowed you to, a gathering explorer. The outside world, to the fairies, was a hazardous place, filled with large fairy-eating creatures called humans that had populated just about every place in the world, which left the fairies little place to hide for the survival of their kind.