Red

Chapter Ten: Fairy Godmother

Pinnochio offered to drop the kids at the Bureau, and Gran, after offering to stay with me, dropped me off at the Bureau as well.

The doctor's name was Miseri, and she was very obviously a fae. Her face was perfectly symmetrical and she was unnaturally beautiful. On top of that, she was barely four-foot-five. 

Gretel gave her an angelic grin, and Hansel glowered at her. 

"Are you their..." Miseri looked confused as her eyes darted between us. "sister?" 

Hansel's frown deepened. We look nothing alike. We weren't even the same colour. 

"Sister? Um. No, I'm just watching them. They killed a witch," I explained. 

Miseri raised her eyebrow. "I see. Witch-killers are rare." 

I nodded. 

"Well, a normal examination is in order, then," Miseri said. "Follow me," she directed the kids. 

I sat down and read the latest issue of Helianthus.

After about a half-hour the kids and Miseri returned. "So, both are half fae," she told me. 

Hansel rolled his eyes. "I'm a freaking fairy." 

Miseri patted his shoulder. "Yeah, you are. Gretel has defenseman DNA, which basically means she has the capability to kill any sort of humanoid or monster. It's very potent magic, and she should be trained," Miseri continued. "Hansel, on the other hand, is an enchanter. He can only really kill spellcasters, and he himself can charm things. Again, he should probably be trained." 

I nodded. "Of course." 

"Are you ready for your examination?" Miseri asked. 

I balked. "I didn't... I didn't arrange that." 

"After your encounter with a werewolf you were supposed to have a checkup here. And that was seven years ago." 

"Um. I think you have the wrong person? I've never seen a werewolf," I fibbed. 

Miseri shook her head. "You're Red Benedict. I don't have the wrong person." 

Hansel poked my side. "If I had to do it, you have to do it." 

"That was not part of the deal," I argued. 

Luckily, at that moment, my phone rang. "Hello?"

"Is this Red Benedict?" A voice with a crisp English accent asked. 

"Yeah. Who is this?" 

"It's Fairy Godmother Formal Dresswear. We hear you're attending Eloise Ashfall's anniversary ball and we'd like you to be here in five minutes." 

"Yes. Yes, I'll be there." I turned to Hansel and Gretel. "I have another appointment. Let's go. Um, Miseri, can I make an appointment for like, next week?" 

Miseri rolled her eyes. "Fine. Call us when you're not so busy," she said venomously, in typical fae fashion.

FGFD was just down the street, as luck would have it. The entrance looked like a dentist's office, with clean white walls and a large white desk. 

I handed Hansel and Gretel and wad of cash. "You can go to the market, but do not leave the market. I will know if you leave the market." 

They looked at each other. "Okay," Gretel agreed. 

"And do not, above all, tell anyone you're part fae. Don't do it." 

Gretel sighed. "Okay," she muttered dejectedly. 

"Don't worry, I'm never telling anyone," Hansel swore. 

They both left quickly.

A woman came from the back, her eyes twinkling in a motherly way, her hair blue and spiked in a punk-rock way. "Red Benedict?" she asked. 

I smiled. "That's me." 

"I'm your Fairy Godmother, Mel." She beamed. "Oh, look at that bone structure. And that skin- gorgeous tan- we have so much to work with." 

"Uh," I furrowed my brow. "Thank you?"

She grabbed my wrists. "Let's go to the back, dear." 

She lead me to a small circular stage with three mirrors surrounding it. "Stay here," she instructed. 

I complied, slowly turning to see myself at every angle. My pitch-black hair was in unruly waves that reached my mid-back. I hadn't noticed how long it was getting. I made a mental note to arrange for a cut. 

My eyes looked amber in this light, but usually, they were an even brown, neither dark nor light. Gran said he could see my mood in my eyes. All I could see was my apprehension. 

Besides that, I was pretty simple. I had thick thighs and arms from running, but really I just looked petite. My mother used to say I looked like Aunt Imelda and now in these mirrors, I could really see it. I shook my head and looked away. It hardly looked like me anymore.

Mel reappeared, her arms filled with fabrics. 

"Let's see here. Hm. Darling, close your eyes." 

I obeyed. I'd heard about how this worked, and apparently for it to succeed, mortals couldn't be looking. 

I felt a soft fabric drape over me and I fought the urge to squirm as something tickled my nose. 

"All right, now, open." 

The dress was soft pink chiffon, with a very low V-neck and a gathered waist. I instinctively covered my chest with my arm. 

Mel clucked her tongue. "It looks gorgeous on you, dear. But I don't think you really love the neckline." 

"It's very... low? Do you have something, I don't know, higher?" 

Mel nodded. "Of course. Eyes closed again, darling." She hummed a little. "Ooh," she sighed, "who's that?" 

"Sorry?" I regretted opening my mouth as I accidentally swallowed a heap of sparkles. 

"We create dresses based on your best memories, so I'm just sifting through yours. I think I've found the perfect colour for your dress." She tapped my arm. "Open!" 

The dress was a gorgeous ocean blue. It had a similar silhouette to the previous one, although this one's straps fell off my shoulders and had a straight neckline. She'd also created glittery gold pumps that were seriously comfortable, and she'd left my hair waving down my shoulders. 

I wasn't really into fashion, but the dress made me feel... happy. Warm. 

Mel smiled. "You look perfect, darling." 

I blushed. "Thank you so much." 

"Now," she added, attaching a gold bracelet to my wrist. "When it's time to go, just press this, close your eyes, and count to ten. The dress, hair, shoes, and makeup will appear." 

"Perfect, thank you." 

Mel told me to close my eyes and tapped the bracelet, and in a second the dress disappeared. 

"Have a lovely night," she sang as I left. 

I found the kids at the market buying jam and we headed home where I waited with far too much anxiety.