Dewdrop thought that being just a few inches tall would be a hinderance to getting to Biff's house, but the truth was quite the opposite. Cornelius took her up into the air once again, holding her around her back and under her knees, and she wrapping her arms around his neck, and they went out front. Dewdrop had just gotten used to the giant world of her home, but outside made all that seem just like an amusement park. Her lawn was recently cut and manicured - Dad had been trying to conceal his grief by doing house and yard work, and yet still it seemed like a forest to her as Cornelius buzzed over the top of the grass. Down this close, Dewdrop could see all the scary little beasties that lived in the ground. Roly-polies, earthworms, ants, beetles, and all other manner of bugs that she never noticed before. The world was alive down here. They dodge around a bird that seemed positively Godzilla like, tromping and hopping through the grass. It was just a raven, and it noticed them with intelligent eyes. Cornelius took a wide path around him.
"We stay away from ravens."
"Why?" Dewdrop asked, keeping her eye on the raven over Cornelius' shoulder. The raven kept watching her.
"They're tricksters, shape-shifters, and magic users. They're not evil, but always be wary when a raven wants to make a deal with you."
They got to the street and landed right on Dewdrop's car. The old green pickup truck her dad bought at a junkyard 10 years ago. Since then, he and Dewdrop had kept the classic car in great shape. Just one more thing the fairy wanted to get back to. From this size, the truck was a building, like some monument built by the ancients. It seemed impossible that such a thing could move or be controlled. And yet Dewdrop knew better. Cornelius didn't land on the truck, but went further, out into the middle of the street. And there he waited, hovering in the air until a car came down the road.
It came closer and closer, and at just the point when Dewdrop was about to shout at Cornelius, the fairy dove down and landed on the plastic trunk of the car. The wind that should be buffeting and deafening became as a cool breeze, and the force from turns just went away entirely.
"There isn't another way to Biff's house?" Dewdrop asked.
"There are -- but they're not nearly as fun." Cornelius said with a smile. At that, Dewdrop smiled. She felt a bit like a kid riding in the back of that green pickup truck down the street. The wind wafting through her hair, across her legs, and whipping her dress. Wait -- dress?
"What? How did this come back?" Dewdrop said, angrily holding up her sparkling wand to change it back.
"It won't do much good." Cornelius said. "When fairies are on a mission from their queen or king, or on a task, or any other official fairy business, we need to be properly attired. We do, after all, represent Fairydom. As I said, we don't have as much free will as humans. We desire to do right by our liege lords when they are right, kind, and just, as my cousin is."
Dewdrop grumbled. This whole fairy world seemed to be working against her, doing everything in its power to make her the best fairy she could be -- even if that's the exact opposite of what she wanted.
After a few blocks, Cornelius and Dewdrop hopped to another car, riding it for a while, and then another, and another, and they wound their way to Biff's house. How Cornelius knew how to get there Dewdrop didn't know. But soon enough they got there. Dewdrop knew something was wildly amiss because there was a time machine parked out front. Well, the DeLorean from Back to the Future. Whether or not it actually traveled through time, she could only guess. Could she travel back and stop herself from picking up that silly costume? Something about time paradoxes screamed in her head. Besides, wouldn't Biff need Plutonium for that? 1.21 Jiggawatts and all that.
Cornelius fluttered over and around the car, inspecting it, and he set Dewdrop on the sidewalk in the meanwhile. He could fly much faster and better without holding her. It was actually a joy to watch him zipping and flitting about, sometimes doing acrobatic moves through the air. Watching him made Dew realize she actually would like to have wings. And then she quickly tamped that feeling back down. Still, she sighed and looked around. Biff's house wasn't taken care of near as well as hers - the grass more like a jungle than a forest. The bugs in the weeds seemed bigger and meaner. Then the grass started to wave and shake, something was coming out. And then she saw it.
Beady black eyes, a twitching nose, razor sharp claws, and boundless energy, a squirrel came bounding out of the grass and onto the sidewalk. He was as big as an elephant, though he moved so much more easily, scrabbling and sniffing along the concrete.
He looked at her, sniffed a few times, and said, "Hi!" Dewdrop realized then it was a girl squirrel.
She waved to her. "Hi."
"Say, there's an acorn in the road, could you get it for me, Pink fairy girl?"
Dewdrop was slightly bewildered that a squirrel was talking to her, and turned to see there was an acorn in the road, out in the driving lane. Without even thinking, Dewdrop whipped her wand and a quick gust of wind sent the acorn rolling toward her, right up to the curb. The she-squirrel jumped down, picked up the acorn (which she stuffed in her cheek), and nodded to Dew.
"Thanks!" And then she went on her way. While Dewdrop left her List of Tasks way away in her house, she could somehow feel that she had crossed one more off her list.
"Hey -- you helped a squirrel, you are a natural fairy."
"Shut up," Dewdrop said, but in a bit of a playful way, with a smile partly on her face. Cornelius offered his hand to her, and she took it.
"Shall we go inside, my Lady?"
