Lucille had often heard she was ‘weird’ or ‘crazy’ growing up. Despite her timid demeanor, she was considered eccentric amongst her peers. She had remembered watching a play with her family and friends when she was younger and when the girls were talking about the handsome male actors, Lucille was the only one who thought about the actors’ dialogue and how they projected them.

Her family was religious, so she often went to church in her childhood. She had a hard time getting along with the other girls as they enjoyed gossip, fashion and romance novels while Lucille herself liked small talk, wasn’t interested in fashion and liked adventure novels or stories more oriented for the male demographic. Girls didn’t want to hang out with her because of this and guys didn’t want to hang out with her because of her gender. While it did bother her at first, when she met the word magic user that she had idolized as a child, all of her worries and such disappeared.

Growing up, her mindset was a tad different from the usual people. This especially applied when she studied at a magic academy as a mage. She learned the basic four elements of magic, but also had an innate curiosity to use them in unusual ways. Because she wasn’t athletic, she wondered if it was possible to apply wind magic to her feet to make her move faster or to apply earth magic onto her limbs to double her strength. Her instructors pleaded for her to follow the basics to which she begrudgingly did. However, three years after she graduated from her magic academy, she had heard rumors about the same magic academy using the ideas she had back then as training for the new students.

While she was upset at first, she chose to let it go. She incorporated her magical ideas onto herself whenever she used elemental magic and whenever she used word magic. She no longer cared about being seen as unusual or weird. In fact, she reveled in it. It was her eccentricity that allowed her to get to where she was at her job and now where she was at currently. As long as there were people out there who accepted her for who she was, that was all that mattered.

Noir was one of those who knew how crazy she could be; while he was baffled, Lucille knew he’d come to agree with her idea. She could see it in his eyes. It was an insane idea, one that normal people would quickly reject, but Noir seemed to like it.

“One of my promises to Ange before we ran away was to make her happy no matter what. Whether we’d be homeless or have to pretend to be dogs our entire lives, it didn’t matter as long as we were together. If she’s happy, I am too. I’m down with that idea, Lucille. We shall go to the faerie kingdom together and allow Ange to be disowned by the royal family.”

The mention of Ange suddenly got Lucille a tad worried. “Would Ange be okay with this idea? She usually hates traveling because she’s prone to sickness a lot.”

“I’m sure she’ll agree. She has always been contemplating about returning but never had the courage to reveal our true selves to you.”

“Really? But, I still am worried. When we moved to Eastport, she threw up a lot due to the change in air.”

“We’ll be fine. Honestly, you worry way too much.” Noir responded with a heavy sigh.

“If…if you say so…”

The door opened and Janet bursted out. “I have stitched up and bandaged your dog’s wound. I advise you to watch her so she won’t scratch her neck and reopen her wounds.”

Lucille rushed towards Janet and took her hands into her own. She was so grateful to the point of holding back her tears. “Thank you so much…” She then rushed into the room to see Ange sullen with a bandage around her neck; the color matched her entire body, so it felt as if it was a part of her body.

Ange has always been a bit aloof compared to the more affectionate Noir. She was like a cat in a sense. However, she was just as clingy and affectionate as any other dog in the world. She was timid and often held back on going somewhere far, but Lucille knew Ange would risk it all for her loved ones. Now that she knew Ange was a faerie princess, Lucille couldn’t help but wonder how she got the courage to escape with Noir. She was a brave soul underneath her small body.

Lucille reached out and caressed her ear. Ange responded back by caressing her head against her hand. This caused her heart to soften. “Ange, I heard everything from Noir. I know you can talk. I know you are a faerie. You ran away with Noir because your parents couldn’t accept your relationship with Noir. He even told me how you want to go back to your homeland someday. You know what I told him? I’d take you both there. I promise I will.”

Ange stared into her eyes before licking her hand as a response. “Then, take us back…” She spoke with a soft voice.

Her response only made Lucille smile.