Pest, a rope in his grip, reached down with his free left and caught the hand extended to him. He was less than impressed with the nonsense.

"You've only lost the ability to hold your fairy shape, not the ability to walk. Stop this."

Now graying at the temples, his father growled. "This is the thanks I get? I lost my bedfellow, and part of my immortality, but pardon me if I want some help in this climb."

"What climb?" Pest protested. "It's not even that steep!" He meant to be steadfast as he stepped on another rock but when he looked down at his father and saw the hurt there, he sighed. "Should I carry you on my back?"

The man considered it.

Pest's jaw dropped. "I was joking," he attested.

"I was not."

Rather than carry him on his back, however, Pest hoisted him up on one shoulder.

"See? You're far more useful as an ogre son than a human one." He looked down at Pest and asked, "Have you told her?"

Pest feigned deafness. "Huh?"

His father laughed. "Coward."

That wasn't it at all. "I don't need to tell her." Far in the distance, Fanli walked on, a yellow fairy on her shoulder. Pest wasn't sure what to make of his mother. She'd come back, but hadn't let her husband see her. That spoke of shame but that was so unlike her.

"You should tell her," Father said, utterly unaware that while he rode on Pest's left shoulder, his wife, in fairy form, rode on Fanli's right. "Females like to hear such things."

Pest's chest tightened. "I do not have to tell her. She doesn't care."

A hearty laugh almost had Pest flinching.

"Coward."

It was rare to hear the man laugh so Pest didn't protest.

The man had the nerve to put his hands on his hips as Pest carried him.

"I hope Jeze is all right."

Pest glanced at him but thought better of broaching that topic.

"I suppose she's found someone to torment. Because good luck finding a new bedfellow. Ha!"

His words made Pest uncomfortable for different reasons. They were said in boast but the tremble of his voice spoke of anguish.

"What will you do?" Pest asked.

Father drew up his shoulders then let them drop. "Nothing. I can love her with all my heart. She must love me back a little some day. It was too exhausting otherwise." He gave Pest's head a slap. "So! I suppose that'll mean you taking care of me for a change."

Pest sighed. "You're not cripple."

"In my heart I am." He stared ahead and asked, "And why are we accompanying these morons again?"

With a sigh, Pest grumbled, "Fanli just wants to send Ved off. Now that he's chosen to go with the dragons."

"And you agreed? A fairy'd sooner find a way to do away with a bedfellow challenger. Not wish him well."

Pest gritted his teeth and admitted under his breath. "Oh, I want him out of this valley more than I want my next live rat."

Father laughed. "That was entertaining to watch, by the way. Did it really taste good?"

It actually had. Fanli nearly threw up just watching him, a fact that had Father laughing harder. Pest was trying to do what other ogres did. He didn't like the tusks but allow them to grow somewhat. To see both of his parents cheer him on in his efforts made the days easier. But Pest never regretted his wish.

"I hadn't told her," Pest confessed, "because I don't want anyone to have the ability to undo it."

Father nodded. "Hadn't thought of that. You figure she might?"

Pest shrugged. "I dunno. Figured somebody else might. Without them knowing the wish, no one can undo it."

"Ah." The admiration in his voice left Pest suspicious.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"No. What?"

The pat on the head this time was considerably gentler. "You should still tell her."

"But—"

Father scoffed. "Not the actual wish, you dimwit, but just that you'd intended to be an ogre and it was for her. Females like that sort of thing. It's sure to get me some grandchildren faster."

Pest cringed. "F—" He hesitated but said, "That's terrible advice for a father to give."

The man-fairy laughed. "One of many. Perhaps."

They walked on in silence, following after the three dragons who made their way up the mountain, Ved and Fanli walking after them. Wen had chosen to remain with her parents. Ved longed to leave. Pest wasn't sure which was the best option. He did know, however, that their father took both Wen's wish, and Ved's departure hard. To him, it was a betrayal for the ages.

Considering what Wen unleashed, Pest wasn't sure she was right in releasing his mortal form. No matter what he tried, due to her wish, the hunchback could not look human again. Father warned that it would bring war in time. Pest prayed it would be a long ways off.

"Hey. You do not leave him behind!"

Pest sighed as he tightened his grip on the rope. He didn't like to, but he looked back at the two-foot-tall chicken walking after them.

"Look at that. It's nearly big enough to ride it. How fun will that be then?"

The image wasn't one Pest could reconcile. "No one's going to take you seriously riding a chicken."

"And why not? One of the strongest beings in the world used to get around on a donkey! Imagine how much fear the chicken would instill. For only the truly crazed would even imagine such a thing!"

Pest couldn't argue with that. He looked back at the animal and fought back his proud smile. His father's gift to Fanli was so genuine that her touch had resulted in this.

"And you can call me father if you like."

It was muttered, a fact that Pest didn't take a liking to.

"So you can boast about having a huge ogre son?"

Father was thoughtful as he said, "So I can boast about having a son who took control of his fate."

The words stole Pest's readied quip. Finally, he admitted, "Mother's—"

"Your mother's where she needs to be. And she knows where to find me."

As true as his words were, Pest hated the thought. He focused on Fanli and found himself gaining speed to stand beside her. he interlocked their fingers, rope and all.

"Hey."

She gave him a smile, the nose ring still shining bright. "Hey to you."

Pest hesitated then said, "You ever wonder what my wish was?"

Their eyes met and she smiled. "Looking to turn back?"

Pest took a stumble. "No, of course not."

Her voice held affection when she put her hand on his chest then begged, "Then keep that safe."

Stunned, he could only nod. She planted a peck on his lips then walked on.

In time, Pest fell behind as he had been from the start. His wish, to always match Fanli's form, was a risky one. If she were human, he was human, and if she were an ogre, so was he. It was a selfish wish, one that anchored him to her in some way. He was glad to know it worked.

When Pest turned to stare back at their shrinking valley in the distance, he thought of his father on his shoulder, then glanced at the chicken before turning to walk on.

"That Magus is after you for not telling him about Wen's father, isn't he?"

"Oh, till the end of time."

Pest scoffed. "At least he can't be rid of you directly."

"It'll be interesting times."

They came to a stop, allowing Pest the chance to catch up. He pushed through the crowd to see what kept them at bay. A little troll statue stood in their path.

"The marker," Fanli muttered. "The Jaffo domain ends here." She searched the crowd for help. "But even the valley beyond this mountain belongs to the Jaffo."

"This is the gateway to our realm," Mace said.

For days now, Soliar had moved like a ghost passing through the land of the living. She made eye contact with no one. Today was no different.

"As such," Mace told Ved, "a return, though not impossible, will pose a challenge. Are you certain of this?"

Ved stared at the troll marker as he gave a slow nod. "I'm sure." He picked his head up but stared at Fanli as he answered the dragon, "I'd like to see what I'm capable of."

The always-silent dragon was the first to step past the marker and vanish, a reluctant Soliar behind him. Mace bowed to Ved who gave Fanli one last smile before he was gone.

Mace bowed then stepped through as well.

Once they were all gone, Fanli took Pest by the hand.

Pest wrestled with his feelings. He thought he'd be happier. Granted, there was an underlying relief, but it was marred with something else.

"Put me down," Father said.

Rather than drop him as he wanted, Pest obeyed the order.

"Put her down, too," he said, though he didn't address Fanli directly.

Fanli took Mother from her right shoulder and set her on a nearby boulder.

It would be good if they could work things out.

Pest squeezed Fanli's hand and turned to go.

"Hey!" Father bellowed. "Leave my chicken. I'm riding it down!"

Ten minutes later saw Pest holding his hands up for Fanli who took hold and hopped down.

"Will they be all right? How long do you think they'll stay up here?"

Pest shrugged. "They'd know that better than me."

"They...won't eat that chicken if things get...dire, will they?"

"I...would not get too attached."

"What!"

Pest grabbed her waist before she could venture back up. "Don't. This is the first time they're facing each other." He hesitated then asked, "Are we going to visit your sister again today?"

Fanli fell silent this time as well.

The business with Bati hit her hard each day but none of this was Fanli's fault.

He would have vocalized as much but Fanli tugged on his ponytail and said, "It suits you."

This was her way of avoiding the question. Now, much like other hunter ogres, Pest had all sides shaved except for a bound ponytail on top.

Ignoring this problem wasn't wise. "You've got nothing to do with the choices she's made."

As Fanli'd long abandoned dresses, Pest, too wore what ogres wore. All in an effort for them to match.

It was late evening when they made it back to town. Instead of the forest, they returned to Fanli's family's cave. She and Pest now shared one of their own, but her parents were far from alone.

The cries from the cave came almost daily. Little by little, they lessened. Today, they were muffled moans.

Fanli trembled at the threshold to her parents' home. Pest thought to tell her to let him enter in her stead but it wasn't his place. He didn't need to, her mother spotted her and hurried to usher them out.

Pest made the mistake of glancing beyond his mother-in-law. The green face peeking out from under the blanket faded with Bati hiding herself yet again.

At the base of the hill, Fanli was close to tears, but she was the only one with that sentiment.

"Her toes are restored," the aged ogress explained.

Months after the incident with the dragons, many things had changed. For one, their once peaceful valley came under attack again and again from anyone with a score to settle with Wen's father. That ended with him and his wife retreating into the enchanted forest, leaving Wen as the new Jaffo ruler. Ved took to trying to calm and humanize the dragon princess yet again. It had taken some months but it was complete. And Bati.... Bati'd traveled—hobbled to Pyer's Peak on her own in search of a wish.

"She blames me," Fanli lamented.

Her mother took her hands, smiling. "She should blame me. It was my idea."

Pest looked between them, confused.

Fanli explained, "I convinced Bati that if she was going, she should wish for happiness."

What a clever idea. "To make sure to maximize the wish?"

Her mother grumbled, "And to make sure she didn't wish all of us human in our sleep."

Pest thought back on the face he saw. "And it forced her into being an ogre again?"

Fanli still watched the ground. "She can't transform anymore. And she—she's noticed the trick."

Catching her hand in his, Pest shook his head. "That was no trick. That was a good wish."

"Yes," Fanli's mother agreed. "She might not think it yet, but there must be a reason it sent her back this way. She's already made a flower but that's because she wants her magic back. Despite having it, even more brilliant than before...."

Fanli nodded, defeated. "She can't transform."

"But she's home." With a pat of Fanli's shoulder, the ogress matriarch said, "She needs more time. So stay away for a while, but there's a bright side to everything and this is that."

When she turned and walked away, Pest watched her retreat. A thought occurred to him, and he asked, "Wait. Is she the one who always says that about bright sides?"

Fanli blinked at him. "Of course. Why is that strange?"

Smiling, he shook his head; nothing surprised him anymore. "It's not strange at all."