International Fantasy Assistance Center The best place for any fantasy creature finding themselves in the ever changing world.

We offer many programs to ensure that some of the oldest species on earth can continue to live in peace. Trade Schools and Universities, and Job Assistance programs for those interested in integrating into the human world. Identity Protection and Safety Zones for those wanting to hide. Our newest program was opened in the 1960s, something highly sought after and always full. Please click here to view our classes on navigating fantasy to human relationships

Connor sighed and put his coffee cup back down. The emails may be quiet now, but the cases have been piling up. He had been looking back at the IFAC website for ideas, hints, clues. Anything for where he could look next. Something other than just looking at more case files.

Connor is head of the investigation team to find out why fantasy creatures have been having so many new problems, more ever before. More than when humans evolved to be the apex species. More than all the wars - human against human, or human against fantasy. More than during the industrial revolution, damn you!

The higher ups had started sending cases, tear-inducing cases, proving the point that the IFAC is struggling, and they want to know why. So now the investigation team has access to every single file the IFAC has on anything, for the sole purpose of finding a cause to the increase in cases and complaints.

Connor and Emily started working on this maybe a month ago, but it quickly became too much for just the two of them. So they requested a team. Connor was placed in charge, and the team was made up of Emily, James, Christopher, Winnie - a Wereraven, and Lavender - they are a Nymph.

Connor was especially thankful for Lavender to be on this team. They have been with the IFAC from its infancy, something like 380 years after its founding. Lavender basically helped build this institution from the ground up. Their knowledge is indispensable.

Connor hunched over and knocked his head on his desk a few times. He is starting to get frustrated. Lavender asked if he needed another cup of coffee. "Ulg. Yeah." "I'll head out. Everyone want their regular order?" Lavender is so helpful, sometimes it's hard to remember not to say thank you or use any of the other regular human respects. Most Fae have changed over the years, but it is still unwise to say these things to them. At this point, it's mostly because it's disrespectful to their history.

Connor looked across the room, stack and stacks of paper files that had never been digitalized. It looks like only a small fraction have even been touched. Connor and Emily were the only ones going through the digital files, and everyone else had been doing their best with the physical case files.

Connor stood up and walked over to each of the team members.

"Winnie. What case are you looking into? Anything sticking out?" Winnie looked up. She obviously had a depressing case. It looked like she was about to cry. Connor patted her shoulder and reminded her she could take a break if she needed.

Walking over to a double desk, "James? Christopher? Anything?" The only response was defeated head shakes.

"Emily, please tell me you have something!" "Actually, this one does seem different than everything else I've read. Come look." Connor sat at the chair next to her and looked at the file on her computer. She was looking at an essay application for the Friendships With Humans class.

Those classes really were always so full, in order to get into one of these classes, you must now submit an application with an essay as to why you need this particular class.

Emily showed Connor where she was reading. The essay was written by the parents of a young boy, who would go off playing, and then tell his parents that he had been playing with Pixies. They detailed in the essay that their son was bullied in school and didn't have friends, so they would like to attend the friendship class so they can help foster the friendship between their son and the Pixies and maybe even meet and become friends themselves. It went on.

Emily watched Connor read and waited for him to make the realization. "A PIXIE??"

Connor reassigned everyone. Search for anything the IFAC would have on Pixies.

Lavender walked back in with so many drinks and bags of baked goods from their favorite local coffee shop. "Pixies? Are you silly?" Lavender laughed as she started handing out food and drinks. "No one has seen Pixies in ages. Goodness. 500 years after the last one.... Well, we assumed they didn't make it. It was a sad time when they were placed on that list. Why are you all looking up Pixies?" they asked, their iconic smile seeming to fade a little when Connor told them that one was spotted.

"Impossible" they whispered, barely audibly.

Emily emailed Lavender the essay to read. As they read, their purple eyes filled with tears.

Lavender seemed to be the one to take over the investigation team after that. They knew a lot more than Connor and he knew it. He didn't mind stepping aside.

Lavender immediately assigned each team member to different areas to search if there might be any more Pixie sightings. Emily looked into job assignments, Connor checked in the universities and trade schools, Christopher searched the Identity Projection files, and James looked at the Safety Zones. Winnie and Lavender joined forces to search all essays for any other mention of Pixies.

Everyone realized how important and urgent this was, because once Lavender caught their breath after realizing Pixies may be back, they told the team what Pixies really are.

Pixies in history books could be tricksters, little pranksters. It's easy to see tricksters and pranksters to be the cause of all the commotion that the IFAC has been plagued with lately.

But really, it's much worse.

Yes. Pranks were played, but they were sinister. They were deadly. Tricks that would somehow make entire Elven metropolis desolate overnight. Pixies were responsible for more fantasy creature extinctions than any other earthly lifeform.

Lavender then said the worst part. "The saying is actually Rabbits multiply like Pixies. So we have to find every last one and we have to find them NOW."

Lavender fidgeted and would get up and pace the floor while the team all worked hard. After about an hour, they said, rather agitated, "I need to call the main office. I didn't finish the job."

Are all Legendary Hero Prophecies always so........ true? Couldn't some of them be broken? Couldn't a hero lose the quest, or maybe just decide not to finish?

If I knew, I would have stopped my quest a long time ago. As soon as I met Ruby, I would have refused to continue talking to her. Refused to let her travel with me - you see, she was going in the same direction. Refused to continue my quest entirely!

But alas. I did not know, and I did travel with Ruby, and we became close, and... Ok. I'm not going to give away all of the details. I'm not one to kiss and tell!

Anyway. She gave me the good news about half way through our journey, but simply refused to allow us to stop until she had delivered and recovered. She insisted that my quest was the most important thing to the world, and that she wanted to be there to celebrate with me. I suppose only someone wrapped in a spell would happily accompany a pregnant woman as she presses on in all sorts of dangerous conditions.

Every step closer to the realm of The Demon Queen, it seemed as if Ruby became more beautiful, perhaps her pregnancy glow was just getting brighter as she progressed. And once we entered within the realm, told me that we needed to hurry, because she was sure the baby was coming soon! Yet she still wanted to follow me all the way to the end of my journey.

I made it to the Demon Queen's Palace, and asked Ruby to wait outside while I fight. She finally obliged to my request to keep her out of this danger.

It was so much easier then I thought it would have been to fight my way in. I was expecting an army, a huge show of might that I needed to push past before even seeing the true beast, The Demon Queen Griselda. But what I found were a few guards who just allowed me in, and a butler who showed me to a chamber.

There, I found Ruby. Well. Griselda, I suppose, in labor.

Shocked, confused, so many emotions. But before I had a chance to feel any of them, I needed to be with Ruby. I rushed over and held her hand.

There were midwifes running around, and some looked worried. I was asked to wait outside. I could have fought to stay, but I did what I was asked. I wish I would have stayed, because that was the last I saw her alive.

I suppose the prophecy was true after all. I slayed the Demon Queen.

As for the baby? Our baby? I don't know. No one will tell me. Will he be a Demon King somewhere that a new hero will be prophesied to kill? That is a much better story than the others that creep in my head at night.

How many other Heroes from the Legendary Prophecies end their stories so unhappily as me?