Five Things They Don’t Teach Fairy Godmothers

Five Things They Don’t Teach Fairy Godmothers
Written for: Brown_Betty in the Yuletide 2006 Challenge
by akamarykate at http://yuletidetreasure.org/archive/26/fivethings.html

This excellent short fiction posits five sentences as perspectives on a non-magical fairy godmother in the physical, material world. I’m not familiar enough with Connie Willis’s work to recognize the characters, but the story hangs together without that backstory. Looking at this list as a kind of challenge gives me some ideas about the WIP.

1) One Person’s Fairy Godmother Is Another’s Wicked Fairy

I have a fable of fairy godmothers, a lucky seven, each with her own wicked fairy aspects and demons. Can’t work them all into this episode, but what I learned from Star Trek TNG is to have two story lines, a macguffin and a personal story, with several triads. Walkons and cameos count as long as the story shifts focus the next week.

2) The Apple Might Not Fall Far From the Tree, But Sometimes It Rolls

Do people change, or do they simply become more themselves, despite their genetics and experiences. What kinds of experiences change a person, and which apple trees are growing on hillsides where their offspring are likely to roll?

3) Every Fairy Godmother Needs a Trickster

Got plenty of those, see #1. It’s not always the magical helper’s job to make things easy for the client. Often the client has to pass the test first, and if not, then tricking is always the result.

4) Sturdy Boots Come in Handy More Often Than a Pair of Glass Slippers

Glass slippers, even if they are not stilettos, are tricky at best. Take care of your feet, and they’ll take you where you want to go, even if you can’t wear boots at all.

5) Once Upon a Time Wasn’t All That Long Ago

Once upon a time is never further in the past than last week for Maven, but for Fiona, there have been many onces and many times, and not a few agos. She’s collected more along the way than most folks can count.