The Magick of Ink

Story challenge number 3. 

She is now your main character, use her in a short story.

My name is Ashlee and I am not human.

Okay, okay, so there needs to be a little more information here than simply saying I'm not human. Well here goes. Most of you reading this won't believe what I tell you so, for you, this will only be a story. For those of you who do believe, this will be an adventure!

I'm not human, as I have said. Instead I am a faerie. However, we don't really like being called "faeries" as we prefer the title Fae. You see the Fae are real and do in fact live among humans! It's shocking, I know, it took nearly a century to learn that I inhabit the world with humans, with mortals. These days I've grown rather fond of humans as they constantly surprise me and are a great source of entertainment. I'm sorry, you are.

Anyway, I've been asked, by a human no less, to tell my story. I pondered this idea for a while as I have never been comfortable talking about my life. For one thing you humans have a lot of trouble understanding that I'm over 100 years old and simply don't believe that anything other than humans exist. You know, it's very sad really when you consider all the amazing things that are around you. Have you ever just stopped to look at the trees? Perhaps you've stopped and pondered the mysteries of the stars? Never mind if you haven't, you can always start to pay attention now. I've spent most of my life fascinated with my surroundings and trying to learn the "why" of everything. Due to this confession I admit that an entire account of my life would be terribly boring! After many weeks of soul searching, and trying to decide the most witty and intelligent story I could come up with, I have decided to share with you a particular day that stands out in my memory.

Like most good stories the sun was shining and the birds were singing, the wind was humming through the leaves. Oh come on, don't look at me like that! I am allowed to have some creative flair, it's my story after all. Okay, okay, if you will quit looking at me like that I'll tell you what the day really started like.

As the Fae like to rise with the sun it wasn't uncommon for me to wake up a little before dawn to the sounds of the forest around me. You would be surprised how many creatures wake up before the sun! I unzipped my sleeping bag and wiggled out of it, searching around for my shirt. I pulled it over my head and crawled to the front of my tent, locating the zip and crawling out of the opening into the crisp morning air. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to my surroundings and was surprised when I noticed my friends were already awake. I decided they must be organising something for me, after all it was my birthday.
I lightly padded over to my friends to greet them with morning cheer when a delightful smell caught on the breeze. Oh my, they were making my favourite breakfast; pancakes!
Cheering loudly, I skipped the last few steps to an empty chair set up in our makeshift kitchen area and curled my legs underneath me as I sat down. I smiled the biggest, if slightly cheesy, smile I could at my dear friends.

The morning progressed with the eating of pancakes, laughter and some fantastically outrageous stories of birthday's past. In part it's a tradition to remind one another of our past to help keep our minds sharp. Unlike humans the Fae are intelligent beyond measurement and possess great physical advantages that humans can not comprehend. As such we need to train both our minds and bodies constantly.

My friends and I had arranged to meet our tribe elder for lunch at the little café on the corner of our street back home, so we set about packing up the campsite and making our way back into town.
It took us about 30 minutes to hike back and arrive at the cafe. We spotted our elder and she smiled her lovely, heart warming smile which made the four of us beam at her in return. She had already ordered us coffee knowing that we would need it. Then she began to tell us the story of our tribe and the tattoo each person in our tribe gets upon reaching adulthood. She rolled up her sleeve to show us the elaborate tattoo that I was informed I'd get that day.
I remember looking at her arm with admiration, the colours, the subtlety of the artwork and yet the significance of it took my breath away. I couldn't wait to get my tattoo.

We wrapped up the coffee's and our elder told my friends to go off while she and I went to a little tattoo shop that was conveniently close to the cafe and yet I had never noticed it before. Our elder took my hand as we went inside.
I stepped into another world. It was amazing, the magick that came alive in this shop. There were humans in the tattoo parlour, but it was obvious they couldn't see nor sense the magick swirling around us. I breathed in the atmosphere feeling light headed and excited. I watched as our elder spoke with the shop owner, who smiled at me as he saw me taking in the wonder and magcik. I recognised him from tribe meetings and instinctually knew he wound use the old ways to create the magnificence of the tribe tattoo on my arm.
He waved me over to the counter, took my hand and smiled knowingly. He could feel the power I would inherit and he was pleased to be the person honouring me with ink.
We walked around to the back of the shop, to his cubicle where he would perform his magick. I felt the first tendrils of excitement and fear whirl in my stomach.

I sat down and he cleaned my arm, the alcohol swipe feeling cool against my skin. He set up his station and before I knew it the sound of the gun was humming and he began his careful drawing on my skin. The scratching on my skin ignited an internal fire and I could see the magick in vibrant vivid colours around me. I watched the magick dancing around, I watched him weave a pattern of fire and phoenixes of strength and courage.

Before long the magick was done, the work of art complete. I looked down and shocked, I had the whole sleeve done! He knew what I wanted and he knew that I wanted to have the entire story of our tribe history. I smiled at him, radiating the warmth I felt inside for this amazing artist who had turned my arm into the most wonderful work of art I had ever beheld.
He took me back out to our elder and she smiles at me warmly and told me she had another surprise for me.

Taking my hand she led me on a long walk down to the next suburb, she took me into a gallery. Another place full of magick and wonder. But this story is one for another time.

So there you have it. A glimpse into the life of a magenta haired, tattooed Fae. You can decide if it's a story or if my account is real. For now, it's approaching dawn and I need to stretch my legs.