Solitaryloner: So this is just an idea I got recently, and I want to write it down before I forget it. It might not be as updated as much as the others because I haven't really thought of a general storyline yet, just one or two scenes. But...I still like this story.

Some definitions:

In this story, faeries are big. They're human-sized. And their annoying, thumb-sized cousins are called fairies. Faeries (plural) are also called the fey. And that's all that's important.

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Miku Hatsune, your normal civilian faery, was in a terrible mood. Her friend, Lily, was trying to comfort her, but it simply wasn't working.

''I can't believe I failed the definition test,'' Miku groaned as Lily patted her back in a gesture of comfort. ''After I studied so hard for it!''

So maybe she had forgotten what one or two spells were called, and their effects. It didn't mean she was an lousy spell-caster! Their teacher had no right to say that she, Miku Hatsune, was the worst faery she had ever seen...the thought made Miku cry again.

''Miku, she was just trying to spur you on to greater heights,'' Lily said, somewhat unconvincingly. Their teacher was known as Meiko Sakine, and she was a very strict teacher. She expected nothing but the best from her students, and Miku hadn't met those astonishingly high standards. Yet.

''I don't get why she pushes me so hard,'' Miku sniffled. ''I mean, it's not like I'm destined for greatness, or anything like that. The royal family will never invite me to work at the court either. I'm a lousy excuse of a faery.''

''Miku, you're being overly pessimistic,'' Lily patted her hair reassuringly. ''It's just one small theory test. Don't beat yourself up over it,'' Lily brightened. ''And don't forget, there's the seasonal equinox tonight! We'll get to meet up with the winter fey!''

Miku and Lily belonged to the court of the summer fey. The royals of their Summer Court were the twin faeries, Len and Rin Kagamine. They were old, though they looked young - five centuries each, at least.

The Summer fey loved to have fun and frolic, just like their season, summer. They were especially active when the sun was out, and the magic they used was usually related to warmth and the sun. The season of summer.

Their rival court was the Winter Court, the court of the Winter fey. Miku wasn't very sure who was the ruler of the Winter faeries, as she had never been particularly attentive during their history lessons, but she knew whoever it was was a highly powerful and revered individual.

And unlike the Summer Court, where there were two rulers, a brother and sister, she knew that there was only one ruler for the Winter Court. Yes, whoever it was had a sibling, but the other royal Winter faery took no part in fey affairs, preferring to keep out of everything.

The Winter fey were not as playful and fun-loving as the Summer fey. The Winter fey took things much too seriously, in Miku's opinion - not that she would know, since she had never actually met one before.

The Winter and Summer fey, being rivals and total opposites, rarely interacted except during the summer and winter equinoxes. It was going to be the summer equinox, and soon it would be winter.

To acknowledge the handing over of the seasons, the Summer and Winter fey always held a party where both factions were invited. It was a time of fun and partying. And this year was the first time Miku would be allowed to attend the equinox party.

Faeries could only attend upon reaching a certain age - for the more lenient Summer fey, once they were sixteen. She heard that the more stringent Winter fey were only allowed to attend when they reached eighteen.

Miku had turned sixteen only recently, and at Lily's reminder that tonight she could finally attend the seasonal equinox, she brightened considerably. Lily had attended last year's winter equinox, and according to her it was a great deal of fun.

It was also the first time Lily had seen the Winter fey let loose, and according to her friend the Winter fey were every bit as uninhibited and reckless as the Summer fey were.

So Miku was, indeed, looking forward to this equinox very much. She felt that there wasn't really anyone who suited her in the Summer Court - they were either too old, or too brazen. Despite being one of the reckless Summer fey, Miku wasn't as fond of danger as the others were. She preferred stability.

And that was what the Winter fey were. Stability itself. Unless they happened to be drunk, but that only happened during the equinoxes anyway.

Usually, it was frowned upon for the two different factions to be together. Summer fey were not supposed to be with the Winter fey. Their seasons were just too dissimilar.

However, in Miku's opinion there was no difference between Summer and Winter fey. It was just that they had different personalities, and cast different spells. Otherwise...

They were all fey in the end, weren't they? And so, if they were all fey, then why shouldn't they be allowed to interact?

Miku raised her head and stared out at the forest. She knew exactly where the Winter fey lived - and the Winter fey knew precisely where the Summer fey dwelled, as well. Each faction knew where the other lived, as a sign of good faith. She shivered.

It was odd, to know that she and the rest of her brethren shared their summer forest home with a coniferous winter forest, the home of the Winter fey.

''Aren't you excited for tonight?'' Lily chirped, pulling Miku up. ''Come on! We have to get ready to impress the Winter fey - no need for them to think they're so much better than us just because they're Winter,'' she snorted.

''Why, do they really think that?'' Miku asked, startled. Lily pursed her lips, cocking her head as she thought.

''Well, maybe not all of them think that way,'' she conceded. ''But there are some who think that they're superior just because they're Winter...and there are some of the Summer fey who think they're superior too, of course.''

''I'm not surprised,'' Miku brushed her skirt down. ''And I'd bet that Neru is one of them,'' she sighed. ''Anyway, I left my party dress in my wardrobe...I need to go get it.''

''I'll see you later, then.'' Lily blew her a goodbye kiss. ''We should try to keep away from the Winter royals though...they aren't as welcoming as Len and Rin are, from what I heard,'' Lily shuddered.

''I got it,'' Miku smiled back at her friend, then departed from the small gathering place she and Lily had been sitting in earlier. As she walked through the forest, back towards the Summer Court, she thought she felt eyes on her back. Like someone was watching her.

She turned around, and Lily waved some more. Miku exhaled. I was thinking too much. She waved again, then turned away, this time ignoring the feeling that someone was watching her. She was just being overly paranoid.

That gaze seemed to follow her all the way back to the Summer Court.