It was so sudden that it hadn't even registered in their minds that it had happened, that the palms of their hands weren't covered in technicolour confetti strips.
The world slowed down until it stopped, then it went faster and faster until they couldn't even breathe.
Cosmo and Wanda both looked at the ground where Peri had been mere moments ago but all that was there now was confetti.
Wanda's breath was ragged as she panicked, "P-Peri?"
Cosmo felt his hands violently tremble as he gasped several times, eyes squeezing shut in disbelief. He was quaking as he curled over, one hand coming to his stomach whilst his other hand had the palm pressed down on the ground. Wanda wrapped her arms around his back as they burst into heartbroken sobs.
"No, no, no, no, no!" Cosmo sobbed, fat tears pouring down his face, as he rocked back and forth.
"Cosmo," Wanda cried into his shoulder, stands of her hair falling in front of her face.
"Not my baby," Cosmo shook his head, truly in denial, ignoring his son's confetti on his hands, "no, not him. Wanda, it's not true, say it's not true!"
Wanda couldn't even give him that, she couldn't believe it herself. The two of them witnessed their son explode into confetti, gone just like that.
Cosmo squeezed his eyes shut upon hearing the sound of laughter above their heads. He lifted his head up, cheeks stained with his tears. He growled and stumbled up to his feet, eyes flowing red rather than his usual green.
"Cosmo..." Wanda pushed herself up, hands shaking as she brought them together.
Cosmo looked around and saw Peri's wand by the wall of the pit. He snatched it up and it didn't matter that Fairy magic was disabled by the evil Anti-Fairy chip. Parental rage was just so powerful.
Wanda didn't even know what to do as Cosmo yelled, his wings sending him up to the top of the cage and somehow bursting through the bars. But, the longer she could hear Cosmo scream and screech, the more she began to feel her own version of angry grief. She squeezed her eyes shut, anxiety and rage building up inside her until she was scuttling up the wall of the cage, eyes darkening from pink to red.
She clambered out of the pit, the chaotic screaming from Cosmo and Anti-Cosmo.
She stood there and watched, breathing heavily.
Cosmo tackled Anti-Cosmo to the ground, wailing punch after punch into his anti-fairy's face. If he was thinking rationally, he would have known that Anti-Cosmo wasn't the one to blame but he was thwarted by his grief and had to batter the first person he saw.
To no surprise, Wanda was seen kicking Anti-Wanda, on the other side of Jorgen's office. Her eyes were dilated dangerously as she screeched like a demented animal.
Irep on the other hand, sat on the throne and watched curiously while Dev hid behind him. Dev hadn't wanted this, not really, he was just so hurt that he had become very easily to manipulate.
Irep felt sweat build up on his forehead but elected to ignore it as he watched his parents fight Cosmo and Wanda. A delightful sight to be sure.
Cosmo wrapped his hands around Anti-Cosmo's neck. "Why? Why him?! He didn't do anything to you!"
Anti-Cosmo managed to break out a strangled gasp.
"You do realise," Cosmo panted, "that you can't have an Anti-Fairy if there isn't a Fairy for it to be an Anti of?"
It seemed rage had given Cosmo several more braincells, or perhaps he always had them but with no barriers or inhibitors... he was saying exactly what he should.
Anti-Cosmo stared at him with wide eyes, which then flickered over to the throne where Irep was beginning to look... a little green.
"Son!" Anti-Cosmo managed to pull away from Cosmo and reached towards Irep just as Irep exploded into black smoke. "No!"
Anti-Wanda rolled away from Wanda and scrambled to Anti-Cosmo, breaking into tears of her own. "My baby!"
Cosmo and Wanda crumbled into each other, both wrapping their arms around the other as Cosmo sobbed into Wanda's chest whilst Wanda cried into Cosmo's neck.
"I..." Cosmo clenched his jaw, feeling sick to his stomach. "My baby boy, he can't be gone. Not like that."
"Oh sweetie," Wanda closed her eyes, trying to be strong when all she wanted to was melt into a puddle and soak into the earth.
Cosmo kept muttering into Wanda's chest, shoulders shaking horribly as he sobbed. The two of them were so caught up in their grief, they didn't realise that 1. The Big Wand was back on, and 2. Hazel had managed to find them again with the help of her brother, her friends, and the friends she gained with her wishes.
Hazel ran to then whilst Anthony, Jasmine and Win stood sheepishly by Jorgen. Jorgen focused on getting rid of the Anti-Fairies, sending them back to their homeworld.
"Cosmo, Wanda!" Hazel slid in front of them, onto her knees. "What happened?!"
Cosmo shook his head, still sobbing as bad as before.
Wanda sniffled, still holding onto Cosmo, "It's Peri, he... he... he had Magical Backup. He didn't make it."
Hazel gasped, her jaw dropping. "What? There has to be a way to bring him back!"
"Oh squirt," Wanda smiled despite her pain, wrangling a hand free to cup her godkid's cheek. "There isn't."
"Wait!" Hazel had a lightbulb flash above her head. "I've still got my no rule wish!"
"Hazel," Wanda tilted her head, "you... you would use it? For Peri?"
"Without a doubt!" Hazel beamed at them.
Cosmo managed to compose himself slightly and looked at Hazel, his eyes red and puffy. He was confused but in the best way.
"Oh, Hazel," Wanda "we've had so many godkids over the years but none quite like you."
Hazel beamed, her smile deeply contagious. "I wish that Peri was back!"
Wanda and Cosmo lifted their wands up, the stars glowing brightly. They granted Hazel's rule free wish and in a mighty plume of lavender smoke, a crown appeared, then wings then finally Peri back in full glory.
"Anyone got any ginger ale?" Peri had a hand to his head.
"Peri!" Cosmo and Wanda cheered as they zapped to Peri, throwing their arms around him and littering his cheeks with kisses.
"We thought we lost you!" Wanda burst into tears of relief.
"Oh, boy." Cosmo sniffled, not wanting to let go of Peri just yet.
Peri, very confused about what had happened, just let himself be hugged. It felt nice. One of the nicest things to experience.
"You're just as cute as the day I gave birth to ya!" Cosmo giggled, nuzzling Peri's cheek.
"Dad," Peri chuckled, pulling back. "I've got no idea what just happened but I'm guessing it was bad."
"You exploded into confetti." Hazel explained, standing politely in front of the three of them.
Peri gulped, twirling his hair by his fringe, "Welp, that does sound gnarly."
"Here you go, son." Wanda handed over his wand. "Can't be a fairy godparent without it."
Peri took it into his hand but couldn't feel complete until he did something.
"Now, time to go home." Jorgen plucked Dev from behind the throne. "You've caused enough trouble-"
"Wait!" Peri appeared in front of Jorgen, floating in front of his face.
"Ah, Periwinkle. Still in one piece." Jorgen clapped his shoulder. "Good, good."
"Jorgen, sir, can... you put Dev down?" Peri gestured to the boy who was looking very guilty.
Jorgen crinkled his face. "This boy has caused enough havoc on Fairy World. He will be taken home and you will no longer be his Fairy Godparent. No one will."
Dev gulped, squeezing his eyes shut.
"Hold on now," Peri put his hands up. "Dev made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes-"
"Peri, youdied."Wanda popped up on one side whilst Cosmo appeared on the other. Hazel stood on the ground close to Dev.
"Hey, who hasn't died a couple times in their life," Peri laughed nervously, "Look, I was so focused on trying to be a great Fairy Godparent, I hadn't thought about what Dev needed." Peri turned and looked at his parents. His silly, goofy, loveable parents. "I didn't want to let you down."
Cosmo and Wanda looked at each other before they smiled and floated a little closer to Peri. Wanda cupped Peri's cheek while Cosmo took a hold of his hand.
"Peri, whether you became a dentist or doctor or anything else, we would always be so proud of you." Wanda kissed his temple.
"You are our greatest wish." Cosmo said softly. "From the moment we knew about you, we loved you. The first fairy born in a thousand years, our little Peri."
"I love you so much Mom and Dad." Peri sniffled.
"And we love you too." Cosmo and Wanda said in unison.
"We know you'll do the right thing, sprout." Wanda winked at him.
Peri floated down til his feet touched the floor. Jorgen reluctantly put Dev on the floor.
"I'm really sorry!" Dev burst out. "I didn't mean to hurt anyone! I was just so..."
"Miserable?" Peri tilted his head. "That's on me, kid. I'm sorry I've let you down. You do mean do much to me, Dev. You're my first godkid! I was so focused on following the rules, making sure I did things by the book, I didn't think about what you actually needed. So... if you'll have me... can we try again?"
"You still want to be my Fairy Godparent?" Dev was very surprised.
"Course I do!" Peri put a hand on Dev's shoulder. "I ain't giving up on ya, Dev. Think you can give me another chance?"
Dev didn't even say anything, he just slotted his head on Peri's chest, softly crying. Peri, taking a mental note from his parents, put his arms around Dev and probably gave him his first proper hug.
"Aww, a happy ending." Jorgen folded his arms before slamming his wand staff down, "Now get the heck outta my office!"
