"Yes, I am a Gryphon, " said Mary suddenly. She wrapped her hands around her beak as soon as the words came out. She couldn't believe what she had said.
"I knew it!" said Amy happily. She began to buzz around the cavern, singing joyously.
"No, no, stop it. You are getting that stupid pixie dust everywhere, " said Mary angrily. "That's not what I meant. The truth is - I am a Gryphon."
Amy squealed in glee. "Ha, ha. You have to tell the truth to me. Finally, you can admit what you really are."
"But it's not right, " said Mary.
Amy flew right up to her beak.
"What's your name?" asked Amy sweetly.
"Mara, " said Mary confidently. It seemed right to her.
"And what are you? What kind of creature?" asked Amy.
"I am a Gryphon, " said Mary before she could stop herself. She knew it was wrong, but somehow the magic prevented her from saying the right words.
Amy looked at her and smiled. "You don't have to hide what you are from me. I just wish that you would believe in yourself, as much as I believe in you, " said Amy.
Amy started to glow, and Mary could see the pixie dust drifting off her body. She frantically backed away from the fairy girl.
Amy chased after her. "You don't have to run. There is no reason to be scared. I just wish you would act like the Gryphon I know you are, " said Amy, as she flew after her.
Mary saw Amy glowing again out of the corner of her eye as she fled. She saw pixie dust, pixie dust everywhere. She was running out of places to hide.
Suddenly Amy appeared in front of her. She must have teleported again. She held Mary's beak gently in her hands. "You don't need to be afraid. I just want what is best for you. I want you to be the best Gryphon you can be, and the first step is not being ashamed of what you are. I just wish that you would be the strong, proud confident Gryphon I know you are."
Mary saw Amy glowing brightly at the tip of her beak. Pixie dust showered off her body, tickling Mary's nose. She sneezed, sending Amy flying across the room.
Amy watched with shock as Mary started to change. Her hinds quarters were beginning to look more feline. Her hands and feet began to look more like the talons of an eagle and the paws of a cat. Mara's body grew a little bit larger, getting stronger with leaner, more well-defined muscle. Her tail now looked more like a lion's tail, with a tuft of long fur at the tip. Mara shook her head, as if she was in pain.
"Wow, you are even more beautiful than I imagined, Mara, " said Amy with awe. "How do you feel?"
"I feel great. Ready to take on the world, " said Mary, as she stretched her wings and posed proudly.
"That's the spirit, " said Amy happily. "That's the proud strong Gryphon I knew was hiding inside you. Now let's get out of here, and get you home. I can just live with you in your magical land."
Mary seemed a little confused. She knew she was a Gryphon, but she couldn't remember where she had come from. But she supposed the little fairy must know. She confidently followed the small fairy deeper into the cave.