There are a lot more hints towards this than just those I mentioned in the last strip, but I think I referenced all the big ones.  The reason X's mother appeared in her fairy shape in the last strip is that you can't do magic when shapeshifted (except for turning back into your natural shape), and she needed to use the transportation magic to arrive as quickly as possible, because Alexis sounded so panicked.  She's usually in the human form you see her shapeshift into in the third panel here.



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