Fairy Fight

  ( Newbie )

  Shadows stretched across spice-scented streets and softly sloshing streams. Scant clouds burned orange with the dying of the day, drifting lazily beneath darkening heavens.

  All Newbie could make of Rainbow City were the intense bands of colour, but she knew all too well the citizens would be peering down on them. For a moment she wondered if they'd watch with bated breath and hushed whispers, or if boisterous cheers would erupt once the fighting began.

  Atop the distant town hall stood a single Fairy Princess with faesteel trident in hand. Splishsplash's expression was calm, undaunted by her challengers. In the final rays of the descending sun, even her slightest movement caused the blue scales upon her skirt to glimmer.

  Newbie stood with her friends atop a large, gumdrop-decorated house. Merrymint, Bubblebun and Cherrychomp all listened intently to Cutiehorn as she discussed possible strategies.

  "With any luck, that'll open her up to an aerial attack. You think you can handle it, Cherrychomp?" asked Cutiehorn.

  The little red fairy put hands to hips and nodded confidently.

  "Yo, hold up," said Bubblebun. "Are you sure about that? Every time we do this, you hold back too much."

  Cherrychomp huffed. "Well I dun' like fightin' fairies! We's supposed to be on the same side!"

  Bubblebun clicked her tongue, which only made Cherrychomp's cheeks swell until they resembled plump tomatoes.

  Unable to share in the frustration, Merrymint ruffled the pint-sized princess' hair. "Hey, where's Puddin'?"

  "Busy, apparently," said Cutiehorn.

  "You're kidding?" asked Bubblebun. "Busy with what?"

  Cutiehorn gave a helpless shrug. "She just said she was excused. As usual."

  "Damn coward." Bubblebun thumped a fist to a palm.

  Cutiehorn sighed. "We'll just do what we can with the team we have..."

  As one, the group looked to the neighbouring roof, where Sunshine stood rigidly, her knuckles white around the handle of her mace.

  "You got any ideas, Sunshine?" called Cutiehorn.

  The feathered fairy didn't respond, her focus locked upon their soon-to-be enemy.

  "Yo, Sunshine!" shouted Bubblebun.

  When their sister didn't react a second time, the ballerina yanked a gumdrop free and cranked her arm back.

  "Woah! Don't!" cried Cutiehorn too late.

  The rubbery gummy launched through the air and bounced off Sunshine's noggin with a deep, dull thud. She stumbled sideways, her neck twisted to an unnatural degree, grinding and creaking unsteadily. Rather than right the impossible angle, her head slowly twisted to face them with eyes feverishly wide, like those of a hungry owl seeking prey.

  "That's not going to help!" whispered Cutiehorn, before raising her voice. "Sorry about that, Sunshine! Uhm... You wanna work on a plan together?"

  Sunshine only stared.

  "We can win if we work together," said Cutiehorn. "Why not take command? We'll even follow your lead!"

  The proposal caught Sunshine's attention. Her gaze softened and posture relaxed.

  Newbie chewed her lower lip. She wouldn't be participating in the battle herself, and she was still annoyed at Sunshine for her earlier attitude, but she'd prefer to see her family co-operate regardless.

  After a tense silence, Sunshine finally spoke. "She calls it Loyalty..."

  Puzzled looks passed through the group.

  "The trident, right?" asked Cutiehorn. "Sure, I've heard that."

  Sunshine gave a faint smile. "Then, do you know how many decades have passed since she was presented with it?"

  Cutiehorn seemed to struggle with the answer.

  "By my reckoning, we're long overdue a second faesteel weapon," said Sunshine. "Might even be ready for a third by now. You know what that means?"

  The group remained silent and waited for Sunshine to provide her own answer once more.

  "It means Queen Titania believes the rest of us unworthy."

  Cutiehorn frowned. "We don't know that for sure. She has to provide faefire for three queendoms. Maybe the others need it more?"

  Sunshine nodded slowly, acknowledging the question but not answering it. Her attention had shifted to the mace in her grasp. She twisted it back and forth, admiring how the setting sun glinted off its edges. "Perhaps I'll call mine Hope. Or maybe Glory?" Her eyes narrowed. "No... I'll call it Truth."

  Bubblebun sucked up a breath as if ready to blow, but Cutiehorn waved her back.

  "An honourable name," said the knight. "So how about it? Will you join us? Will you lead us?" She offered her hand.

  Clang.

  The bell began its rhythmic ruckus.

  Clang.

  Great gilded moons studied the silver gauntlet.

  Clang.

  Sunshine took a step forward.

  Clang...

  The bell rang its last. A set of doors upon the palace balcony rumbled and radiance emerged. Just as she'd promised, Titania herself would be watching.

  Rich spheres widened, as if beholding a miracle.

  "...Sunshine?" asked Cutiehorn anxiously.

  Wings sprang high. "Stay out of my way!" The next moment she was gone, leaving the rest of the sisterhood wincing from the billowing gust.

  "Wait!" called Cutiehorn.

  But it was no use. Sunshine shot toward the town hall like a glinting arrow. An instant before impact, Splishsplash nimbly hopped to a neighbouring roof. With a mighty boom, the town hall blossomed into shimmering sherbet cloud.

  The assembled fairies braced as a wall of tangy wind washed over them.

  Cutiehorn's metallic ponytail fluttered. Her sabatons shuffled on the spot and knees dipped.

  "You really wanna follow her?" asked Bubblebun.

  After a few seconds of grinding teeth, Cutiehorn let out an annoyed grunt and planted her sword in the iced roof. "It's too dangerous. We hold."

  Sunshine burst from twinkling debris, her eyes sore from over-refreshment. Half-blind attacks tore the air in wild arcs.

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  Splishsplash responded without flinching. Her movements were methodically minimal. A single step outranged a horizontal swing. A twist of her torso avoided a vertical slam. She was as precise as her opponent was relentless.

  The feathered fairy remained hot on her heels, demolishing anything that came between them, and not just with her weapon. A headbutt ruptured soda pipes, causing sprays of citrus. A sandalled stomp fractured a syrup mill's foundations, leading to a slow, oozing collapse. None of this destruction slowed the berserker, rather, each blow fuelled the next with increasing momentum.

  Zealous rage gained on calculated efficiency.

  Newbie raised her hands to her face and peeked through fingers that were ready to snap shut should metal meet meat.

  ...Passion? This isn't passion! This is recklessness!

  With swift wings and unblinking glare, Sunshine loosed a fanatical roar and brought the hammer down. It hurtled toward Splishsplash's skull.

  Gold collided with angled faesteel. With her trident at a slant, Splishsplash redirected the force. Sparks screeched and half a bourbon bank exploded. Having held nothing back, Sunshine was thrown off balance. A stumble that left her utterly defenceless.

  The perfect opening! ...So why isn't Splishsplash punishing it?

  Anyone else would've fallen flat on their face, but Sunshine regained control with a whip of wings, then immediately resumed her all-out offense.

  "Are you sure this is ok?" Newbie flinched at almost every savage strike.

  "Queeny said she'd step in if things went too far, right?" Merrymint tried an unconvincing smile.

  How is this not too far? Someone's going to get hurt!

  Sunshine's next attack lifted a sizable slab of hardened caramel into the air, before her fist shattered it into sweet splinters. A feathered thrash both blasted the scattered fragments forth and propelled her high into the air.

  The barrage of sharp shards rained down. Such a large spread couldn't be sidestepped or deflected. Splishsplash had little choice but to make a drastic jump. Temporarily airborne, she'd become ideal quarry for a divebombing hawk.

  Sunshine swooped like a deadly pendulum.

  Splishsplash's toned thighs rippled. With a surge of watery magic, athletic legs split and coiled. Suction cups sprouted like a rapid outbreak of pulsating mushrooms.

  What's happening? Aren't those... tentacles?

  A jet of ink fired from within the writhing mass.

  Gloop splattered over Sunshine, staining her black and obscuring her sight. She spun wildly out of control and hit the streets like a thundering cannonball. Rows of biscuit buildings collapsed in her wake.

  It took a worryingly long time for the rumbling to calm.

  We have to check on her!

  From rooftop to rooftop Newbie sprang, racing toward the ruins and roiling sugar dust.

  "Be careful!" Cutiehorn called.

  It sounded like some of the others were following her, but Newbie didn't want to waste time looking back. The body of a fairy was strong and tough, but hitting the ground that hard just had to hurt.

  It didn't take Newbie long to locate her sister upon reaching the crash site. Battered and bruised, Sunshine attempted to stand.

  "Are you ok?" Newbie reached out to try and help, but her hand was smacked away.

  "Back off," groaned Sunshine.

  The rising princess tried to spit blood, but with a busted lip the best she could do was dribble. Red wept down her chin, darkening as it mixed with octopoid ink. Her wings were crumpled. The flesh around one blackened eye was already swollen, almost forcing it shut. Knees trembled as she stepped out of a snapped sandal and stumbled toward her weapon. When the fingers on her right did naught but twitch, Sunshine took up the mace with her left hand instead.

  "You're hurt," said Newbie. "Come back with us and we'll think up a plan together. I'll even help if I can!"

  Sunshine didn't even look at her. She was too busy squinting up at the balcony. "This has nothing to do with you."

  Newbie tried to take a step forward, but Merrymint's hand was upon her shoulder, while Cherrychomp had her wrist. It seemed they were the two who'd followed, but now they were holding her back.

  "C'mon, Sunny. You were awesome!" chirped Merrymint. "Real impressive! But let's regroup for now."

  The firstborn remained determined.

  "Let 'er go," said Cherrychomp. "She'll be 'k. Couldn't you tell? Splishysplash is goin' easy on 'er!"

  Both Newbie and Merrymint immediately turned to cup hands over Cherrychomp's mouth before she could say any more.

  Dammit, Cherrychomp, can't you see how hard she's trying?

  When the two foes stood face to face once again, the contrast between them had only grown. Splishsplash remained completely unblemished, whilst Sunshine was sticky, stained, tattered and torn from head to toe. For a moment they were both motionless atop the toffee tavern, as if each were waiting for the other to make the first move.

  Splishsplash glanced up to the balcony. Queen Titania nodded back.

  Sunshine screamed, "Don't you dare take your eyes off me!" and charged upon limping feet.

  With a flick of her trident, Splishsplash struck her attacker's non-dominant hand, disarming her. The merprincess had her adversary in a chokehold before the mace had landed.

  Still Sunshine refused to submit. She bucked like a bull, kicking and straining with what little strength remained. For the briefest of moments, it seemed like she might even topple her grappler.

  Crunchy cracks sounded from Splishsplash's bones, yet she displayed not a hint of pain. Chitinous plates breached smooth skin. Claw tips ripped through toes. It took her mere seconds to transform her lower body to that of a crab. With eight legs she'd become unshakable. Her forearm and bicep clenched.

  Sunshine choked. Veins bulged. Ink smeared with rolling tears. Slowly but surely, fury started to fade and limbs fell limp. Finally, Sunshine was motionless.

  Newbie loosed an unsteady sigh.

  She sure acted like an idiot, but that didn't make it any easier to watch...

  With surprising care, Splishsplash gently lifted the defeated, carried her to the town's outskirts, and lay her back down. Then, in an act that pushed Newbie's nerves to their limit, the merprincess stood and pointed directly at her.

  "W-what? What's happening?" asked Newbie.

  "I guess she wants you," said Merrymint.

  "But I'm not supposed to be fighting!" whimpered Newbie.

  "Don't be a dummy!" Merrymint smiled. "She's not going to fight you. It's fine. Go to her."

  Newbie approached with trepidation. She bowed her head upon arrival. This time not as a show of respect, but submission.

  "Thank you for coming." Splishsplash gave a partial bow of her own. "I require your assistance."

  Newbie blinked in surprise. "You need me?"

  "Indeed. Come." Splishsplash crouched.

  To Newbie's relief, she was not needed for conflict, but care. Splishsplash showed her how to monitor both breathing and heartbeat, and asked her to watch over the fallen.

  "When she awakens, inform her that she is done for today. Queen's orders," said Splishsplash.

  "I don't think she'll like that," said Newbie.

  "It matters not. The Queen's will is absolute."

  "Right..." said Newbie. "Is she going to be ok? I'm pretty sure her arm is broken..."

  "Do not fear." Splishsplash raised a fist to her heart. "Our power comes from within. Her limbs will heal so long as they remain attached. Fairy flesh mends quickly."

  Newbie frowned. Just because the injuries were temporary didn't make any of what she'd witnessed ok. "Is it always like this, Splishsplash?"

  "I do not follow. Explain."

  "So violent. So brutal. So... bloody," said Newbie sadly.

  For a moment, Splishsplash only stared. A finger tapped upon the trident's hilt. "True enemies will not hold back. This training serves to save lives, both ours, and those we are bound to protect."

  "But..." Newbie swallowed hard, "...we're supposed to be a family, right?"

  Splishsplash's following words chilled Newbie's gut and made her veins run cold.

  "You are misinformed," stated the merprincess without remorse. "We are weapons."