The small pink and orange crow perched precariously on a stack of papers that must have been a half a foot tall; certainly, they were at least larger than she was. Next to her, a midnight blue jay slept restlessly. Occasionally, her wings would shoot up as though she might take flight even in her dreams. The crow had been throwing her friend sympathetic glances throughout the night, but now even those had ceased. The papers were too important.
"I have it," the crow muttered. "I just need Kerensa Carys to check it… maybe Vesta too… and then…"
The bluejay's wing spread out and hit the crow's back. "Yikes!" exclaimed the crow. She grabbed her friend's wing and tugged on it. "Wake up, Hestia! I've got what I need." Hestia murmured something and turned away. "Seriously! Get up!" continued the crow. "We have to get this to my sister."
With a groan, Hestia stood. "Myfanwy, would five more minutes hurt-caw?" she said pleadingly. Her voice was babyish, testament to how ten years could make a lot of a difference in a fairy. Myfanwy was nearly grown. Not quite old enough to be in the Queen's army, of course, but that just meant she could do different things to save the Hearth Queendom. Such as read over important scholarly issues in search of something that could help. Or, more accurately, such as babysitting her smaller cousin.
Myfanwy scooped Hestia into her wings and began to toddle off, but Hestia wiggled out. "Fine, fine-caw. I'll fly-caw!"
"Good. We'll need to be quick. There isn't much time before Color War returns, and I need to let my sister know how to stop it." Grabbing the first paper off the pile, Myfanwy took to the sky. Hestia followed shortly after.
As they flew, Myfanwy found herself with too much time to think by, and much too much to think about. Color War was the main focus of these thoughts. Color War was an army from another world that had arrived just over a month ago to conquer Myfanwy and Hestia's homeland. However, the people of the Hearth Queendom… and especially the ruling queen… were strong, easily able to drive them away. However, Color War was ruthless. Day after day, week after week, they returned. Those who got too close to one of the invading generals often found themselves turned into monsters, known as Humglums. The Hearth Queendom's forces dwindled. Now, even with every able fairy fighting, the fate of the place that Myfanwy had lived all her life seemed unsure.
Still, she had to be brave. There were whisperings that the only way to remain safe from the Color War was to keep courage in your heart, and Myfanwy didn't intend to give these alien soldiers a single advantage.
OP: Magical Story~Time
She had to be brave. Teenage girls could smell fear on each other, more or less, and Mallory Marsh didn't want to give her new peers a single advantage. Not with her fate so unsure, her stomach twisting into knots as she thought of it. Not with her dad, so very, very clueless, standing right behind her with a wide grin.
He put a dark hand down on Mallory's slightly lighter shoulder. "What's wrong?" he asked her. "You've never been nervous going to camp before, and you've been going for ten years now!"
Mallory bit her lip to prevent herself exploding. Mr. Marsh didn't get that things were different now. At fifteen years old, she was now an official Counselor in Training. On top of that, her old camp had run out of spaces alarmingly quick. By the time she started to sign up, every single one had been filled. She'd had to turn to a different camp to do her training, one she'd never been to before.
Camp Breezy Bridge was not Camp Woodwake. The weather was ten degrees cooler than she was used to… she'd never expected to need a sweatshirt in the summer before. Rustic cabins replaced spartan tents, and though she'd expected less trees than her woody home camp, she actually found that Breezy Bridge had more. Everywhere Mallory looked, she found more differences, culminating in the look of the staff member coming towards her.
The counselors at Breezy Bridge seemed so young from Mallory's point of view… perhaps since she hadn't grown up looking towards them like idols, she could appreciate that they were only three or so years older than she was herself. This one was no exception. Despite her height… she was so tall!... there was a childlike grin on her face as she jogged to meet Mallory. Her strawberry blonde hair was tied into a half-braided ponytail, and at least four inches of both pale and freckled arms were covered in friendship bracelets. If not for her far-from-pristine staff uniform, she could have easily been mistaken for a camper.
She skidded to a stop in front of Mallory and her dad. "Hey! Welcome to Camp Breezy Bridge. Are you looking for the preteen units? They're a little farther down the trail. I can show you the way if you'd like."
For a moment, Mallory wanted to hide behind her father like the little girl that this woman thought she was, but she took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Actually, I'm fifteen, and I'm a CIT. My name is Mallory Marsh."
Most people, Mallory noted, looked a little bit taken aback when she told them she wasn't eleven or twelve. To her credit, the counselor nodded. "Sorry about that. I shouldn't have assumed. Anyway, my name is Biddy, and I'm the assistant leadership counselor here at Camp Breezy Bridge. Come on into the CIT cabin and meet the others! We've all been waiting to see who our last friend was going to be."
Mallory's dad smiled warmly down at her. "Are you going to be okay if I head out now?"
No! screamed Mallory's heart, but she swallowed hard and nodded. After one last pat on her back, her dad turned to go, and she and Biddy started into the cabin-filled unit.
The Hearth Queendom was by no means small, but it was definitely small for a nation, only the size of a large city. Most of the important aspects of the kingdom all resided inside one large building. To outsiders, the Crystal Castle was incredibly impressive… easily over five hundred times the height of any fairy, it gleamed and shone. The outside was completely made of quartz of reds, oranges, pinks, and yellow. Like Myfanwy, it was a lovely gradient sunset pattern. Large, rounded windows and doors lined in white marble were usually open to allow all in. However, today, in the heat of war, they were closed and locked. Still, that didn't prevent anyone from glancing the magnificent crystal spires and thatched roofing that young bird-like fairies often loved to play on.
Today there was no time for even a quick game of tag on the magnificent building. Myfanwy and Hestia swooped downwards towards the main entrance. One touch of a wing to a glowing panel next to it allowed Myfanwy entrance.
The hallways inside were bare, normally a rare treat that allowed the birds full view of the magnificent rainbow crystal mosaic that made up the floor. There was no time to stare today, however. "To the throne room," ordered Myfanwy.
Inside, the cabin looked just as rustic as it had from the outside. Six bunk beds lined one wall, with two more in a small off-shooting room… the counselor quarters. On the other wall, Mallory observed a row of neat dressers. A few girls put things neatly away into them; the rest seemed to hang out on their beds, chatting or reading quietly. When Biddy and Mallory took a step into the room, everyone turned to look. Mallory blushed furiously, suddenly even more shy than before.
"Guys, this is Mallory, the last CIT!" Biddy said. "So. Who has the extra bunk?"
There was a beat of silence before a Japanese-American girl with shoulder-length dark hair raised her hand lazily. "Me."
Biddy smiled. "Great! Mallory, you can share the bunk bed with Harper. She's the one over at the other end of the room. I'll be around if you need anything, but I'll let you set up. Okay?"
Mallory nodded mutely and began to walk towards her bed. Nobody except Harper seemed to be looking at her anymore, but Harper was staring enough for everyone. When Mallory was close, Harper smiled. "You can take the top bunk. I prefer the bottom."
That suited Mallory just fine. She hated bottom bunks; they always seemed to involve hitting your head first thing in the morning. When she'd flung her backpack up to claim the bed, Harper began to talk to her. "She said your name was Mallory, right? I'm Harper Hoshikaze. You're new to Camp Breezy Bridge, right?"
"Y-yeah. CIT at Camp Woodwake was full this year… this was the most similar camp we could find."
"And it's still not too similar, is it?" Harper shook her head in sympathy. "I transferred from Camp Oginali five years ago, so I know how it is. Still, to start somewhere new during your CIT year… that takes a lot of bravery."
Mallory felt her blush get deeper. "No, I'm not really that brave. I just… I don't think I could bear being just another camper with all my friends in CIT." When Mallory thought about it, her reasons for transferring were more about running away than being brave, which made her start to squirm.
"Don't be silly!" said another voice. Mallory looked behind her to see a tanned girl with stick-straight platinum blonde pigtails hanging off the top bunk next to hers. "You're here, and that's still super awesome, so stop being such a downer."
Harper half-rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "Mallory, this is Vita Odhran. She's sorry for anything she says that's not thoughtful. Really."
"I think about everything I say!" Vita protested.
"Only when you're talking to Delcine, and sometimes not even then," countered Harper. She turned to Mallory and explained. "Delcine Goode is Vita's best friend. They always come to camp together. They're also total opposites. Vita's unaware and blunt, Delcine is shy, delicate, and soft."
"Am not," argued two totally opposite voices… the high and loud one being Vita's, and a lower, softer one coming from a blanket at the bottom bunk. For the first time, Mallory noted that there was a girl there, only a bit larger than Mallory herself and with a similar, if slightly darker, skin and hair color.
Mallory got a sinking feeling that everyone here had been friends for years, not just Delcine and Vita. Around her, girls talked and joked happily, catching up on the things that had happened over the school year. Even now, Harper, Vita, and Delcine had lost interest in Mallory and were playfully arguing about their personality traits. As Mallory climbed up into her bunk, she started to feel nervousness settle into her stomach, accompanied by a sudden strain of nausea.
It seemed hours, but was really only minutes, until Biddy clapped to get the cabin's attention. "All right!" she said cheerfully. "Now that we're all here, let's go outside and get started!"
Still murmuring to each other, girls began to file out. Mallory couldn't bring herself to move. When everyone else was gone, Biddy came over to her. "Mallory, are you okay?" she asked.
Mallory nodded, then reconsidered and shook her head. "I feel sick," she admitted. "I think it's only nerves, but it wouldn't make a good impression if I threw up, I think."
Biddy smiled sympathetically. "Why don't you lie down? I'll check on you in an hour or so, okay?"
"Mmmhmm."
"Oh, but before I go… I have something for you." She handed Mallory a metal brooch with a golden finish. It was shaped like a four leaf clover, and the letters "CIT" were inscribed in the middle. "Everyone else is getting theirs in a moment, but you should have one now instead of later if you're going to try to sleep. Now, anyway. Want me to turn out the light?"
"Yes, please."
Bitty walked to the door, the light snapped off, and the cabin door closed, finding Mallory alone. She wasn't sure if she liked it that way or not.
EYECATCH 1: A brief montage of Mallory images: petting an alpaca, making a s'more, and finally, twirling around as Cure Marshmallow with a cute smile.
EYECATCH 2: Myfanwy and Hestia fly in circles, then fall into the arms of Mallory. She is surrounded by the two CIT counselors and all of the CITs. Together, they grin, looking for all the world like the best of friends.
Queen Kerensa Carys held her long, mahogany staff tightly as she fenced with the zombie-like monster amidst the splendor of the throne room. "Humglum, if it is only you, know you will soon be defeated!" she cried. Then, her voice softened. "And Abbeline, if you can hear me in this monstrous, fearful form… oh, I'm so sorry."
She thrust her staff through the Humglum, and it burst into sparks.
Myfanwy froze. The action did not look easy. "Big sis-crow?" she whispered. Next to her, Hestia was crying.
Kerensa looked at them and tried to smile, but it came out too weary, too sad. She'd neglected her natural fairy form in favor of her more athletic… but much more expressive… human form. "Girls… I regret you had to see that. It is growing more difficult to defeat them day by day." Sweat collected on her medium-brown brow, her silver crown was lopsided, and her auburn hair was falling out of its ponytail. Difficult looked like an understatement.
"Let me help," Myfanwy insisted.
"No. There are other tasks for you, my sister. Other… other worlds of tasks."
"Huh?"
This time, Kerensa managed a genuine smile. "Follow me, both of you."
They moved through corridors and pathways, around courtyards and rooms. Twice more did Kerensa encounter Humglums, and each one seemed more cunning and athletic than the one from the throne room. "They're made of fear," said Kerensa as the group walked. "Specifically, the fear that the Hearth Queendom will fall. The more likely that becomes, the easier it is for Color War to make Humglums, which in turn makes the fall even more likely. It's a spiral. We'll have to look outside our own world to fix it, I think."
Kerensa opened a door. Instead of a room on the other end, it led to a thick forest. "A liminal space."
"A space where two realities intersect," Myfanwy said automatically, explaining the term to Hestia, then looking back at her sister. "Is this where our help will come from?"
Kerensa Carys gazed solemnly at Myfanwy. "This is Earth, home to legendary warriors called Precure. They're often also known as "counselors." Find the Precure and assist them. They will care for you and Hestia… though do try not to get separated. When this is all over, when this is won, Vesta and I will come for you two. Until that day… until then, I place the crown into your hands. From the time you leave the Hearth Queendom until this is over, Myfanwy, you are queen."
"But Kerensa, that's your job! Why aren't you fleeing too? This queendom also needs you alive!"
"They need me as a general more than as a figurehead. You need to be the one they can look up to. I need to be the one making sure that they're alive to look up to someone." Kerensa Carys turned the silver tiara in her hand several times. With each turn, it grew smaller and smaller. After a few seconds, it fit Myfanwy's small head perfectly. Kerensa placed it atop her sister's head feathers, smiled, and said her final order as queen. "Now, go."
Mallory tried to sleep, but it was easier said than done. Daylight streamed in through the window next to her bed, and if she looked outside, she could see the eleven other CITs in a circle with Biddy and another counselor. Part of her ached to be out there with them. The rest of her ached, quite literally, because that would soon happen.
She played with her lovely brooch gently as she watched them. It was heavy, made well. From the looks of it, it was multipurpose too… able to clip into her hair, on her shirt, even on her backpack. She wasn't sure how she'd wear it, so she kept it snugly in her hand for the time being.
Soon, the group moved away, perhaps to go elsewhere for an activity, and Mallory was left with a clear view of the Breezy Bridge woods. The sun, still high in the sky, shone its rays through the branches, making it look almost heavenly.
Heavenly, but not at all like home.
Still, she watched the sunlight shine on the trees, and squirrels scuttle from branch to branch. She watched and watched and watched.
When the air began to unfold, she thought it was a dream.
Petals began to blossom from thin air. Each looked to be made of space, complete with swirling nebulae and twinkling stars. Mallory gasped at the beauty of the forming flower, which looked something like a rose.
Just as she thought it couldn't get any stranger or lovelier, a bird flew out of it. It was some sort of corvid, but its feathers were shaded like sunset, and even from the cabin, Mallory could see a strange mark on its belly. The bird flapped its wings experimentally, then… it seemed to see her. It flew towards her window with a strange speed. As it approached, their eyes locked, and Mallory swore that the bird understood a lot more than birds were supposed to understand.
Perhaps just not windows. It collided with a "crash."
The vibration made Mallory realize that she was definitely awake. Her stomachache forgotten, she climbed down her bed's ladder and hurried outside, hoping the bird was unharmed.
Outside, the rest of her group was nowhere to be found, and she was grateful. She scooped the bird into her arms. It was groaning miserably… were birds supposed to groan?... and rubbing its head with its wing, but quickly seemed to recover. By the time Mallory was inside again, it opened its beak…
…and spoke.
"Who are you? What's going on? Where am I? Where's Hestia?" said the bird in a frantic and high-pitched voice.
Mallory gaped.
"What's going on? Is this Earth?"
"Y-yes. You're at Camp Breezy Bridge. Which is on Earth. I mean, I was pretty sure of that, anyway, until that flower… and space… and you…"
"That's my fault. I didn't expect that much magic to leak over, but it can't be helped when the Hearth Queendom is in danger, I suppose… I don't have any way to be discreet until I find the Precure…"
"Wait, what? Are you an alien?"
The bird snapped. "I'm a fairy, thank you! I can't believe you don't know who I am."
"T-then. Maybe try introducing yourself?
The bird softened. "Oh. Yes, that would make sense, I guess. My name is Myfanwy, and I am the princess of the Hearth Queendom. I'm sixteen years old and the top of my strategy classes at school. That's why I was sent here by my older sister, Queen Kerensa Carys, to find the Precure warriors who will protect this world and rescue my own." The little bird's feathers fluffed up in agitation. "Now. You."
"O-oh. I'm Mallory Marie Marsh. I'm fifteen years old and going into eleventh grade this year. I like swimming, boating, and going on adventures! Here at Camp Breezy Bridge, I'm a Counselor in Training."
"A… a counselor?" Before Mallory could respond, Myfanwy continued. "You're the person I'm searching for! Here, let me see that brooch!" There didn't seem to be a harm in handing it over, so Mallory complied. The little bird placed both her wings in it. Around her, a pink aura began to glow. "By the power vested in me by the Hearth Queendom and its leader, Kerensa Carys, I allow you to unlock your potential and find your place as a Precure warrior! Take this token and awaken!"
Myfanwy removed her wings, letting the light die out, and Mallory hesitated only briefly before picking her CIT clover back up. "Okay," Myfanwy ordered, "say 'Precure, lead me home,' okay?"
"P-precure, lead me home?"
Nothing happened. Not that Mallory was sure anything was supposed to happen to begin with. She'd never followed along with a talking bird before; she wasn't sure how far you could trust one.
Myfanwy drooped. "Come on! Those are the same words that Kerensa always says. It's got to be right."
"Maybe it's got a delayed reaction?" asked Mallory.
"No, no, that's not it. Probably you're just not cut out to be a Precure. But you said you were a counselor, right?"
There was a beat of silence before Mallory had the heart to correct the little fairy. "I'm a Counselor in Training," she admitted, worried that her new friend would fly away, feeling betrayed or deceived. It wasn't my fault you misheard me, she prepared to argue.
Instead, Myfanwy waved a wing dismissively. "Then you should have become a Precure in Training. It's not right that you didn't. Unless you have too much fear or not enough belief, or something like that."
Probably both, Mallory decided. She decided to ask questions while the small fairy was stewing over her disappointment. "What exactly is a Precure?"
"A legendary warrior who can overcome fear and unhappiness to be courageous warriors for good," Myfanwy answered, though she seemed to barely be listening. "They defeat Humglums, the monsters that roam every world."
"Not this one," Mallory said firmly. "We don't have monsters." Myfanwy did the bird equivalent of raising an eyebrow, and Mallory backtracked. "Then again," she admitted, "we don't have talking birds either."
"Exactly. You didn't, and now you do. When I opened the liminal space up to come to this world, I opened it for everyone. But it couldn't be helped… Earth is the only place I know is safe to ask for help. It's where my sister told me to go."
The ground rumbled beneath Mallory's feet, and Myfanwy's eyes widened. "Speak of someone, and they'll appear-crow!" she murmured, then blushed. "Mallory, we need to go back outside!"
"Why?"
The ground shook again. "Because even if you aren't a Precure, a Precure will be there to fight. They can help me!"
Mallory thought, then nodded. She didn't like it, but she was sure that Myfanwy didn't like her current situation. It was a tradeoff.
She ran outside, the bird still clutched tight into her arms, and felt a giant shadow over her. Looking up, she could see a large tree the size of a skyscraper. It was moving, stomping from one place to the other like five-year-old, with no rhyme or reason. "A treant," Myfanwy breathed.
The ground shook threateningly as the being stopped. Mallory stood there with her brooch in hand. "What can I do?" she cried.
"Become Precure! Like you're supposed to! Every leader here has the potential-crow!" Myfanwy responded as tears began to well in her sparkling pink eyes. "I don't see anyone else… there's supposed to be someone…! Save us-crow!"
"But I'm not a leader! I'm just a Counselor in Training! I-I'm afraid I can't do anything to help. I'm useless here, and Biddy's gone with everyone else…"
Mallory too was starting to cry, and the tears only came faster when the tree-like monster began to part the great birch and oak trees that shaded the girl and the fairy as easily as if they were grass. As it moved, it was accompanied by the sounds of a young woman laughing: "Ohohohohoho!"
"Xanthe! The first Color War general! And a Humglum as well," Myfanwy choked. "Mallory, please…"
It seemed too late. Xanthe was already flipping gracefully from a low branch and onto the ground. She landed silently, her hands holding out an uneven, claylike bead. It was inelegant, grey with lumps, like a second grader's botched arts and crafts project. "Did I hear someone say they were afraid, hohoho? Then come, let us see those deep, dark fears!"
The bead glistened and grew until Mallory and Myfanwy could see false memories on it like a television. Mallory watched the other CITs turn away from her, not giving the slightest bit of acknowledgement. She watched herself hating Camp Breezy Bridge… she watched Myfanwy lying motionless on the ground as a tree monster started to step on her…"
"No! I won't let it happen! This is all in my control!" It felt like a lie. She felt powerless. Still, she knew that Myfanwy was counting on her, and she couldn't let the fairy down.
Xanthe laughed. "Not anymore. I am Xanthe, the most beautiful member of Color War and controller of Humglums like this treant. Humglums like you should soon be!" She cleared her throat before continuing. "As I see your fears… let them become!"
Xanthe hurled the bead at Mallory, whose arm shot up automatically, blocking it in its tracks. The grey bead dropped abruptly and without dramatics to the ground, and Xanthe stared at it. "What…"
A faint light shined from Mallory's hand. She opened her clenched fist to find the brooch to be glowing. Myfanwy's eyes lit up. "Mallory, this is it! Let the light shine, and follow your heart. You should know what to do."
As the light grew, Mallory nodded. For the first time all day, she felt brave.
From the shadows, where the light could not hit, a red-headed figure watched Mallory's stand from start to finish. By the time the pink light began to cover the CIT, the shadow-cloaked young woman was grimacing and shaking her head. "Great. Just exactly what I needed."
The pink light surrounded Mallory in a gradient… it was if she had been sucked into a pastel sunset. Inside its warmth, she found it much easier to be courageous. "Precure!" she shouted, not a hint of hesitation on her tongue, "Lead me home!"
Everything began to speed up. She heard music, far away notes that seemed to come from another world. Sticking her brooch into her hair like a barrette, intent on discovering where the music came from, she felt a little pop! followed by a sudden heaviness to her hair. She looked to the side and caught a glimpse of pink locks held in place by silken white ribbons. Is that mine?
There was barely time to think when a warm, gentle wind thrust her into the air. Mallory laughed, sticking her arms out… it was like she was flying, only as she did it, her cute tie-dye top and denim shorts turned into a white leotard. Seconds later, a fluffy pink skirt and matching top appeared over it. Oh man, this is so cool! thought Mallory, and she held her hands over her heart in a sincerely thankful prayer, which was answered only with the materialization of another clover-shaped brooch that held a large kerchief in place.
The light became reflective. She could see herself clearly, though she didn't look much like herself, more like someone tried to cosplay her and had the wrongest sort of body for it, and all the wrong clothes to boot. She was taller, if only slightly, and more toned. Everything from her dark brown eyes to her similarly colored curly hair had been dipped in pink. The only color she could see that reminded her of herself was her skin, which remained roughly the color of wet sand.
Then, she landed on rose colored hiking boot-clad feet. She waved her arms, trying to catch herself… somehow, she felt even that action probably looked really cool on her. As she grew steadier, the light began to fade, just enough that she could see Xanthe's figure appear. The fearless feeling was still there, accompanied by a growing urge to just embrace it.
Mallory grinned. She felt like it was high time to embrace a lot of things… her new summer home, her new bravery, heck, even her new outfit. With that all, it probably called for a new name. A new identity for this new camper who already believed that Breezy Bridge was worth calling her own camp. "Protecting the promises of hearth and home," she bellowed, "I am Cure Marshmallow!"
ED: Summer Camp Can-Can
Next time on Care Package Precure:
Mallory: It's easy to face someone else's fears! No way am I afraid of sleeping at camp!
?: But you can't even face your own yet. I won't allow you to be Precure if you're going to get hurt!
Mallory and Myfanwy: Wait, what?
Mallory: Now I'm afraid that I'm not going to be able to protect my new friends! Next time on Care Package Precure... Magic! The Arrival of Cure Campfire!