Legacy of the Popcorn Fairy Book 2: Danger Uprising

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

-James 1:12 NLT

Chapter 1: Life Goes On… Unfortunately

Deep within the underground tunnels hidden beneath Peach Creek, a Minusion Adjunct rushed through the panicked traffic with obvious annoyance. The situation was bad enough as it was, but Enola didn't need any more frustration, considering the report he was about to deliver to the King. No one wanted to be the bearer of bad news when it came to King Minusion.

Pushing his way through the other Minusions, all of which were going the opposite direction he was, Enola finally made his way to the heart of their underground hideout, affectionately referred to as the "throne room". Once he was out of the crowd, he slowed down, the frustration gone and the weight of his assignment returning. Slowly, one paw at a time, he pushed himself into the wide, crystal-lined cavern where, in the corner, his leader was facing the wall away from him.

"Um… S-Sir…?"

"What do you want?" the King's sonar rang darkly.

Enola moved closer and attempted to ease the tension. "You… don't quite look like yourself, s-"

"I know I don't look like myself, you simpleton!"

"With all due respect, sir, that's not what I meant…" Knowing nothing would make this any easier, he got to the point. "Sir, are you aware of the outcome of the battle at Peach Creek High School?"

"Of course I am! I saw the whole thing!" That horrid sonar echoed off the rock walls and the King whirled around towards the Adjunct, his glowing scowl burning into his underling's subconscious.

"Well…" Enola struggled to regain his composure. "Now that one of our Queens has been eliminated… considering that heavy loss, many of us in the higher ranks have been questioning new strategies. After all, if the Blue Star successor really is as strong as she seems to be, we'll need as many numbers as possible!" He quickly turned away in anticipation of another insult.

But when it didn't come, he looked back up, finding the King in a much more thoughtful state. "Yes… Perhaps a change of plans is in order." He paused, thinking for a moment. "Spread out; cover more ground on the surface. Send out more troops at a time, though stay lenient in how many are sent; we'll need time to rebuild our army." After another pause, he thought of something else. "And send Adjuncts along to observe the fights. Have them report back any useful information on her fighting styles."

When the King turned away again, Enola bowed and hummed a quiet, "Yes, sir." Then he turned and ran out of the throne room, holding in his relief and ready to alert the others.

Alone once again, the King reached out and gingerly touched one of the many unique patterns etched into the cave wall, one that bore a close resemblance to a certain teenage girl.

"I'd like to know more about this… 'Natalie'."


My worst nightmare had come true: I was popular.

Not 'popular' in the stereotypical sense, constantly craving attention, doing anything to make things go my way or anything like that. Just popular in the sense that nobody seemed to leave me alone anymore!

Ever since the entire student body at Peach Creek High learned about my true identity, I had been bombarded with constant signs of gratitude from the others. And as much as I appreciated it, I specifically remembered and constantly had to remind everyone I talked to that on the night I defeated the Queen Minusion at the football field that I wanted to be treated like a normal person during our day-to-day events. But no, I was always the big hero, and everyone in school knew it.

I'm not sure how anyone else would've reacted to the kind of attention I was receiving, but the only thing I could think to do was avoid everyone, just as I had done for so many years. I even stopped sitting with the Eds at lunch until they agreed not to treat me with an overdose of respect (something Eddy didn't need to be told twice). I never wanted to be some big icon among the students; I never asked to be a hero. But as the eighth successor of the Blue Star, I had my duties to accomplish, something that no one would let me forget.

Months had passed since that night when my secret went loose, and in those few months, I found comfort mainly in two ways: in the solitude of my own home, where no one knew about my powers, and in the company of my boyfriend, Mutt Kanker. Considering the guy had stood by me since my crazy misadventure began, it was safe to say that I depended on him a lot. He calmed me down, gave me advice, and even helped me fight Minusions in his Star Wolf form, something we had to do very, very often ever since the Minusions upped the ante on us.

After what felt like weeks of this never-ending cycle, spring break had arrived. Mutt had long since obtained his driver's license, and I usually opted to riding home with him. I believe it was that Thursday before the break when things started to take an unexpected turn.

Mutt was driving me home from school and we had engaged in a conversation about our Easter plans. His family was coming to church with us, then we were going to spend the rest of the day with our families.

"Boy, that sounds fun for you," I chuckled sarcastically, considering Mutt would be spending the day with his abrasive cousins.

"Tell me about it," he mumbled back. "On the up side, the girls have barely touched me ever since my transformation."

"That's good." I stared out the window and leaned my head back. "You doing anything tonight?"

"Yeah, actually, my parents are taking me to this seminar at a college up north."

"You're already looking into colleges?"

"Why not?" He turned onto our street and asked, "Why, did you wanna hang out?"

"Yeah, but it's fine. I don't mind having a quiet night." I grabbed by backpack out of the back seat as Mutt pulled into my driveway.

Once the truck came to a stop, Mutt gave me that sideways smile of his. "I'll see you Sunday, if not sooner."

I gave him a quick kiss and a simple, "See ya," before climbing out and running around to the garage door keypad.

After Mutt left and Jared came home, I took about a half hour break from my long day, then I decided to ride my bike down to the post office. Sure, I could've very easily flown there, but it had been a while since I rode my bike, so I told Jared what I was doing, grabbed a plastic bag and our mailbox key, strapped on my helmet and took off in an instant.

I had to admit that it was a nice change that I really needed. The fresh air, the relaxing atmosphere… I hardly had the opportunity to enjoy the outside world with Minusions striking every other minute. So, obviously, I really let the moment soak in, taking my time as I pedaled through Peach Creek, waving to other townsfolk as I passed them by. I also happened to notice my dad's truck parked outside the volunteer fire department station, meaning he must've been on a fire call. For some reason, that made me smile; nice to know I wasn't the only person in town saving lives.

I had just reached the bottom of the incline that leads to downtown when a certain someone passed me by. It was Peach Creek's young, newly-elected mayor, Tybalt Dengen, who greeted me with a polite, "Good afternoon, Natalie."

"'Afternoon, sir."

Three seconds after I said that, I put the brakes on and looked back at him. I hadn't seen Dengen since the night of the Queen Minusion attack; he had been giving a speech when the Minusion came and destroyed the podium he was on. My friend Shane later told me that he had disappeared without a trace after that, and the next time I heard of him, he seemed well, as though nothing had ever happened.

And now that I was alone with him, I figured I might as well clear that question out of my head.

"Excuse me, sir…"

Dengen stopped walking and turned back to me, offering a smile. "Yes, what is it?"

"The, uh… A few months ago, on the night the M- that thing attacked the football stadium, what happened to you?"

He paused and pondered my question. "Well, after I was knocked over, I simply made my escape amidst the ensuing chaos."

"Forgive me if this sounds rude, but if you had the strength to save yourself, why did you just abandon the students?"

"I didn't. Didn't anyone tell you who opened the gates to let the students out?"

I was about to respond to that, but quickly found myself off guard. "Oh… No. I didn't even ask."

Dengen smiled again and nodded once. "I simply did behind-the-scenes work, in a manner of speaking. And what were you doing?"

"Just… making sure everyone was safe…" (in a manner of speaking.)

Silence fell for a moment while I thought to myself. I realized that I didn't know much about Dengen, never taking the opportunity to learn more about him. He seemed like a noble person… kind, honest, well-spoken… but I wasn't able to completely convince myself. Despite his confidence and charisma, there was just something about him and those amber eyes of his that seemed to look straight through me.

And the more I thought about it, the stronger the uncomfortable buzz in my head became. Something was setting the Blue Star off, sending hot jolts through my nerves and eyes.

Dengen obviously sensed my discomfort. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" I moaned, turning away for fear that my eyes might literally catch fire at any minute.

"Well, if you're sure, and if you don't have any more questions…"

"Just one more," I cut in, keeping my gaze on the street. "Why do I get so nervous around you?"

His head tilted ever so slightly. "I honestly think that's more of a question you should ask yourself."

I let out a long sigh. "Sorry. M-Maybe you're right." After shaking myself off, I straitened my bike up and started to ride away. "Thank you, sir. Have a nice day."

"You too."

With that, I sped away, not stopping until I reached the post office. To put it simply, I was relieved to get away from him. I just didn't understand what it was about Dengen that set me off so much. Sure, I had never been good with confrontation, but this was… something else.

As I walked into the post office, I also happened to notice that the Blue Star had calmed down, something else that got me thinking. The star always let me know when danger was near, but very rarely did it have these episodes where I had no idea what it was trying to tell me, and every time had been in the presence of…

…Dengen.

"Huh…" I found myself mumbling aloud.

I set my mind on something at that moment as I unlocked the mailbox and stuck our mail in the plastic bag I had. Ever since I laid eyes on Tybalt Dengen, something about the Blue Star changed. I didn't know if he really had something to do with it, but if he did, I was going to figure it out one way or another.


The weekend came and left, and Easter was over before I knew it. The Monday afterwards, Mutt and I were hanging out in his basement.

Considering both his parents are doctors, it's safe to say that Mutt's basement is the lap of luxury for someone with as low of standards as mine. In one corner is a series of couches aligned in a ninety-degree angle in front of a plasma screen TV, which was equipped with a Blu-ray/DVD player, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii. In the opposite corner is a Jacuzzi, set up on the only area in the room not covered in shag carpet; I was anxiously awaiting the time when I'd get to use it. And in the adjacent corner is a pool table and an air hockey table, the latter of which Mutt and I were currently playing as one of my Owl City CDs played softly over the stereo system.

"So what're you saying?" Mutt asked; though his eyes were on me, he hardly missed a beat in his game.

I was having a little more difficulty, doing my best to hit the puck every time as I explained, "Mutt, think about it. Every time the Blue Star has had this kind of freak-out, Dengen's been somewhere nearby. The debate, the assembly, and now today." I cringed when the puck whizzed past my hand and into my goal. "What if all these instances aren't just some coincidence? What if Dengen has some kind of connection to the Gold Star?"

Once I knocked the puck his way again, Mutt continued, "Well, your guess is as good as mine on that one. I don't know what it's like to wield the Blue Star, and I've never been close enough to Dengen to smell him without other scents mingling in."

"Does the Gold Star have a specific scent?"

"Yeah, like wet rocks, Bunsen burner fire, and unbridled anger."

I paused, taking that in. What I would give for a nose like Mutt's…

In my brief train of thought, I let my guard down, and soon Mutt had another point. A chuckle of embarrassment burst out of my mouth as I grabbed the puck and once again let it loose.

"In all seriousness," I went on, "Mr. Tucker told me that King Minusion could've acquired some new powers during his dormancy. Maybe… Oh, I don't know. This whole thing is still confusing the heck out of me!"

Sensing my frustration, Mutt held the puck down with his mallet and calmly said, "I understand, Nat. You wanna figure this out without jumping to irrational conclusions. The fact of the matter is we have a lot to deal with these days, but I know things are gonna work out in due time. Sometimes you just have to… roll with the punches."

I gave him a small nod. "You're right… as always." A smirk crept on my face at that point. "You just gotta help me take the blow."

"Isn't that what I'm here for?" he playfully chided back.

"Among others reasons. Now let go of the puck before I stick you in the penalty box," I teased as I started circling around the table.

"Oh, so you're going there, now are ya?"

"I think you know where I'm going!"

And upon that outburst, I jumped onto Mutt's back and sent the two of us into an uproar of laughter. Thrown off balance, Mutt stumbled around until he finally collapsed onto the couch with me still on top of him, our laughs not slowing for a good ten seconds. Then we calmed down, laying there quietly with only the sweet tune of Fireflies breaking the silence.

Eventually, as if we knew we were thinking the same thing, Mutt rolled over slightly, lifting his head up, while I simultaneously lowered myself and met his lips with mine. During that kiss, I took in Mutt's scent as best I could, trying to find the right words to describe what I wished was a much stronger aroma to my human nose. Brisk pine, subtle musk, fresh-cut grass, all buried beneath the smell of his Old Spice cologne. I loved it all… if only I could let it last a little while longer.

Mutt released the kiss and I immediately slumped over, resting my head on his shoulder. A dreamy smile spread across my face and I almost wanted to fall asleep.

"Nat?"

"Hm…?" I blinked myself out of my fatigue, keeping still and staring at nothing. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I keep asking myself this… but do I give you enough freedom?"

My smile came back. "Mutt, you've given me more freedom than I had before you walked into my life."

He looked down at the floor. "Yeah, but… You always tell me you're stronger because of me. So… what would happen if you didn't have me by your side?"

"I'd honestly rather not think about that."

"Just try. We both know I won't always be there. It's not pleasant to think about, no, but it's the truth. We'll have to work alone at some point down the road, and I wanna know that'll you'll be able to cope without me."

For a second, I almost let tears slip out of my eyes. He was right, of course, but I didn't know if I had an answer for him. What would I do without Mutt? And what if… he was thinking the same thing about me?

The only thing I could think to say was painfully obvious, yet true in every aspect. "You'll always be with me…" I gently grabbed his hand and placed it over my heart. "Right here."

Mutt closed his eyes and took in my words; I hoped I had given him a good enough answer.

The next thing he did really broke the mood for me. He pulled his hand away and clenched it slightly. Then he wriggled out from underneath me and asked, "Do you mind if… I go get something to drink real quick?"

"Um… Sure, go ahead."

"Thanks."

As he quickly stood up and started ascending the staircase, I observed Mutt through my empathetic powers. He was displaying confusion, affinity and fear of loneliness, which was easy to understand, but his uneasiness and suspicion were making me a bit curious. Was there something else on his mind?

Alone in the basement, I kicked my feet, looked around and went into thought. I had been asking myself what would happen if I was left to fend for myself. I had depended on Mutt for what felt like a long time at that point, so it seemed impossible for me to work without him. And his strong trust in me no doubt made me just as important to him.

Then I started thinking of Shane. He was rather dependent on me too, seeing as how I was the first and likely, for the time being, only person to provide him with comfort. Mutt and I both understood his feelings about his Star Wolf form, but their rivalry over me kept Mutt from displaying any sympathy. I didn't quite understand why my thoughts switched over to Shane, but as long as they did, I told myself that they could both trust me. I was there for them whenever they needed me, and I knew they would be there for me too.

I heard Mutt's footsteps on the staircase again, this time more rapid and alert. The strong aura of panic that came with him made me spring to my feet, and when he reached the bottom, his expression of both determination and alarm didn't help to ease my nerves.

"Nat…" he said in a low, firm tone. "Stay here. I have to go."

"Mutt, what's the problem?" I questioned, stepping closer to him.

Mutt looked up the stairs, his expression never changing. "Vampires."

That stopped me in my tracks. "V-Vampires? Are you sure?"

He nodded. "I sensed something in the atmosphere beforehand, and when I checked outside, there was this overpowering stench all over the place. It was like wine and cheep perfume multiplied to unbearable measures, like nothing I've ever smelled before. There's no doubt in my mind; there's a vampire out there. Maybe more than one."

I grabbed his arm. "You're not seriously thinking of going alone. Fighting a vampire won't be like fighting a Minusion. This is the ancient enemy of the wolf we're talking about."

Mutt protectively clasped my hand. "Natalie, listen to me. You're right, fighting them won't be the same, which is why I'm not letting you throw yourself into this fight. Let me handle it."

"Mutt, you just said-"

"I know what I said!" He stopped and calmed himself down. "Please, Nat… I'm not letting you risk yourself for me."

When I couldn't think of anything else to say, Mutt pushed me away and sat me back down on the couch. "Now stay here. I'll be back."

"Promise?"

"Promise." For the first time, his sideways smile did nothing to reassure me.

I then watched in silence as Mutt dashed up the stairs, heading off to throw himself head-first into his first fight with the wolf's enemy.

And as anyone could guess, I wasn't about to let him do it alone.

I waited for two minutes, hopefully giving myself enough time for me to follow him without giving my scent away, then I threw my jacket off, ran upstairs and out the back door. Along the way, I pulled a popcorn kernel out of my pants pocket, clenched it in my fist, popped it and stuck it in my mouth. Once I was in the backyard, I backed away from the house a good distance and swallowed the popcorn, awakening the Blue Star within me and letting my sky blue wings take form. Then I ran back towards the house, leaped onto the roof in one bound, and shot into the air on an updraft.

I kept rising up for a moment, scanning the nighttime scenery of Peach Creek for Mutt. I found him heading towards downtown, still in his human form. What I wasn't expecting was his sudden turn towards the old mill down by the south end of the creek.

The Blue Star wasn't telling me anything, so my only option was to go with whatever happened. Like Mutt said, I had to roll with the punches.

Once Mutt disappeared behind the mill, I cautiously flew his way…