Today's assignment was the most difficult Fairy Sparkle Princess Gail of the Rainbow Realms had ever been sent on.
Defeat Evil Darkness Prince Roy of the Mean Realms.
If Gail was quite honest, the mission had shocked her at first. Roy of the Mean Realms had been her arch nemesis for as long as she could remember, always prepared to ruin her kingdom's gallant balls and vibrant parades with his touch of darkness. Immense power fuelled his assaults and destruction, targeting the most innocent of civilians with his diabolical schemes.
But he had always been equal. They were two sides of the same coin, matched in every way. Though she would defeat him often – well, all the time, actually – there lay enough compassion within her soul to spare him, allow him to scamper back to his castle in the Mean Realms, and recover until his next attack.
But the order, direct from Fluffy Cloud King Appa and Bright Tree Forest Queen Omma of Planet Illéa, had been specific. Defeat Roy. Permanently.
Gail, of course, did not disobey the wishes of her King and Queen. Her parents. As heir to the Glittery Flower Throne, she knew it was her destiny to take over from them one day, and she knew that listening and learning from them was a way she could grow into a great ruler, like them. But this was the first order she questioned.
She could see the distraught face of King Appa when he'd said the words. Defeat Roy for good, Peanut. Queen Omma, too, hadn't been able to meet anyone's eye.
Why? Prince Roy had plagued their kingdom for as long as she could remember. Gail understood mercy, but she did not understand her parents' overreaction.
She didn't argue, though, as she and her Princess Court surged into the Mean Realms on their sparkling unicorn steads. Gail fluttered her own pink, sparkly wings in apprehension. Darkness enveloped the land like permanent midnight, where the red moon cast an eerie, bloody glow onto the blackened land. Dead land. Nothing grew here, as wasted as a desert, but as cold as a tundra. Especially from up high, and especially with the unicorn wings booming through the harsh winds. Gail shivered, wrapping her cloak around herself. She held her star wand close to her chest, and the magic contained within seemed to pulse in time with her heartbeat.
"Fairy Sparkle Princess Gail!"
Gail turned her head. Her right-hand woman, Lady Levinia Lefray of Labrador, flew her unicorn next to Gail's. Levinia's magical necklace gleamed from her neck, the rubies as red as the world below them.
"Yes?" Gail asked.
"The castle will have magical protections," Levinia warned. Her gaze slid to the black structure in the distance, tall and imposing. "There's no way we can destroy the barrier without being heard."
Gail clenched her jaw. She suspected as much. Evil Darkness Prince Roy of the Mean Realms was clever, if not stubborn. She figured there would be no way to slip inside discreetly and defeat him. No. This would be a long, hard-fought battle to destroy him.
Whilst she clutched her cloak and wand in one gloved hand, she gripped the reins of her unicorn with the other harder, as if it could slip from her grasp. "I know."
Levinia's eyebrows dipped on her head, and she stared at Princess Gail.
"My liege, it's just… are you sure you want to do this?"
Gail cocked her head to the side. "Why wouldn't I?"
Levinia skimmed her teeth over her bottom lip. "Their Majesties…" But she reared her unicorn back. "Never mind."
Strange behaviour from Levinia, but Gail didn't question it. Her whole court was nervous. The impending battle had rustled their unicorns, let alone their riders.
Her Princess Court formed a V-shape behind her, and they whistled through the air. Roy's castle inflated as they neared, becoming a looming structure of black glass and charcoal stone. The spires of the bony towers looked like they'd been sharpened to impale, and the windows were shaped like angry eyes, glaring at Gail and her court as she neared.
The magical barrier ballooned around the castle in a red haze, its surface like curdled milk. It would be impenetrable to the normal citizen…
But Gail had come prepared.
She pulled the unicorn's reins, and the stead reared to a stop in the sky. Her court did the same.
So now they would announce their presence.
Gail pointed her star wand at the shield.
"Lady Riley Aldaine of Atlin!" Her voice thundered with command and respect. "Launch glitter missile!"
"Of course, my fairy sparkle princess!" Riley chimed. She waved her wand and a magic red button appeared in the air. With a dramatic wave, Riley pressed it.
Out from a split in space did a ginormous missile comprised entirely of glitter burst into existence. Rainbow glitter sprinkled the land as it shot towards the castle.
It smashed into the barrier with an explosion of glitter.
The barrier dissipated immediately, and glitter coated as far as Gail's eyes could see. Even just the smallest dusting blessed the land with renewed life. Sprouts of green grass and vivid flowers sprung from the desperate earth. Trees, ponds, rivers and fruits took their first breath, filling acres of Roy's dead realm with hope and life. It reinvigorated Gail – just seeing so much beauty in a world of darkness.
The untouched area, however, was Roy's castle. Still as black as ink and as leering as a hungry beast, it remained staunchly dark and deathly. Upon closer inspection, a moat filled with bubbling, silver liquid – mercury – surrounded the castle, meant to repel intruders that snuck passed the first barrier.
But now that was gone. And they had flying unicorns.
Gail pointed her wand. "Onwards!"
The Princess Court cried in assent, and together they flew towards the castle's front entrance.
The doors were made of ebony wood, embedded deeply into the walls, but they were no match for Gail's magic. With a simple spell of love from puppies and kittens, she blasted the doors down and revealed a sharp, cold hallway with two floor mezzanines lined with rich, black velvet. There was a foggy aura of darkness, seeping from the walls like poisonous gas, but it only filled her with dread. The very castle wanted her to flee, but she would not. Her very heart was akin to steel, too strong to feel the depths of fear.
Lady Sherlock Graves of Carolina had left her stead with the rest of them, by the front doors, and though the wand on her hip suggested she was ready to fight, her taut features radiated a nervousness that would haunt her through the hallowed corridors.
"Fairy Sparkle Princess Gail," she whispered. "I think we're being watched."
Gail could feel it too. Something in the callous, stone walls, something in the eyes of demon paintings lining the walls in gold framed, something in that thick, churning fog as angry as storm at night. Despite the lavish decoration, there was death around here, as clear as a graveyard, and it peered into her soul as if she were an abyss to stare into for eternity.
Yes. They were being watched. Evil Darkness Prince Roy knew they were here.
But Gail resolved not to lose faith. They'd come this far. She had a mission to defeat Roy, or the world would suffer for it.
She clutched her wand, and gestured to her court. "Spread out. We have to find where he is. Notify me on my wand when you find him."
"Yes, my fairy sparkle princess!" the girls chorused, and they split into small groups of two and three, and treaded into the many halls and staircases of the castle. Gail would go alone, for her magic was the most powerful.
She ascended the velvet staircases onto the first mezzanine and scoured the floor. Around the corner did a writhing creature made entirely of shadow creep, its eyes hollowed out like a dug grave.
It roared once before charging towards her, scrapping at the floor with its four spindly legs. Gail pointed her wand at the creature with grim determination.
"Flower power!"
Pastel petals pelted the creature, wrapping it in a rainbow of colour, until it turned into a goat. Its true form. The goat bleated with terror and scuttled away – now was not the time to retrieve it, unfortunately. There were many other animals like that in the castle that had been turned into ghastly housekeepers and beastly guards, all to indulge Roy. When she had eliminated him, she could find the animals and free them from captivity.
Gail encountered five more of the poor creatures, turning them back into rabbits and wolves, before she found Roy's throne room.
A purple fog permanently shrouded the ceiling, and layered the floor in wisps. Black obsidian glittered harshly, entrenched in the dark walls along with mother of pearl and varying shades of quartz. Gothic chandeliers hung on thin chains, their candles glowing an eerie green, and even with the windows streaming in thick beams of light, the room seemed to inhale the darkness.
At the very back was a dais carved from the same material of the walls. Royal standards, woven with tattered fabrics, hung limply above a throne made from solid stone. Cold and unbearing.
Just like the person lounging on top.
Evil Darkness Prince Roy of the Mean Realms.
His long legs, adorned in black leather, hung over the armrest and bobbed in impatience. His outfit was much the same: dark, studded black regalia, matching the black cape oozing over the side. Black nails, black eyeliner, tanned skin. His hair was tied up in a ponytail, and it, too, seemed to dance on a draft.
Only his eyes stood out. Brown, like the chips in a cookie. Brown, like her eyes.
Looking at them made Gail imagine there was some humanity in him.
His laugh was rich and throaty, but laced with mocking.
"I was wondering when you were going to appear, Fairy Sparkle Princess Gail of the Rainbow Realms."
Gail moved her fingers across the stem of her wand, which alerted the others to her presence. They'd converge on her soon. Until then, she could stall. Maybe even defeat Roy herself.
"I am here to defeat you, Evil Darkness Prince Roy of the Mean Realms!"
Roy snorted. "Oh, please. I am the most powerful, the strongest, the most evil prince ever to have lived. And you think your pathetic glitter magic will be able to stop me?" He twirled fingers as he laughed, less with the subtle tone of derision and more with it outright. "I did need something to make me laugh."
Gail steeled herself. "The power of friendship and love always trumps evil!"
"That may be the case in children's cartoons, Princess Gail," he replied, twisted so that he sat properly on his throne. "But this is not a story. This is real life."
Finally, he rose. It seemed to be a fluid motion, like he was made of the mercury boiling furiously in his moat outside. He raised his arms, and his shadow army leaked from the walls, forming bodies made from innocent animals and into mindless creatures.
They snapped their teeth and grunted into their hunger. Soulless eyes landed on Gail.
They congregated on her.
Gail raised her wand, wings flaring. "Flower power!"
Petals burst from the tip of the wand, encircling any enemy who treaded to close. Small lizards and otters were freed from the mind-control, scurrying in the fray. Gail zipped and zapped, but she could feel the weight of all this magic draining her.
Roy only cackled when she had cleared the room. "This is only the first wave."
More creatures slid from the walls like slime.
The doors behind Gail burst open then.
"Your court arrives to kick butt!" Lady Maeve Reynolds of Paloma bellowed, stepping in front of her.
Righteous cries of the flower power spell launched into the air, and sooner than before were all of Roy's creatures returned to their true form. Roy actually looked affronted by the power they exuberated together, but it didn't stop the dogged set of his jaw. He summoned more shadow beasts, but no longer tiring, Gail and her Princess Court reversed each evil bewitchment.
"Fine," Roy said, once they'd cleared the room again. "It that's how this will be."
He snapped his fingers. Dark magic rolled from his fingers, and seemed to blink.
Her entire Princess Court had frozen. Lady Elise Belmont of Hansport had a handful of animals in her arms, utterly still, her mouth still frozen in an o-shape of shock. Lady Ambrosia Nichols of Sota had stretched out her arm, gesturing to the doors for escape. Lady Avianna DeLaurence of Allens had her wand stuck in the air to attempt to stop him, but too late.
Roy grinned maniacally. "Friendship and love." He scoffed. "How well can you do without them?"
He fired an evil bolt of magic. Gail deflected with her wand.
"Freezing them in time won't stop their friendship and love!"
"Let's test that!"
They barraged one another with magic, good and evil. Rainbows and bolts from the void fired back and forth. Gail spun in the air, flapping her wings, as Roy teleported around the room to catch her by surprise. Holes ripped through space, peppering Gail with evil magic, whereas she would squall him with sparkles and pink beams. The room misted in a maelstrom of power and force.
Then Gail spun releasing her boldest spell yet. "Party confetti!"
Confetti assaulted him in a stream of sharp flakes. Roy stumbled back, given Gail the chance to wrap him in satin bows, trapping him. He fell to his side, grunting and struggling to break free. The spell that paused her friends fell, and they stumbled and staggered back into real time.
Lady Alisa Orlov of Whites grinned brightly. "You did it, Fairy Sparkle Princess Gail!"
They cheered with success.
So… it was time to end it. Forever.
Surrounded by her Princess Court, Gail approached Roy. He only looked up at her with loathing.
"Do it," he coaxed. "Go on. I'm waiting."
Gail hovered her wand over him.
For her kingdom. For her parents.
"Glitter showe—"
Then the doors burst open.
And in sprinted her parents.
"Stop!"
Gail snapped her wand back instantly. Fluffy Cloud King Appa was actually sweating through his ruffled white suit, and the clouds that surrounded him like a permanent aura of goodness. The deep green dress that Bright Tree Forest Queen Omma was wearing was torn at the corners, and her bark-coloured hair freed themselves from her bun.
Appa inhaled a deep breath in relief. "It's not too late."
"Appa, Omma," Gail greeted, suddenly worried. "Why are you here? Why did you stop me? I thought you wanted him… gone?"
Omma exchanged a glance with Appa before speaking. "It's true, Gail. That was what we initially wanted. But… look into his eyes. What do you see?"
Gail looked. He was glaring at all of them. Brown swirled with confliction.
Confliction.
"I see a shred of humanity," she said.
Appa nodded. "That's because he was once… good."
Shock bled through Gail. Roy had been her nemesis since she was born. She had only assumed that he was born evil, raised evil… but if he had originally been good, then that meant something had turned him bad.
And if he could be turned bad, he could be turned… good.
Gail clutched her wand tighter. This was a strange turn of events.
"So you want me to try to remove the bewitchment?"
"I am right here, you know," snorted Roy.
"Yes, Gail," Omma said, ignoring him, "but… that's not all we need to tell you."
"What?" she asked.
Appa paused, before taking another deep breath. "Gail, Prince Roy… he is our son. Your older brother."
The world beneath Gail's feet seemed to stir. She stared at Prince Roy with renewed shock.
He was staring back at her with disgust.
Brother.
She was related to her nemesis. That was why their eyes were so similar – they were the one in the same. And by the disgust on his face, he'd known, too.
Even her Princess Court were too gobsmacked to react to that.
Except Levinia. Her face had fallen with melancholy. So… she knew…
"B-But—" Gail sputtered. "But he's… evil."
"Led astray," Appa said. "Please… your magic is the only one strong enough to break the evil enchantment." He reached for Omma's hand, and she gave it to him and squeezed. Gail's wand pulsed with their positive emotions.
Then the Princess Court followed suit, forming a circle around Gail and Roy, holding hands and grinning with pride. Magic poured into her heart, filled and spilt over in her wand.
Roy did nothing this time. He just lay on the floor, ready to accept his fate.
So Gail raised her wand over him.
"Glitter shower!"
Pink glitter exploded from the wand, showering Roy. It didn't seem to be painful, but the glitter spiralled around him, lifting him in the air, surfing through his clothes, weaving through the seams. The satin ribbons splayed around him in a dance until his entire body was surrounded by the storm of pink and red.
At once, it burst, falling to the ground in streaks and confetti. And Roy's body floated gently to the ground.
He looked… different.
No more black. He was wearing a navy suit, cut to his measurements. His hair was sheared to his sides, and polished cufflinks glittered from his wrists.
So this was… good Roy. No longer an Evil Darkness Prince of the Mean Realms. Just… Roy.
Roy's eyes opened. That humanity Gail had seen before had returned tenfold, and it guided his confused emotions as he blearily looked around.
"Wow, looks like an emo died in here."
Appa and Omma launched forwards and fell on top of him in a hug.
"Appa! Omma!" he cried, in surprise, before he flung his arms around them in delight. "You did it! You broke the spell!"
They sobbed, but the sheer relief, and euphoria made it worth each tear.
Appa held him at arm's length and shook her head, gesturing to Gail. "No, son. That was Gail. Your… sister."
Roy panned to her, eyes glassy with this new information. But then he grinned, extricating himself from his parents and approaching Gail.
She felt on guard. What if this was a ploy?
But instead he ruffled her hair.
"Thanks, rascal."
"Wake up, princess."
Gail blinked. Who'd said that?
She looked around at her Court, and all their faces had changed. Light brown skin, old, wrinkles with white curly hair cut closely to the scalp.
"Princess?" they all said in unison. "Wake up, dear. It's morning."
Gail jerked up.
Her bedroom enveloped her. Her bright pink covers were tangled in her grasp. Her pink curtains, the hem lined in a feathery boa, had been secured with silver braids to her bedposts, and morning sunlight streamed through the opened windows.
Lanna was sitting at the edge with a hand on her leg, gently shaking her. She smiled warmly. "Ah, good. You seemed to be dreaming."
Gail blinked. What had she been dreaming about?
Lanna stood up and stretched. "Breakfast soon. Are you excited? I hear they restocked your favourite blueberry jam."
"Yay!" Gail said, jumping out of bed.
Lanna chuckled. "Dream of anything interesting?"
Gail paused at the door to her bathroom, wracking her brain. "I can't remember!"
And Lanna laughed. "Ah, well, it couldn't have been that exciting then."
Gail grinned at her. "Nope."
And off she went to start her day.
A/N: I wrote part of this drunk and part of this on a sugar-high at 11pm if that's any indication as to why this chapter is so... er... random... but I hope you enjoyed it! (For the record, the drunk-written parts were awful when I reread the next day lol)
Thanks so much for reading! I have... ideas... for the next one. *evil laugh* The new TSaTS chapter will hopefully be up this week as well!
~ GWA