Chapter Five

"I'm going to move my hand now. Remember what I said," warned Mirta.

Topaz nodded, her amber eyes wide, staring at the menacing witch looming over her.

Cautiously Mirta removed her hand, and Topaz took a few seconds to breathe and get her heart rate to lower.

Mirta studied the strange girl and saw that the fear she exhibited was real. This shouldn't be too much trouble. But she felt a little guilty for scaring her. No, she couldn't be weak. She had been attacked, and as a witch would make sure the wrong was repaid.

"Okay, now. You know my name, so what's yours?" she asked.

"T- Topaz," was the answer.

Mirta smiled slightly. "That's pretty. What are you? I've never seen anyone like you before."

"I- I'm a troll," answered Topaz, "Did you come from Magix?"

"Yeah. How did I get here? For that matter, where IS here?" the redheaded half-witch asked, risking a glance around.

"Which one do you want me to answer first?" asked Topaz. When Mirta glared at her, she pressed against the tree a little harder. "Please don't hurt me."

Now Mirta was really starting to feel bad, despite her resolve. "I won't hurt you as long as you answer my questions truthfully. I promise."

"O- okay," nodded the blond, relieved. "And I promise not to lie."

After several seconds of staring at each other, Mirta finally said, "Well?"

"You didn't say which question to answer first," said the troll-girl, fear spiking again.

"The first one," sighed Mirta. She was starting to wonder if this Topaz was really that scatterbrained, if fear was driving her, or if she was just stalling.

"What was it, again? You scared it out of my head," said Topaz.

"You'd better not be stalling. How did I get here?" said Mirta, glancing around again.

"I guess through a portal. I was going to Amethyst's house and got caught in a thunderstorm. I saw you appear in mid-air and get thrown into a tree. I tried to help you, but you blasted me with magic," said Topaz.

"Yeah, like I believe that. You trolls attacked Cloud Tower out of nowhere. Why would you help someone you were attacking?" asked Mirta.

"But I didn't attack anything or anyone!" Topaz started to cry.

"Oh, stop that," growled the half-witch, "Answer the other question. Where am I?"

"Trollzopolis Park," said Topaz, "You're around the world from Magix." The tears flowed freely.

That gave Mirta pause. "So where are the other witches?"

"I don't know, okay? I only saw you!" said Topaz, crying a little harder.

"Keep your voice down, or else," said Mirta, letting her hand glow orange.

Topaz broke down completely, and Mirta backed off a bit, letting her cry for a minute. "Okay, look, I'm sorry. But I'm lost and I don't know what's going on or where Lucy is, and you're the only lead I've got."

"But I don't know anything!" protested Topaz, trying to get herself under control.

'I'm starting to believe that,' thought Mirta. Aloud she said "Who DOES know?"

The troll-girl started to answer when Mirta suddenly grabbed her own head and fell down. She curled into a fetal position and moaned.

"Are- are you okay?" Topaz asked, her fear being overridden by her natural desire to help. She leaned over and put a hand on Mirta's shoulder.

The pain subsided as rapidly as it had come, and the half-witch slapped the hand away and sat up, an angry expression on her face. "You treacherous little..." She lifted a hand and the orange glow reappeared.

Topaz shrank against the tree. "But I didn't..."

"Get away from her, you witch," growled a new voice.

Mirta turned to see the other four trolls had snuck up behind her and were holding... marbles? over their heads. The objects were glowing, as were the gems they had in their bellybuttons.

Her other hand started glowing, but before she could turn them toward the new enemy, action was taken.

"Tope's in trouble from witch's magic, stop it now, before things turn tragic!"

They chanted in unison, and threw the beads at Mirta.

There was a sudden lifting, and once more she found herself flying through the air, but this time she was aware. Twisting around she put her hands down and caught herself from slamming into the ground, performing a handspring and ending up on her feet. She turned, magic at the ready. The sudden activity made her wrist and where the break had been ache again, but she couldn't show weakness.

The four trolls were standing side by side, new marbles at the ready.

Nearby, Simon the gremlin and his servant Snarf stood within a protective bubble that rendered them invisible to the combatants. He had been watching since he felt the strange magic sometime earlier in the day and came to investigate.

"What are you going to do, master?" asked the red swamp mutt, "Drain that girl's magic and use it against those trolls you hate?"

Simon frowned, but answered. "Nah. Unfortunately, witch magic is too different from mine or troll magic for me to use. We're just going to watch and hope she can beat them."

"Great!" grinned Snarf. He pulled a bucket of popcorn out of hammerspace and offered it to Simon.

Simon took the popcorn and turned his attention to the battle.

"Uh, master? That was for both of us," said Snarf.

Simon glared at him, and the mutt deflated. The gremlin boy took a handful and tossed it into his mouth. He chewed for a moment, then dumped the bucket on Snarf. "There's no butter! Next time, don't forget the butter!"

"Yes, master," said Snarf. Then he glanced up at Simon and ate some popcorn.

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"Guys, wait!" cried Topaz, running between her friends and Mirta.

"Topaz, what are you doing?" asked Ruby.

"I- I don't think she's evil, I think she's scared. We have to help her," said the blond.

"She could have hurt you!" said Amethyst.

"But she didn't," said Topaz, "She just wanted answers."

Mirta took the opportunity of Topaz distracting the others to think. "Five against one; I definitely don't like those odds, and that was a powerful spell. Better take the better part of valor."

She started to throw the transparency spell when pain like a knife being slammed into her head hit her. She collapsed again, blind to everything but it. She screamed, trying to keep her head from exploding.

Simon frowned. "We're leaving. This fight is over. Wimpy witch can't beat them now." The bubble containing him and Snarf vanished.

"MIRTA!" called Topaz, and ran over to her. The rest of the BFFL hesitated a moment, then did the same, putting away the beads.

They watched for a minute as the tall girl writhed, gritting her teeth and moaning.

"Do something, someone!" said Topaz, dropping to her knees and trying to still the witch's violent jerks.

Suddenly she stilled. She panted, drawing labored breaths for a long minute. The pain had receeded to a managable level, but now she was surrounded by the enemy.

"Are you-" said Sapphire.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" screamed Mirta, her hands glowing bright orange. Bolts of magic hit all five trolls like lightning, throwing them away from her. She got up and ran, head pounding, and disappeared into the woods while her enemies recovered.

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Professor Palladium knocked on the door to Ms. Faragonda's office and let himself in.

"Sorry to disturb you ma'am, but we have a new problem," he said.

At the headmistress's inquiring look he continued. "I found another reference to the incomplete headache remedy, and there was a warning. If Mirta got any of the formula on her it will be absorbed through her skin and cause a bad reaction. She will be experiencing memory loss, and will likely have a major stroke and die unless we can get the counteractant to her within about another four hours."