Chapter 4
Just as Vidia had planned, the thistles ran across the root at top speed falling into single file. When they came to Tinker Bell's house the first thistle tried to jump over it, but couldn't clear the large structure. Instead it landed on the roof and crashed right through. A sickening crunch sound could be heard throughout the nook as it did. The tinker house caved in and anything immediately underneath the thistle was crushed into splinters. The vines used to bind the walls split and snapped. The walls lost their structural integrity and burst outward. From above it almost looked like a flower springing open. The pumpkin top door was flung off its hinges and crashed into the stream that trickled through Tinker's Nook sending a towering spray of water into the air. The thistle continued and trampled the walls even further before descending the ground floor of Tinker's Nook.
The second one ran through the remains of Tinker Bell's cottage as the first was leaving it, breaking and scattering everything that was in its way. The oyster shell bed, sea shell chimney, maple seed ceiling fan, design table, chest of drawers were shoved over the side. Many of Tinker Bell's possessions: drawings, designs and tools that she had been accumulating were scattered across the floor of Tinker's Nook. Green colored objects were seen gently floating towards the earth. These were Tinker Bell's dresses which she had spent a good deal of time cutting and hemming herself. They were badly ripped and torn by the spiny thistles.
Vidia herself wanted to jump and clear the rubble, but it might make her look guilty. So she allowed herself to be dragged into the debris. After having been raked across everything Pixie Hollow had to offer this was fairy play. The last remnants of Tinker Bell's house and furnishings zipped passed the fast flyer. Something hit Vidia in the face, but a second later it was gone. A glimpse back told her what it was, a leaf with designs drawn on it. She could have sworn it read "Pixie Dust Express."
Tinker Bell screamed so loudly it hurt the ears of Terence who was close by. Her home had been obliterated in a blink of an eye. The last bits and pieces that had not fallen were clearly visible sitting on the home's foundation. Even as the weeds continued to run through the nook's housing district she wanted to rush to what was left of her cottage but Terence forcefully stopped her.
"Tink, wait!" he called, grabbing her arm tightly. "It's too dangerous with the thistles still here; wait for them to leave."
The pair watched as the sprinting weeds continued their stampede with Vidia still helplessly being pulled behind them. Several tinker fairies who were watching gasped, groaned or yelped as their homes were partly or heavily damaged. Tinker Bell's eyes were streaming tears as she kept watch over what little remained of her once beautiful home. She had taken so much care to decorate it and make it her own, adding personal touches and carefully adding lost things to make it feel as warm and comfortable as possible. Now it was gone, reduced to so much broken rubble.
Vidia heard screaming and while it was hard to see who it was the voice was unmistakable, Tinker Bell. The fast flyer kept feigning her lack of control over the weeds as they continued to charge through Tinker's Nook. The weeds' sharp, spiny leaves ripped the door off of one house and left gaping holes in the walls of several more. The roots on which the houses sat were scratched and scraped as the thistles ran past and their spiny leaves cut into the bark.
At first Vidia was very pleased with herself. Tinker Bell's house had been razed, a few houses took some damage and no one suspected her subversion. But as she kept subtly driving the two thistles through the root laden, maze like housing section and towards her planned exit they became less responsive to her commands. Vidia's smugness quickly gave way to worry. Oh no, they're trying to get out and can't, they must be getting too scared to control, she correctly surmised. It had been less than a minute since arriving in Tinker's Nook and her grand design was collapsing on itself.
She had not anticipated this and her worry turned to outright panic. Everywhere she looked there were huge roots, towering walls and other obstacles in her way. The thistles constantly made sharp cuts and turns at a frightening pace that made it impossible for Vidia to think straight. She lost all hope of regaining control. What she needed were wide open spaces and plenty of time to regain sway over the thistles. She had neither in the tight, confined spaces of Tinker's Nook and its housing district. The weeds would cut and turn following the roots and walls looking for a way out. Then they would run into dead ends and would try to climb their way out up sheer walls that were too high. When they could not the thistles would quickly reverse course and the fast flyer would be mercilessly jerked in the new direction, bouncing off the walls and roots and tumbling over the ground. She was not even able to right herself much less the weeds. Vidia screeched, she called for help, cursed the thistles and yelped and cried with every stomach churning turn. It was a thrill ride turned dangerously real. This morning Vidia thought she had prepared for every possible contingency, how wrong she had been.
My thanks to the growing readership base for this story. It is more than I ever expected.
And my thanks to Starsights for your kinds words, they are greatly appreciated.
To I Luv Milarion, your new suggestions are very interesting. I don't think I can use Clarion's and Milori's back story since it would probably contradict Secret of the Wings. (Don't get me wrong, though. I'm as big a fan of Clarion and Milori as anyone). However, the idea that Vidia would be humbled through heartbreak is a very good one that could be a very nice focus for the follow up. You have a wonderfully creative mind. Thank you.