Thumbelina's Story

The streets of Brogdin

Traveling through Brogdin was such a dangerous prospect for anyone... but when you were only three inches tall, the danger was doubled. The tiny blond girl had decided walking was best, lest her bright, golden wings attract unwanted attention in this dark place. Yet such a prospect was even more dangerous than Thumbelina realized. The girl knew there would be many who wouldn't see her and may accidentally step on her, but she hadn't realized how many people would go out of their way to actually TRY to crush her!

Instead of watching for the occasional misstep, Thumbelina found herself constantly running from one building to the next, avoiding nasty humans and dark creatures that gleefully tried to turn her into a smear on the road. One nasty little boy chased Thumbelina down the street with a glass jar. His freckled face holding an evil grin. Thankfully he was a chubby thing. His pockets bulged with candy and he wasn't that bright. A quick duck into a mouse hole had him thumping that red haired head of his against the wall. The little brat tried to stick his fingers into the hole, but his hand was too chubby. Eventually, he gave up and wandered away.

Thumbelina sat for a few moment's trying to catch her breath. How was she ever going to reach the meeting this way? The girl wasn't even sure if she was going rhe right way anymore... As she absently ran her hand over her face in frustration, her tiny fingers brushed the scar across her nose. Her mother, her prince, her home.. gone. The queen had to be stopped... no mater what the danger. The tiny creature was just getting back to her feet, dreading the thought of going out there again, when she was approached by a little, gray mouse. Well, little by human standards.

Thumbelina couldn't believe her eyes. She knew this little mouse from her Prince's forest. "Princess! You're alive!" He squeaked in delight. "When word reached us of the prince's death and we found you're mother's cottege burned, everyone assumed-" The mouse shook his head and let the thought die. She was alive, that's what mattered. "What are you doing here? It's dangerous."

Thumbelina could barely believe her eyes. "Ro! You've come so far! What a plesant sight you are!" The tiny girl cried. Delighted to see a familiar face, she hugged the mouse tightly before answering his question. "I came to join the White Order, to help stop the queens Disorder." Thumbelina answered without hesitation. Though the mouse started to object, thumbelina cut him off. "I can't sit by while that FALSE queen spreads evil. She is nastier than the nastiest Weevil! I can help, I know I can! Once more, I have a plan." Thumbelina went on quickly, hoping to convince Ro before he had much of a chance to argue. She could already see he was unhappy with her decision. "Ro, please... I have to do this... for my mother, my husband..." For a moment Thumbelina went quiet and looked to the ground. She didn't trust herself not to cry. The tiny girl recovered quickly though. Crying would help no one... She had to keep telling herself that. ".. and others that go amiss. Please Ro.." Thumbelina whispered. "I have to go. I don't want them to suffer the same fate as I. Don't you see I have to try? I have an Invitation to meet with them.. but from being lost is where my worries stem. Please, Help me get to the Tipsy fairy pup..." There was another pause as the girl looked back towards the street. "I'll keep trying without you... there is the rub... I'll have a better chance with you at my side... Please, wont you consider giving me a ride?"

How could Ro say no? His friend would surely be in more danger wandering the streets alone. He gave a sigh, resigning himself to helping. "Alright." The mouse said, though his displeasure was obvious still in the reluctant way he spoke. Just because he was helping didn't mean he had to agree, or be happy about it. "Get on my back and I'll take you." As Thumbelina mounted, she thanked the mouse, causing him to give a snort. "You're lucky I was on my way to the bub myself or I never would have found you."

With Thumbelina settled on his back and laying low to avoid hitting her head, Ro ran towards the Tipsy Fairy Pup via the underground network of tiny mouse tunnels just as fast as his four legs would allow. He had his own business with the order.

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NPC used: Ro, the gray mouse. Scout for the white order.

The tipsy fairy pup

Ro raced through the maze of tunnels with Thumbelina on his back. They were dark and dusty, but with a strong sense of smell and long whiskers to help guide him, the mouse was able to travel with ease. Thumbelina only caught glimpses of the tunnels when lights from rooms above them filtered through cracks in the floors. For the most part, the tiny girl was just staring into darkness. It wasn't long before Thumbelina was totally lost. She had to trust in Ro fully, but that was easy for her. Ro was a dear friend.

Eventually they emerged into a large, dimly lit room. "This is it.." Ro whispered. Thumbelina nodded, but gave a small frown as she looked around the rather crowded room. She felt like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. The tiny girl wasn't just worried about herself though. "Dearest Ro, please be wary. They could crush us like a berry." Ro could understand Thumbelina's worry, but he knew what he was doing. No one was going to step on him today. Especially not with thumbelina on his back.

The mouse was forced to zig zag between feet as he carried his passenger across the floor, but it didn't take him long at all to find the assigned table. Once there it was a simple feat to climb up the leg of the table to reach the flat surface. Thumbelina held on tight for the vertical climb, but it wasn't as death defying as it might have been if the tiny girl didn't have wings for back up. Thumbelina would have climbed off of her friend's back then. He had been more than kind in carrying her so far, but Ro spoke up quickly to stop her. "Wait." He whispered for Thumbelina's ears alone. Where was Red? He had thought this was the right table.. but none of these people were familiar... and one of them was a cat! The gray mouse couldn't help but hold a certain dislike for the creature.

If red wasn't here, he had better be sure he was in the right place, with the right people. "The forest has been lovely as of late, no?" Ro finally asked the others. He echoing Red's question exactly. Though, the mouse spoke in an almost bored voice, like one making small talk with people he didn't particularly care for. It was all part of the act. Best to keep things looking casual. Just an odd assortment of friend meeting for a chat and a drink. He was of course, unaware of the cat's earlier slip up.

They were leaving. How very..unfortunate, and just when she was getting comfortable. Aurora lifted the goblet of white wine that she had ordered and touched it to her lips, a taste. Only the barkeep would witness the faint shadow of distaste that colored the psion's expression. She should have known better than to expect quality in Brogdin's slums. Why had Anton brought her here anyway? The Professor never did anything by accident.

She set her glass ware down again with a gentle thunk on the rough wooden surface, a slender laquered fingernail tapping an unconscious meter onto its clear surface. The richly lined chololate colored hood had either fallen or been lowered, and the proud lines of her profile might have been visible to others in the room. And yet she did not turn to face them, pausing only long enough to gift a faintly polite smile in thanks for less than average offering, as she bid farewell with one of her own.

"It is hard to serve quality, when you do not know it..mhmm?" she murmured. There was a fluid shift of fingers then, to uncurl from a seeming fist to display a token uniquely crafted for such favors as this. "On the house.." she qualified. The Tumbler served only the best fare, on the table and between the sheets. Lashes dropped to hood amber irises, amused for his befuddlement when he stared, blinking her way. He would find out, soon enough, or some fool would kill him for the prize of forgetting for one night.

At no time during this exchange was she unaware of what was going on in the room behind her. The swirl of energies had abated some, had become less scattered and more focused, and all she had for her quiet drink, was the murmur of voices and the impression of intent. It was that intent which intrigued her, but she had to know more..before she might declare her hand. Fingers rose, lifting her darker hood over sable locks again, and it was as she turned in a sweeping arc toward the door, that she allowed her golden gaze to drift over the bodies clustered at the table. The girl was already gone, but that was not who had her interest currently, anyway. The rodent whose words came with the cadence of intrigue, and his winged companion did, as well as the cluster of chips that lay for a brief moment now, in the midst of gathering yet to break apart.

She was already seeing as she completed the turn and headed for the door, no pause given to indicate that she had noted the chips as she walked with the lazy sensual stride of a woman used to being watched as she did so. Almost like a spinning wheel she saw them; bodies in places and words spoken for access, a blur of precognition that had her frowning slightly with attempt to focus in on one reading. It seemed almost inevitable when it surged to the fore; a twinned energy..a bonded purpose and near inseparable life force. The pair. They would be her unwitting guides-if she could manage to stay hidden.

She would follow them to the answers she wanted, and the first teasing promise that was her own purpose.

For an instant she saw him, in that arrogant, laconic half bow that he'd once graced the barely worthy and her lips pinched on an intake of breath. She had been so close. Now all there was, was IT.

But enough of daydreams. If she had the right of it they would be emerging shortly, and she would have to find a way to remain either unobserved, or unsuspicious if she was to make it as far as the place she had seen in her mind's eye. A task that was not nearly as difficult as it might have been otherwise, when the 'suggestion' that she not be minded could be so much more than mere small talk, if they became aware of her.

Not for the first time she thanked what gods remained for the gift that the professor was nurturing in her. Then, she melted into the shadows of the pub's exterior walls, and waited.

As she sat on the table next to Ro, Thumbelina tried to sooth her friend. She ran her fingers through his fur as she spoke to him. "Do not fear, Ro dear. I'm sure she'll try to save them all.. Or we shall try until we fall." It was worrying to know that their animal friends where in so much trouble. She had spent so much time with them in the forest. And poor Ro... they were his friends and family as well. The tiny girl hoped she would be able to go with the group. She was sure, weather it was by healing them or snooping around a little, that she could help free her friends.

Ro was curled up next to thumbelina like a guard dog. His head was up, eyes and ears alert for anything unusual. Even in the HQ, one could never bee too careful. It was something the still Slightly Naive Thumbelina needed to learn.. and learn quickly. Both of the little creatures looked up when Aurora spoke. She was an Odd one, in Ro's mind. Her information would be useful though. At least if it turned out to be true. New recruits, any new faces in the HQ, where always suspicious at first. However, Ro trusted Hood's judgment. "A head on assault would be folly in any case. We'll need a way to take out as many as we can as we can. As quickly and quietly as possible." Best to put off their being noticed as long as they could. Though a distraction of some sort as a smaller group crept in could also... Well, surly Red would have something planned. Ro was smart, he'd like to think so at least, but he was not a strategist.

Thumbelina didn't say much now as she listened to the others. This was a whole new world to her. She never thought things would end as they did If someone had ever told her that she would be helping a rebellion while her mother and prince where alive, that darkness would over take their happy land, the tiny girl would have thought them mad. They had to win though. They had to stop to stop this evil before more innocents were hurt.. Freeing the animals was a good start. And, as many of thumbelina's friends were animals, she couldn't think of a better place to start.
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NPC's : Ro, the gray mouse scout.

Red Riding Hood

As Ro had told her of The Talking Animal’s plight, just after, two butterflies with glowing-pink wings fluttered over next to her ear and whispered a similar message. A black unicorn named Midnight was in danger and so were his forces.

Her blue eyes darted to two shining fairies—one was blue and the other green.

“Let me see,” she told them.

The two fairies dove toward the ground before the feet of the Rebellion members and began flying in a rapid circle. A greenish-blue ring formed and from the fairy magic appeared a scene. Animals were pushing over ladders as demons, ogres, and dwarves tried to scale their way into Goldilock’s mansion. They had managed to barricade the doors and windows, but the dark forces were ruthlessly hacking away at the foundation. They were determined to reach the animals even if they had to bring the house down to do it.

Next in the spell circle appeared a seemingly-innocent child. Anyone who knew her knew that she was hardly the princess; the angel; she feigned to be. Red unintentionally glanced to Lexi. The face of Goldilocks surely must have been unsettling for the bear. The murderer of her parents was right there. It was disturbing how many years had passed. When Red had met Lexi, she was a girl and she a cub. Now they were both grown and yet Goldilocks still looked the same. Did she not age? The Queen be damned if she was immortal.

Red bowed her head, the sight of Goldilocks bringing only anger to her spirit. Her face was swallowed by the shadows of her hood as she mused in silence. The fairies stopped their whirling to rise before Red with expectant blue and green stares.

“We will help them,” her words escaped smoothly from her hood. “Lexi, I know you desire Goldie’s head, but do not make her death your sole priority.” She looked up to regard the bear sternly. “We have to save these animals first. This is not the day to seek your revenge. If it had not been Goldilocks, but The Wolf who had appeared, I expect you to have told me the same.”

Red raised her hands to lower her hood, revealing her red head, her downy, wavy layers pulled back into a French braid held together by an ebony clasp.

“We will flank them. Lexi, I want you to lead Formation Alpha in the woods. We will take the enemy from the side. Thumbelina, you will go with Hansel, Gretel, and Aurora and take the mansion from behind. You must get inside and heal any wounded. I will lead Formation Bravo to attack the woods unit from behind.”

And me…?

Red glanced to the black-hooded assassin sitting on a stack of barrels. How could she have missed his sweet scent? She had managed to follow him to the HQ yet even within the HQ he was still elusive. The Gingerbread Man was probably the most odd on her team. A walking and talking cookie; biscuit; pastry; whatever one liked to call him. Giving a cookie orders felt so strange, but he had once been a man. She noticed his candy corn grin from the shadows of his cowl and couldn’t hide the amused smile such a ridiculous expression brought to her lips.

“I hope you don’t mind going first,” Red said.

“Gladly,” he replied.

Thumbelina and Ro Both looked up when The fairies entered to whisper in Red's ear. It was a bitter sweet thing to see other fairies. The girl was glad to see so many still alive and helping to fight evil along side the White Order, but they reminded her of the family and the home she had lost. When the fairies flew to the feet of the others, Thumbelina and Ro moved to the edge of the table they were perched on for a look.

The first few images were honorable. So many animals in danger! Ro was stiff and obviously agitated, causing Thumbelina to rest a hand on his head. The little girl in the last image got a snort from Ro, but only a confused tilt of the head from Thumbelina. At first the tiny girl thought Goldie a prisoner of the queen, but when Red spoke up, she realized the girl was an enemy. How strange that a little girl like that could be working for the evil queen...

It was her name being spoken that snapped Thumbelina out of her thoughts. Get inside and heal the wounded. Thumbelina was nervous at the thought of going out into an active battle field for the first time, but she was determined to help despite her fears. The tiny girl stood and faced Red before bowing. "As you wish miss Hood. It is understood." Ro was loath to be left behind while Thumbelina was sent into battle, but he held his tongue in front of Red. The mouse was a scout, not a fighter or a healer. He would no doubt be sent out on his own mission soon enough.

"Stay safe, Princess." Ro whispered sadly.

Not knowing how soon they would be sent out and seeing the worry on her friend's face, Thumbelina took a moment to kiss Ro's nose. "Do not be afraid. They need our aid." She said softly, trying to hide the sadness and fear in her own voice. "Such a good friend you've been. We'll see each other again." The tiny girl tried to comfort her friend before spreading her wings and hopping into the air. Thumbelina fluttered over to hover above Auroa's head. This way she could join the woman in making any preparations that were needed with the other two before they were sent out.

The tiny girl couldn't help glancing at the siblings. They seemed a little... gross to Thumbelina in all honesty. Yet the tiny girl wasn't one to be cruel. No one deserved to be treated badly. So The girl would keep her thoughts on their strange relationship to herself and try to focus on other things, like the others in the room and their role in Red's plan. Lexi and Red would come in from the side and the delicious smelling biscuit in a hood would be attacking head on. Thumbelina repeated the plan nervously in her mind. They could do this! they had to! At least that's what the tiny girl was going to keep telling herself.
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NPC: Ro, The Gray mouse scout.

Lexi stiffened as she heard the commotion. Raising her head, she sniffed at the air. Yep - that's the bitch's scent all right. Her eyes widened in triumph. Finally, Goldilocks was here. Today would be the girl's downfall. How many years had she been without her parents, all thanks to that girl? She would bring her down today.

Sensing that Red had something to say, Lexi faced her squarely. "I know you desire Goldie’s head, but do not make her death your sole priority. We have to save these animals first. This is not the day to seek your revenge. If it had not been Goldilocks, but The Wolf who had appeared, I expect you to have told me the same." Lexi scowled, but replied stiffly, "I will be sure to keep myself in check. If I get too out of hand, do not hesitate to restrain me. I understand that these animals are more important to you - to us."

Reaching up, she twisted her chestnut brown hair into a bun, then let it loose about her shoulders. Though she did not show it, Lexi was actually very worried. She knew Goldilocks' power, and she wasn't sure if she could save all the animals. I could never live it down if I let them die. "We will flank them. Lexi, I want you to lead Formation Alpha in the woods." Red gave her command. Lexi nodded. She turned to Ro and Thumbelina. "Now, you two, you'd better make sure any wounded are safe. Every one of them are indisposable to us. You are the most important of us all, you understand?" Quick and to the point, she hoped they would do as she asked.

"Formation Alpha, let's go!" With those last words, Lexi started circling around the back.

"The first chance that we get, we'll go after her," whispered Hansel.

"Of course we will." Gretel replied, a smile emerged from her pale lips. A finger stopped, pressing down just slightly above his navel. "We'll maim, tear her guts from the inside and shred her to pieces so small there will be nothing left." Oh sweet misery, the beautiful hymns it played were worth every single pain the the wretched world.

"Your mind works wonders, my dear." Hansel inhaled his sister's intoxicating aroma. These moments were what they held dearly, neither would leave their sight. To know the other was safe in arms. He shifted his weight so Gretel would be more comfortable on his lap.

This meeting was becoming such a bore. Two fairies had come and now, Red had begun to speak about Animals. The Talking kind. Gretel had nothing against them, as long as none stood in her way. Images bore on, that Goldilocks had killed so many and Gretel could only stop the tug of the corner of her lips. Deaths were so intriguing, such fun to watch them suffer.

There was going to be battle for these forsaken creatures. Hansel's hand squeezed Gretel's waist as he could feel her body tense. Red was the leader but a battle now was just ridiculous. But so much blood would be spilt. Think of that joy.

"Thumbelina, you will go with Hansel, Gretel, and Aurora and take the mansion from behind."

"What about Matilda?" The young maiden's tongue spoke out, leaving her brother's grip much to his dismay. "While half of you are muttering about Animal Rights, there is a bitch running around, cannibalizing young children everywhere with disgusting sweets." She glanced at the Gingerbread Man for a quick second, snarled. With every word muttered, her voice rose and took a step forward. There was anger for all the ignorance in this stupid meeting.

Her fingers grasped a knife from her belt, rubbing against the cool sharp object. "I don't believe you care so much." It was all a blur then. In a swift motion, her knife was thrown across he room and her brother's arms wrapped around her chest. A finger trailed along her cheek, soothing her as he nuzzled his chin on her slender shoulder.

"Hansel and I will go." Gretel said after her little fiasco. "But we'll fight til' the enemy dies. We will kill, not harm. So if you want this battle to be won, let us stay together without them. The tiny one and 'princess' will slow us."

Gretel's hand touched her brother's scruffy face. "We'd rather take chances with each other."

Lexi's words had Thumbelina looking back at the woman. Though still hovering in the air, the tiny healer bowed. "I will do my best. Just put me to the test!" She assured the woman. Thumbelina was scared but the animals needed their help! She wasn't about to let them down! How could the tiny girl forgive herself if so many innocent lives were lost? Especially when the forest creatures had been her friends for so long.

The winged girl continued to hover close to Aurora as the woman spoke. She Certainly didn't -look- like a warrior... Thumbelina was just wandering if it would be the siblings alone fighting in their little group When Gretel had her outburst. Thumbelina dove behind Aurora's head when the knife was thrown and waited for a few moments before peeking out again. They were crazy!

Thumbelina couldn't say she was sad that The two had been allowed to go off on their own. If Gretel was going to go throwing knives in a room full of allies at the HQ, who knew what the siblings would do to allies on a battle field? Yes, the farther those two were from Thumbelina the better. Though.. with Aurora unable to fight and the siblings abandoning them... How were she and Aurora suppose to get close?

Thumbelina listened as The Ginger Bread Man left spoke to the twins but she waited until after he left to float from behind Aurora's head. "Uh... Miss Hood? Forgive me, I want to do good... But while I may be able to sneak inside, surely Aurora would be spied. How could she get near, with so many enemies to fear?" At her size thumbelina at least had a chance of sneaking about... but Aurora would be totally unprotected, even with the other units distracting the enemy, if they stuck to Red's original plan without the siblings. Thumbelina just worried that Aurora would be forced to Sneak about alone.. She was a much bigger target!

"I have no intention of getting near darling.." the mistress' voice floated idly into the suddenly hyperactive scene, and she lifted a slender hand with a bent wrist in invitation for Thumbelina to find a perch. "And do stop flitting about, it's terribly distracting.." Aurora, despite appearances to the contrary, was rather moved by the concern of the tiny thing for her safety, as she tended to be with anything that made her the center of attention. "I'll need somewhere quiet, and away from the chaos of engagement to see clearly.." In the event that they had not yet come to be aware of her gift she'd qualify without vanity. " If you get me close enough, I may be able to see their intended course of action in attack plan. But it will be useless without muscle on the front line, and a way to communicate what I've seen to those agents."

The woman's amber gaze drifted to the place where the siblings sat, before murmuring again to the fairy. "They are coming..fear not. The thrill of the hunt runs too deep for such a pair, to be denied." Aurora stood to her feet. "We'll get no further sitting around and talking about it..And every minute we delay the situation becomes more dire." Her gaze flickered Hansel and Gretel's way. "If you both are quite done in taking comfort from each other..it seems we have a mission to complete."

The sweep of her body toward the entrance of the headquarters would be their only warning that she was prepared to go, and few might be attentive enough the see the slight glaze to her golden gaze as she sought with her ability, to see that place which could be the perfect base of her operation.

"We head North.."

The attack on the mansion was intense. Demons, ogres, giants, and trolls clawed and raked the edifice. They jumped through windows only to be carried out by bulls, warthogs, and rams. Midnight whirled before a grand window in the foyer where an ogre was slowly trying to squeeze its armor and girth in. His hindquarters rose and his legs stretched out sending powerful hooves smashing against the ogres’s chin. The bones in the creature’s jaw split apart as blood and teeth rained from its face. The ogre released a pained bellow as he collapsed back outside only to have a demon soldier take his place.

Strong Horn had charge of the back of the mansion and with his two, sharp horns he carried out several enemies. A pointer raced over to the black unicorn, his eyes wide and tail between his legs.

“We have moved the wounded to the basement, my lord. How long must we fight? Her units seem endless!” the dog whimpered.

Midnight flared his nostrils at the dog’s loss of hope, but he was slow to answer. The mouse he had sent to find help didn’t seem like the type to betray. When they were enslaved, he had been small enough to not be seen by the enemy. Midnight cast his crimson eyes out the window, they first lowering to the demon that was clawing its way inside. Raising his hind legs again, he sent another harsh kick to the enemy’s face, and a cry similar to the howl the ogre made resounded behind him.

“Do not lose hope,” Midnight said. “Help is coming.”

The pointer didn’t believe him, but Midnight didn’t care. The fool could run for all he cared, but he had a battle to win.


“Ms. Locks, the animals’ forces are crumbling!” a troll ecstatically exclaimed.

Goldilocks didn’t smile. Instead, her deep-blue eyes widened and glistened with her suppressed joy and excitement. Idiots; did they think they could actually win? The thought of seeing them whimpering and crying before her made her lips curl. They had had their recess, but the games were now over.

Suddenly, a harsh breeze passed in front of her, blowing her fat, spiraling curls in a haphazard mess about her face. Her left eye, being the only eye not obscured by her tousled hair, blinked in her temporary state of shock. The troll that had just spoke to her uttered a gurgle as blood welled from his cracked lips and rolled from a seam that parted at his throat. The troll struck the grass like a weight.

Around her, a second cry was heard from a demon knight that collapsed in a heap of armor, then a third. Her hidden army was dropping around her, one by one in a mysterious tempest that smelt of…sweets. Shaking her head, Goldilocks’ curls bounced back into place and she held her hand out to her squire who placed a tall, black scythe into her grasp. A second after, her squire screamed as he fell to the grass to join the corpses that formed a circle of death around her.

Goldilocks went still as she listened to the wind and felt the change in it. In a speedy blur that resembled a silver slant being drawn across the air, Goldilocks swung her scythe and a bright spark flashed off her weapon’s sickle. A red, hot liquid splattered her blade and her face as Goldilocks then opened her mouth to utter a sadistic laugh.

The assassin that had butchered her surrounding units struck the grass with a grunt as one of his legs went flying some ways away. Goldilocks continued her victorious laugh until she noticed the blood that was on her face didn’t roll or drip but stuck like a paste. Blinking her girlish eyes, she raised a finger to a red, sticky dollop and examined it closely. It didn’t look like blood nor did it smell like it. Pressing it to her lips, she suddenly felt confused by the sweet, strawberry flavor that delighted her tongue.

“Strawberry?” she queried.

The little general then turned toward the hooded assassin that was trying to crawl away and was leaving a trail of the jam she had tasted. What was he?

The Gingerbread Man heard Goldilocks’ approach and rolled onto his back to attempt to lob his knife at her. Five more silver lines appeared across his body, severing his limbs and head. His arm fell to the grass still clenching the knife and Goldilocks used the end of her scythe to peel back the hood of the murderer. She was surprised to see a face of bread, frosting, and candy.

“A cookie man?” she spoke in wonder.

The Gingerbread Man’s red, hot candy eyes darted to Goldilocks startling her with how he was still very much alive. His red licorice lips parted revealing his silly rows of candy corn teeth.

“Not cookie man. The Gingerbread Man,” he replied with a sneer. “Surprise!”

Goldilocks frowned and brought her buckled shoe against the side of The Gingerbread Man’s head. Like a kickball, she sent his head flying off randomly into the woods as the killer cried, “YOU BIIIIII~TCH~!”

There were others amongst her army now. Did the animals have reinforcements?

“It’s an ambush!” Goldilocks angrily screamed. She didn’t like to be toyed with.


The Gingerbread Man’s head fell into a bush and rolled some ways to stop by a woman who was apparently hiding and watching the ordeal. He hadn’t recognized her. If she was a part of The White Order, she hadn’t been at the meeting.

“Hey! Hey you!” The Gingerbread Man called. “Whose side are you on?”

He made it seem like he could harm her without a body.


Red Riding Hood stepped from the tree line behind the mansion with her trademark cowl and picnic basket. She approached the line of monsters that were fighting to get into the mansion, her hand dipping into her basket to draw from its infinite depths a red, burning sword. It resembled a katana with a twisted hilt molded like the skulls of numerous devils. Tucking the basket into the shadows of her cape, Red grasped the hilt of her blade with both hands and charged toward the unsuspecting unit.

A goblin that happened to peer over his shoulder, cast a golden, reptilian eye on the approaching red blur and screamed, “Behind-”

His warning was interrupted as Red landed before him, her blade splitting him down the middle. He parted like a sticky sandwich, his blood—darker than a human’s—streaking her red hood. Beneath the rebellion leader’s hood was darkness; her face absent and swallowing the fears of the beasts that surrounded her. She charged the next one, swinging her blade with the dexterous strokes of surrealist. Arching ribbons of blood in monochromatic reds, browns, and blacks coated the grass as Red hacked a path for Aurora and Thumbelina.

It was almost surreal, the quiet beyond the tree line. Just beyond the clearing where death and maiming reigned, the setting sun was dappling through the canopy to touch on the skin of the woman who stood silent, and still a ghost with a gaze fixed unseeing in the direction of the mayhem. Aurora's face was almost serene, an expressionless mask save for moments when her dark brow would knit in concentration, or distress for a particularly gruesome flash of awareness.

" They've fallen back into a keep.." she murmured, still deep in that vision trance. "It will be the end of them if we cannot redirect the queen's front line.." If Thumbelina had stayed close, it was likely to her ears that the whispers came. "We need distraction..one powerful enough to turn their attention from the mansion that the animals can press forward." Defense didn't win battles, offense did. And animals cornered like rats were ripe for one thing only, slaughter. "We need to get them out in the open."

It was a flash, the yawning vision of the earth opening, and swallowing a tumbling screaming horde into the pits, and then a recognizable face. The brother. Thumbelina had her orders, and the animals caught inside needed the healing she could bring, but Aurora might be better put to use outside now, the mistress was thinking.

"Go.." she whispered to the fairy. "Tell the animals to be prepared for the sign, and to press forward when they see it." If it came. All would depend on if she could reach Hansel in the unfolding mayhem. Stepping deeper into the cover of the brush the psion was already searching with her mind for the male sibling's signature.

"Hansel.." She reached out to him, not with words that might require the function of logic, but with a transmission of what she had seen in her vision. What he did with it, was entirely up to him. For now, unarmed, and as Thumbelina had correctly intuited, Rora was too large and vulnerable a target to engage on the front lines. Red's mayhem, was at best a cover for the fae to flit into the mansion undetected. The mistress was retreating into the quieter covert of the woods.

If she was sure that Hansel would get the message, she might attempt to forge a mind meld with the unicorn, to let him know the perfect time to advance- but she had to be sure he'd not be leading what was left of his rebels straight into reinforced slaughter.

Thumbelina hung back with Aurora at first when Red charged in to carve a path. Well, 'hid' may have been a better description of what thumbelina was doing tucked at the back of Aurora's neck, under the woman's hair. Despite the wanton cruelty she had seen after she lost her home, This was the tiny girl's first time on a real battle field.. and she was terrified. Not just for herself, but for the whole group that was out there risking their lives to save the animals; and of course, for the animals themselves. Thumbelina could take a little comfort, at least, that Ro wasn't among those trapped in the Mansion.

The tiny girl listened to Aurora's mumbling about where the animals were and what she needed to tell them as she peeked from behind the woman's neck. They were focused on Red... It was now or never. Not trusting herself to speak, the fairy didn't say anything back to Aurora. On the word 'Go' she only nodded before taking a deep, shuttered breath, spreading her glittering, golden wings, and launching herself forward like an arrow released from a bow. If she didn't throw her all into it, Thumbelina would be to scared to act at all!

Thumbelina's own heart beat was pounding so loud in her ears that it nearly drown out all other sound as she bolted forward. Her first thought of gaining entry was to try a window, but of course they had been fortified by the animals hiding inside. The fairy just needed a little crack or hole to squeeze through.. but it was proving difficult to find in the chaos. Thumbelina's own fear made her a bit panicky and, though no one seemed to notice her yet thanks to the threat Red posed, she often had to zip out of the way of stray strikes.

Eventually the tiny girl found a crack to squeeze through. She dove for the opening as soon as she saw it, folding her wings back to gain speed. Only seconds after face planting inside the little gap, Thumbelina heard, and felt, a thump against the wall behind her. Already scared, It was enough to get her scrambling to her feet again without thought. The fairy didn't dare look back. Breathing hard and fueled by adrenalin, Thumbelina ran as fast as she could through the thick, stone wall. As soon as she ran out of wall, the girl jumped right out into the open room.

Just a second after popping out of the wall, thumbelina froze. She was hovering in mid air, just inches from a pare of yellow eyes. In that moment, the stupidity of just charging in hit her full force. They could have thought she was an enemy spy and just smashed her like a bug! It was what she got for letting her fear fuel her actions.

The gleaming yellow eyes belonged to a large, gray, wolf. "Friend or foe?! SPEAK!" he snapped. His ears were back and his teeth bared in a viscous snarl as he growled at the little intruder.

"I-I-I..." Thumbelina stammered before any real words came out. "I assure you, I'm a friend! To the wounded I'm hear to tend!" She squeaked. "I was sent by Ro, and one in a hood. I am here to do some good!" The fairy went on, hoping to convince the creature that she only wanted to help. "Also a message I have to give. I only wish to help you live!"

The wolf stopped his growling and snarling quite suddenly. In fact, he even looked surprised. "Ro sent you?" He inquired. "We'll see what Midnight has to say about this. Come with me." The wolf took off at a run to find their leader, and Thumbelina was right behind him.

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NPC(s): Swift Paw. Gray wolf fighter with the animal rebellion.