Late to the Party

Cherry sighs as she looks out onto the frozen lake full of celebrating beans. Madeline mimics the motion, gracefully leaning on the balcony railing. Haseul raises an eyebrow the duo.

“Ok, I know Cherry’s moping now that she can’t find 'The One', but what’s got you so blue?”

She can’t help but snicker a bit at her own joke as the navy bean rolls her eyes.

“Just look at them! All these beans in beautiful gowns and fashions going to the palace ball, some of them even in my designs! And here I am, about to be covered in our usual frill and fuss, off to fight an ice monster. It’s hardly fair!”

Ichika pats the two moping beans on the back.

“Well, hopefully, it won't take too long!"

A familiar voice rings out from behind the four.

“Yeah, yeah, no need to go getting your tentacles in a twist! I’m sure I’ll have this thing melted in no time flat, and then you can get back to your fancy partying and true loves.”

Cersei smirks as she joins the group, Margerinee piping up beside her.

“I’m sure we’ll all take care of it no problem with Skipper helping!”

Cersei sighs dramatically as she crosses her arms.

“It’s always ‘Skipper this’ and ‘Skipper that’ with you, isn’t it? You know we’re perfectly capable of handling things on our own, don’t you? ”

Haseul nods in agreement.

“Yeah, I mean, we are pretty strong on our own. It’s not like we can’t do anything without her.”

Cersei nods, smiling mischeviously.

“That’s exactly what I’m saying! I don’t see why we have to wait for her to come along on eeeevery mission. Like right now! We know there’s something out there, but she asks us to wait for her to get here!”

Madeline frowns.

“Well, I agree we shouldn’t sell ourselves short, but I’m sure Skipper has a reason for wanting to come on our missions.”

Cersei smirks once more, leaning in towards the blue bean.

“Sounds like you’re just scared to me. Don’t have the courage to go without her, unlike us!” She wraps an arm over Haseul’s shoulder. “Right? I mean, you and I could probably take this thing on our own!”

Haseul seems to waver for a moment before nodding.

“I - I mean, I guess we could.”

Cersie smiles and claps her hands together.

“It’s settled then! Let’s blow this popsicle stand and go break the ice!”

Haseul grins.

“Yeah, why not? We totally have this!”

The two start to fly off in the direction of the monster as Cersei calls back to the other beans.

“You guys coming?”

Ichika sighs quietly, shaking her head as she hesitantly follows and addresses Cherry.

“I may not be a fortune teller, but I have a feeling this isn’t going to go well.”

-----oOo-----

     The girls are huddled close together as they make their way slowly towards the center of the swirling snow vortex. The only thing that cuts through the sheets of white is the occasional fireblast from Cersie. Cherry pipes up from the rear of the group.

“Are you sure we’re going the right way?”

Cersie scowls, snapping back through the howling wind.

“Of course we are! I mean, it’s getting worse, right?”

Madeline mutters as she knocks the snow off her ruffled skirt.

“I certainly hope not! I can’t imagine what could be much worse than this!”

     Just as she finishes speaking, the beans are knocked to the ground in a pile, the weight of a heavy net over top of them! They all shriek in unison as the sound of two familiar beans cackling above them barely breaks through the storm. The group squirms under the net, as Madeline pleas for someone to stop crushing her tentacles, and Ichika, Haseul, and Cersie all start to fuss at one another, Margerinee starts to bawl. The little yellow bean squalls over the rest of the group’s squawking.

“I knew we shouldn’t have left without Skipper!”

Two beans descend from the nearby slopes, laughing. Strawbette giggles as she puts her hands on her hips.

“Heheheh! We’ve got you now, magical girls!”

Chocottee laughs, pointing at the writhing mass of ribbons.

“Hahaha! We’ve definitely got you now! Without Skipper here to foil our plans, you’ll never escape!”

Haseul manages to pop her head up from the pile of beans, and tries to slide through the net only to be met with a magical shock! She squeals, pulling her hand back.

“What have you two done to the net?”

The twins giggle as they dance around the pile of girls.

“We’ve enchanted it!”

“Yes, enchanted it real good! You’ll never get out unless we let you out!”

Madeline pipes up from somewhere in the tangle.

“Listen, mon cheries, there is no time for this! We are all in serious danger here! Please, let us out before the ice mons-”

The bean’s plea was cut short by a deafening roar and the sound of thunderous footsteps approaching the group. Glancing at each other, the twins no longer look so excited. Gulping, Strawbette looks at her sister.

“Uh oh!”

Chocottee nods in agreement.

“Uh oh.”

     They turn around just in time to be met with the site of a large ice creature towering above them and the pile of defenseless girls. It roars and stomps a clawed foot down mere feet from where they float, cracking the layer of ice beneath it. The twins take one look at the monster and immediately run, leaving the girls trapped and screaming. It looks down at them with beady corrupted eyes before raising another massive foot and stomping right towards the net!

     Haseul gulps and closes her eyes, only to hear the deafening crack of a magical beam! When she opens her eyes again, she can hardly tell if she’s dreaming. A beautiful flowerling floats before her, arm outstretched in an effortless gesture, a sparkling starry shield projected before her. Her eyes glowed like a distant planet, the waves of her hair shining with the light of a galaxy in an inky sea. She glowed amongst the snowflakes as she gently smacked the bean-crushing beast’s foot aside with a blast of magic.

     Haseul is so transfixed by her rescuer that she hardly notices Skipper blasting the beast from the side with her powerful wand strokes, nor does she notice the white flowerling that pulls the net from the girls. His extended hand pulls her out of her stupor, and she happily grabs hold as he yanks her loose. As the girls right themselves, Skipper and the two flowerling turn their attention back to the beast. With one large magical blast, the three shatter the creature’s hard ice shell and send it running away from them and the festivities. Cersie is the first to speak up.

“About time you got here!”

The mysterious flowerling raises an eyebrow and glares at Cersie as Skipper balks.

“About time? You guys had me worried sick! I showed up at the meeting spot and you guys weren’t there! I wouldn’t have been able to get here at all, much less in time, if it hadn’t have been for Cube and Reaver here! You guys are lucky they overheard you and were kind enough to come help me out!”

Margerinee sobs and flits over to hug Skipper.

“I’m sorrryyy!! I didn’t wanna leave without you!!”

Skipper sighs and pats her on the head.

“It’s ok Reenie, I know!” She slumps a bit shaking her head and putting away her wand. “I’m just glad you guys are safe!”

Haseul nods, distracted and barely registering Skipper’s words as she openly stares at the starry bean before her.

“Yeah, safe. Uhm, Cube is it? Thank you so much for coming to rescue us.”

Cersie huffs, her fluff raising.

“Save us? We could have handled it! We were almost loose, and now it’s gotten away!”

Madeline smacks the hotheaded bean on the shoulder, aghast.

“Cersie! How rude! These lovely beans -”

The bickering of her team fades away to a dull drone as Haseul glances at the blue and white flowerling once again, transfixed by her glowing charms and halo.

“Cube, huh?”