It was a hot day and everybody in Pardon was feeling it.
The Raynes had decided to spend such a lovely day in Centralis park. Not only was it the biggest park but it also had a water feature that made hot days much easier to deal with. Oreo had taken to sitting under the nearest tree and playing her music while keeping a distant eye on her kids.
“I’m a warrior!” Coco proclaimed as he swung a hefty stick around like a greatsword.
He wore swimming trucks and a t-shirt that was already wet around the edges.
“I’ll be the paladin, honest and true, on a quest from my beautiful bard.”
Chewy said with a dustbin lid serving as a shield and a large wooden spoon in the other hand. His eyes turned to Oreo and he waved at her with his tail wagging cutely. She waved back as everybody else’s eyes rolled. Like his brother he also wore swimming trunks.
“I’m the monk then. Because they punch people and can do sick flips.”
Cherry cut in as she did a cartwheel and swung her hands wildly around the air.
She wore a one piece bikini that was just about covering everything.
“I am going to be a ranger and artificer hybrid class using a +1 enchanted crossbow.”
Sugar proudly said as she cocked her super soaker full of cold water. Her face had stripes of sunscreen serving as camo, and she wore a short dress. Under it was a two piece bikini for when it eventually got wet.
Neat.” Coco spoke up.
“Onwards towards the dungeon of aquarius!” Chewy shouted with a wave of his spoon.
The dungeon in question was the main water feature of the park. A massive knee deep basin filled with clean water that had long pathways of stepping stones snaking its way from one end to the other. In the middle was a great fountain while all around the basin jets and geysers shot up into the air and over the pathways in bursts. There were other kids here as well. Some relaxed in the deeper parts of the basin while others played with the streams and jets. The coolest of the kids hung out at the fountain, hidden from the sun behind the curtain of water. Among them was a pair of red eyed twins who were struggling with the summer heat.
“Our mission is the orb of aquarius.”
Coco said as he pointed to a shiny football that had been left at the top of the central fountain.
“Such a splendorous treasure indeed.”
Chewy nodded.
They headed up the few steps to the edge of the basin before setting out along the pathway. Each square tile stretched ahead of them. Each one close enough to easily step between while at the same time not being so uniform that you could call it a singler platform. As the path curved and split the group found themselves having to take wide steps or small jumps to cross the distance.
Along the way Coco and Chewy swung their weapons at the geysers of water spraying up along the side of the path while Cherry flailed her arms around and laughed. As Sugar fired her super soaked around some of its cold contents landed on nearby bathing kids. In retaliation they splashed and threw water back at the passing group. Welcoming the fight they ran and ducked while splashing and firing water back at them. The battle was short lived and soon they left the scene victorious.
“So many have suc-c… Succumbed to the waters of the temple.”
Chewy remarked as they peacefully passed by others sitting in the deeper areas of the basin.
“They were weak of mind and limp of dick!” Cherry barked.
“Indeed, not like us. We are mighty!” Coco added.
“Your sword sure is, it’s never once failed me.” Cherry teased.
“Then perhaps I should put it to good use.” Coco replied.
“Focus, we have a mission to do first.”
Chewy said as he cut in between the two and broke their gazes.
“Look, an obstacle in the midst of our path.”
One of the tiles on the pathway in front of them was missing and the gap in its absence was too large to simply jump over. They all looked around and thought about how they could proceed.
“What if we go back?” Sugar suggested.
“That could add minutes to the journey.” Coco replied.
“Yeah, we might never reach the ball in time!” Chewy added.
“Orb.” Cherry whispered to him.
“The orb in time!” Chewy repeated.
“What about using that?” Coco suggested.
He pointed over to an inflatable bed that a teenager was laying on.
“Hm, it may work but how would you convince such a beast to let us use it?” Chewy pondered.
“Easy. Watch this.” Cherry said as she cracked her knuckles.
She stepped as close to the edge of the path as she could get before ruffling her hair and rubbing the fur on her cheeks until it puffed up just slightly. After clearing her throat she cupped her hands around her mouth.
“Hello, can you please help us cross here. We are on an adventure.”
Cherry said as overly cutely as she could, tail wagging, and her eyes as wide as possible.
The teenager took one look before jumping into the water and pushing the bed over.
“Thank you, we don’t want to get all wet.”
Cherry said just as sweetly as she held her hands behind her hand.
One by one they hopped onto and over the gap to the other side.
After giving her rescuer a cute kiss on the cheek in thanks, Cherry and her friends continued along their way towards the fountain. The only obstacle seemingly in their way was several jets of water that were being shot over the pathway every few seconds. The first squirts of water they dodged and ducked under but the next row was lower in angle and much harder to dodge.
Suddenly Chewy stepped forward. He raised his shield and used it to block the stream. Picking up on his plan they stuck close behind him and moved all at once from one stream to the next until they had managed to cross. Finally they had reached the inner circle of the basin.
“We’ve reached the heart of the temple, our treasure is within reach!” Sugar called out.
“I’ll go get it!” Cherry shouted.
She stepped past the group and strode up to the elevated platform the fountain rested on. Her eyes were set on the shiny football bobbing in the water at the top but before she could come any closer a mouse girl with stark white fur appeared from the other side. She grabbed the football and held it in one hand as if teasing Cherry and the ground that had been in search of it.
“Mighty warriors, you have done well to get past my traps and guards but this orb belongs to I, Molly, the summer witch!... In training…” Molly shouted to the ground below her.
“Foul witch, we won’t be stopped by the likes of you!” Chewy shouted in reply.
“Perhaps not, but you will be drowned by the likes of me!” Molly called back.
She raised the football high into the sky and the entire fountain shook slightly. The water around the inner pools bubbled and swirled before great geysers shot up. A refreshing mist flowed forth that soon covered the surface of the basin’s water with fog. Molly turned her body and pointed a single finger towards Cherry with the other hand. From behind the fountain a great stream of cool water shot up and arced over towards Cherry but before she could be doused Chewy stepped forward and blocked the flow with his shield.
“That’s was so fucking cool!” Coco squeaked.
“Do not lose heart, we can win if we stand together.” Chewy cried out.
Sugar rushed forward and ran towards the right, she headed down the path circling around the fountain and after giving her super soaked a few pumps shot it towards Molly. The water however stopped before it could make contact and began to flow, it moved around her body like a snake and then up above her head where it collected as a ball of water. With a flick of her wrist Molly sent it straight back to Sugar. Like a headless chicken Sugar ran all around as more balls of water were pulled from the pools and cast her way like hail.
“The witch has an anti-projectile shield!” Sugar cried
“I bet she’s not sword proof!” Coco called out as he went straight for her.
“Wall of ever freezing ice!”
Molly called out as she twisted her hand and raised her finger skywards.
In front of her a thin wall of water sprung up from the fountain, blocking Coco from advancing. Sensing an opportunity Sugar fired some water towards her but Molly ducked under the stream. Turning her gaze to her she cast more balls of water to drive her back towards the group. Chewy meanwhile approached the wall of water and struck it with his shield. It shook and rippled before falling away with a big splash.
“Fools! Molly the summer witch, in training, will never be defeated!”
Molly called out as she grabbed the football with both hands and raised it high above her head. The fountain once more trembled and this time a large wall of water formed just behind the fountain. It was much bigger than the first and had enough weight to it to wash away the group if it collided. Worse still, it was so wide that there was nowhere to dodge. Chewy raised his shield and Coco brought his sword in front of him but they knew, this was the end.
“Now drown!” Molly cried as she sent the wave towards them.
The wall of water approached but before it could make contact two young girls dashed from under the curtain of water beneath Molly. The pair were twins, crows with red eyes and brilliant silver hair. They raised their hands and the wave struck an invisible barrier. All the water flowed around them like the tide crashing around a great stone.
“What’s this?!” Molly shouted.
“Molly the summer witch, your powers are indeed great but we, the Rubies of the red sand, shall not let you have your way!” The two girls said in complete unison. One voice echoing out.
The growing crowd of onlookers and bathers let out a cheer at this point. The two twins were beautiful, strikingly so in the hot summer air, with fetching red bikinis and white waist shawls that worked nicely with their feathers. It was clear that the group of heroes were not yet defeated thanks to their help.
“Such power is surely taxing.” Rubi said.
“So if we keep attacking she will tire soon.” Ruby added.
“Of course, magic always has a cost.” Chewy spoke up.
“We will protect the front line, you two run around and wear her down.”
The Rubies said to Cherry and Sugar. They nodded and saluted in return.
With the Rubies keeping Chewy and Coco protected from any blasts of water, Sugar and Cherry were left to run around the fountain and draw fire. Sugar blasted her water towards Molly and although it was caught and returned, it was clear to see that Molly was growing weaker by the minute. After making a loop around the fountain they met up with the rest of the ground and together they pushed forward. The Rubies formed shields to protect from the blasts of water while Chewy and Coco kept at the ready.
Seeing his moment to strike Chewy threw his spoon at the football and managed to knock it out of Molly’s hand. Distracted by this Coco made his move and rushed forward. He gripped his hefty stick tight before gently tapping Molly on the head. Dramatically she clutched her chest and called out.
“No! I have been defeated!”
Tossing herself backwards she fell towards the pool of water nearby but suddenly she was caught by a tall, rugged, handsome goat man with reddish fur and twisted horns. Cherry’s jaw dropped and every lady cheered at the gorgeously muscled man holding Molly so delicately.
“I was defeated.” Molly said to him cutely.
She let out a yawn and fell asleep right there in his arms.
“Yes but you fought bravely and although the summer witch may have passed, your story shall live on in legend as the fair and beautiful lady of the fountain.” Naro said before placing Molly’s hat back onto her head. As people applauded him he waved and blew kisses like a proud actor at the end of an inspiring performance.
“Is she alright?” Oreo said as she approached from the side.
“Oh yes quite completely so. Do not fret, and in fact, I must thank you. Molly can be quite the handful and it is nice to find someone she can play with.” Naro said as he held Molly to his chest.
“I was about to get them some ice cream, would you and Molly like to join us?”
Oreo asked as she looked at him top to bottom.
“Only if I can buy you something nice.” Naro offered.
“Maybe a drink, after the kid’s have gone to bed?” Oreo said with a smirk.
“Far be from me to inquire but are you even old enough to drink?” Naro asked.
“I’m old enough to do a lot of things.” Oreo replied with a wag of her tail.
“I can tell, you have a certain confidence that is rare to find.” Naro said.
Oreo gave him a smile. One full of intent and promises. Turning away she looked to her kids climbing on the top of the fountain. Coco held the football above his head proudly as the twins and the others all sat around posing for the non-existent camera.
“Come on down, we're getting ice cream!” Oreo called out to them.
“Depths yes!” Cherry replied.
“Do you want to come with us? It’s our treat.” Sugar asked the Rubies.
“A generous offer but we must decline.” Ruby replied.
“We have other things to get to.” Rubi added.
“Was fun! Hope to see you again.”
Sugar said before hopping down and running after her siblings.
Molly woke up pretty quickly and along with Naro they hung around with the Raynes and enjoyed the ice cream and sunshine alike. After some casual talk with Oreo however they left to get ready for the evening. Molly needed to be properly put to bed, and Naro had to get ready for his date once the sun had set.
Oreo meanwhile had her bag of clothes to rummage through in order to find something pretty to wear as well. There was also the decision of who to put in charge of the van whilst she was away. For now, she spent the rest of the evening with her kids. Cold drinks, frisbees and an ever refreshing fountain helped greatly to melt away the hot hours.
