“Bah-haaaaaaa!” the troll laughed. “Such a tiny fairy. What are you doing here?”
Trying not to get fired up, Dash did her best to be calm. “The question is, what are you doing here,” she said. “Marshmallow Marsh is far from Black Licorice Swamp.”
Mogu sat down on a fallen tree stump, his big belly spilling over his short pants. He stuck his finger into a soft white mound of marshmallow. “I’m double-dipping today,” he said, smirking. “I do love marshmallow.” He licked his large thumb. Then he eyed Dash carefully. “But your sled looks very tasty too.”
“My sled is not for eating!” Dash snapped.
Mogu laughed even louder. He stood up and waddled over to Dash. His white hair stuck out in a ring around his head. “Oh, I’m not sure about that,” he said, licking his lips.
The last thing Dash wanted to do right before the Marshmallow Run was to hand over her new sled to Mogu.
Wrinkling his large nose, Mogu laughed again. “I don’t really like mint, but I do enjoy licorice and sugar candies. And I see that is what your sled is made of.” He leaned closer to the sled. “And frosted tips. Yum!”
Dash backed away. Mogu’s stinky breath was awful!
“Let’s make this easy,” Mogu said, rubbing his big belly. “You just fly away and leave this for me to nibble on. A marshmallow-dipped sled!” He drummed his fingers on his large belly, and a wide grin appeared on his face. “This is a very sweet surprise to find here in the marsh.”
Staring up at Mogu, Dash couldn’t help but notice that many of his teeth were missing. And the ones he had were rotten and black. The troll probably never brushed his teeth.
Dash shivered at the idea of the troll eating her hard work. She didn’t want to hand over her sled. But what was she to do? Mogu was much bigger than she was, and much stronger. She looked down at her beautiful, fast sled. She couldn’t stand the thought of the sled being a snack for Mogu.
Quickly, Dash tried to think of how Raina would advise her. Maybe she would tell her an encouraging story from the Fairy Code Book? And what about Berry, Cocoa, and Melli? They wouldn’t be pushed around by a mean troll. After all, Cocoa even faced Mogu under the Black Licorice Bridge!
The time for sugar medal bravery is definitely now, Dash thought. But she was frozen with fear. The closer Mogu came to her, the more scared she became. What was she going to do? How could she save herself and her sled from Mogu?
Dash knew she was in a very sticky situation. Mogu was growing impatient, and she didn’t want to give up her sled to the greedy troll. She could understand his appetite for her sled, but she couldn’t let it happen. She had worked too hard on her sled all year to just hand it over to a hungry old troll! Her small silver wings fluttered as she tried to think of a plan.
“You’re a Mint Fairy, aren’t you?” Mogu said, sniffing around her. A sly grin spread across his face. “You almost smell good enough to eat.”
Dash flew straight up in the air. Mogu reached up and grabbed her leg. “Where do you think you’re going?” he grumbled. “I’m not letting you out of my sight!” He pulled Dash down and looked her in the eye. “What’s a Mint Fairy like you doing in Marshmallow Marsh, anyway?”
“I’m practicing for the Marshmallow Run,” Dash said, breaking free of the troll’s grasp. “The race is in two weeks.”
“Ah, silly fairy races,” Mogu said, waving his hand. “A waste of good candy, that’s what I say.”
Dash didn’t expect Mogu to understand about the race. She stood closer to her sled. She didn’t like how the troll was eyeing her prized possession.
“Candy is pretty sparse this time of year,” he went on. “Maybe it’s because you Mint Fairies are so small. I saw those tiny peppermint sticks in the grove. Those are yours? The tiny ones? Tiny candies for tiny fairies!” Mogu leaned his head back and hooted a large belly laugh. “Oh, I make myself chuckle,” he said happily.
Trying to keep her cool, Dash took a deep breath. Her minty nature made her want to lash out at the mean troll, but she knew that wasn’t the answer. Her mint candies were the sweetest in Sugar Valley. She had to keep focused on the task at hand. If she was going to outsmart this troll, she had to be clever and calm. Her only chance was to try to trick Mogu. She looked up to the Frosted Mountains, and suddenly she had an idea.
“You know,” Dash said, “the Marshmallow Run is the hardest race in Sugar Valley. Only a few fairies take the challenge.” She watched Mogu’s reaction.
“Oh, please,” Mogu said. He waved his chocolate-stained hand in front of his face. “I slide up and down the Frosted Mountains all the time. What’s so hard about that?” He shook his head. “And I don’t even use a silly sled,” he added.
“Well,” Dash said slowly, “how about you and I race?” She looked right into Mogu’s dark, beady eyes.
“Me race you?” Mogu spat. “Oh, that’s a good one,” he bellowed. “Baaa-haaaaa!!” He hit his hand on his knee and continued to laugh. “You are no match for me. You’re a tiny Mint Fairy.”
So far he was taking the bait. Dash hoped that she could get the troll up on the slope. She stepped closer to the troll. “Yes, a race,” Dash told him. “Just the two of us. And the winner gets to keep this sled.” She stepped away from the sled, showing off all the delicious candy.
Mogu raised his bushy eyebrows.
“You could have this sled to race,” Dash continued, and then sadly added, “or to eat.”
Mogu tapped his thick finger on his chin. “Why should I race you when I can just eat the sled now?”
“I’ve been the fastest fairy on this slope for the past two years,” Dash stated. “You don’t think you can beat me?”
Mogu smiled. “Beat you?” the troll asked. “Why, you silly little fairy, of course I can beat you. I’m much bigger and faster.” He gazed up at the trail zigzagging down the mountain. Then he looked over at Dash. “Nothing makes me happier than taking candy from a fairy. This will be fun. Let’s race.”
“Oh, it will be lots of fun,” Dash mumbled.
Dash knew the slope was narrow and curvy. Without a sled the troll would have a hard time sliding down. But greed made Mogu answer quickly, and soon they were both up at the starting line.
“Are you ready?” Dash asked, looking over at the troll.
“Let’s get this going already,” Mogu spat out. “I’m hungry, and that sled of yours is looking delicious.” He licked his lips as he looked at Dash’s sled.
Dash cringed at the way Mogu was staring at her and her sled. There was no room for mistakes here. She had to keep steady and cross the finish line first. Everything was depending on this run.
“Three, two, one, GO!” Dash cried. She took a running start and jumped on her sled. As she rounded the first turn, Mogu was right next to her. He was laughing as he slid along on his large bottom.
“Oh, this is fun,” he yelped as he slid along. “I can’t wait for my snack at the bottom!”
Dash knew that there was a sharp turn up ahead, and that she had to reach that turn before Mogu. If she took the lead there, she’d be in good shape to win. Mogu didn’t realize the trail curved down the mountain. She was sure Mogu never went near the slope. He probably only slid down the open part of the mountain.
With great skill Dash took the turn, and the lead. Down the slope she went, gaining more and more speed. Glancing behind her, she saw Mogu struggling to stay on course.
“Ouch, ouch!” Mogu grunted as he squeezed himself through the narrow turn. “What kind of trail is this?”
Dash didn’t bother to answer. She just kept going. Trolls cannot be trusted, and she wasn’t about to wait around at the end to gloat about her win. She had to cross the finish line and get away as fast as she could. Trolls can’t fly, and that was Dash’s only way out. She just had to be far enough ahead of Mogu to be out of his reach.
The finish line was up ahead, and Dash could hear Mogu huffing and puffing behind her. On the final turn Dash picked up more speed an
d crossed the finish line. She had no idea if that run broke Pep’s record or not. All that mattered was that she had beaten Mogu!
She lifted her sled up and waved at Mogu.
“Sorry, Mogu!” she called safely from the air. “You’ve been beaten by the tiniest fairy in Sugar Valley.”
“Argh!” Mogu bellowed as he came to the finish line. He stayed on his back and looked up in the sky at Dash. “Salty sours!” he cried. He beat his fist on the ground.
Dash couldn’t help but grin as she saw the large troll lying on his back. She flew quickly back to Peppermint Grove. Now more than ever she had lots to prove. She wanted to break the speed record, but also prove Mogu wrong about her candy. She was about to make the best peppermint sticks Candy Kingdom had ever seen.
The fresh scent of peppermint put a smile on Dash’s face. She was so happy to be back in Peppermint Grove, far from Mogu. She still couldn’t believe that she had challenged the troll to a race and won. Wait until her friends heard about her latest adventure!
Feeling lucky, Dash shined up her sled blades with some fresh mint syrup. When her sled sparkled, she took the extra syrup over to the mint bushes at the far end of Peppermint Grove. She poured the white liquid on the branches. She took a deep breath, enjoying the magical moment of creating mint.
The tiny mint buds on the bushes glistened in the afternoon sun. Dash thought about how the crop of tiny mints would soon go to Candy Castle. At the castle fairies from all parts of the kingdom could use the flavoring in their own candies. Chocolate mint, sucking candies, and chewing gum all needed mint. Dash hummed happily as she tended to the her crops.
As she worked, Dash thought about what Mogu had said to her. “Salty old troll,” Dash mumbled as she weaved her way through the peppermint sticks. Even though she was small, she could still make the best peppermint sticks in Sugar Valley. “You can be sure as sugar!” she grumbled.
A breeze blew her wings, and Dash noticed the sun getting closer to the top of the Frosted Mountains. She grabbed her bag and filled the sack with some fresh mint treats for her friends. She didn’t want to be late for Sun Dip again today.
High above Red Licorice Lake, Dash spotted her friends. She was surprised to see all of them there. Was she late? Berry was never on time for Sun Dip. The Fruit Fairy was always the last one to arrive because she took her sweet time getting ready. Dash wondered what the special occasion was for them all to be there early.
“Hello!” Dash greeted the four fairies. They were all huddled together and didn’t see Dash flying in. “You are not going to believe what happened to me today!”
“Oh, Dash,” Melli burst out, racing toward her. “Are you all right?”
“Maybe you want to sit down?” Raina asked.
Berry and Cocoa rushed to her side and spread a blanket on the red sugar sand.
“What’s going on?” Dash asked, looking at her friends. “What’s with the special treatment?”
The fairies all looked at one another. Raina put a hand on Dash’s back. “We’ve heard about the race with Mogu.”
“The sugar flies were all buzzing about the news,” Berry told her.
“It must have been awful,” Melli said, shuddering.
“Were you scared?” Raina asked.
“Wasn’t he salty?” Cocoa added, wrinkling her nose.
Dash was a little disappointed that she didn’t get to tell her friends about the race with Mogu herself. Those sugar flies were handy for getting messages to friends, but they could spread a story faster than mint spreads on chocolate.
“I’m fine,” Dash said. She flew up fast from the blanket. “In fact, I’m great!”
Melli raised her eyebrows. She pushed Cocoa toward Dash.
“He’s a tricky one, that Mogu,” Cocoa said slowly. “Tell us what happened. Did he challenge you to a race?”
“No,” Dash said. She put her hands on her hips. “Is that what the sugar flies told you?”
The fairies all nodded their heads at the same time.
“Yes,” Raina said. “They said that he challenged you, but that you won.”
“Well, at least the flies got that part of the story right,” Dash said. She sat down on a nearby licorice rock. “He wanted to eat my sled. Can you believe that? I had to think fast and come up with a way to get away from him. Challenging him to a race was the only way.”
“And the best way,” Berry said with a smile. “You outsmarted Mogu! Well done, Dash.”
“He said some mean things about mint candies and Mint Fairies,” Dash reported. She looked down at her feet.
“He’s just a bitter troll,” Raina explained. “You shouldn’t let his sour words get to you.”
“That’s right,” Berry said. “He’s just grumpy.”
“Maybe if he didn’t go around stealing candy and being so mean, he’d be happier,” Melli added.
“Maybe,” Dash said. She stood up. “But I want to prove him wrong. The peppermint sticks are going to be extra-tall this year. Princess Lolli wanted a special throne, and she’s going to get a supercool minty one!”
“But what about the Marshmallow Run?” Cocoa asked.
“Oh, I can do that too,” Dash said. “I have everything under control.”
“We’ve heard that before,” Raina said. She had a concerned look on her face. “We could help tend to the peppermint sticks or help you train for the race.” She came up beside Dash and put her arm around her friend.
“I can do it,” Dash told her. “I might be small, but I can handle this.”
“No one said anything about you being small,” Berry pointed out. “You just have a lot going on, and we want to help.”
“You told me that I wasn’t paying attention to my candy,” Dash said. “And now I am. I thought you’d be happy.” She picked up her bag. “I have to get back to the grove and then do some wing stretches. I have to be in the best shape possible if I am going to break that speed record.” And with a wave, Dash was off.
Her four friends watched as Dash flew back to Peppermint Grove, worried that Dash was moving way too fast—even for a Mint Fairy.
Dash admired the tall and very thick peppermint sticks in Peppermint Grove. She grinned as she squinted up at the beautiful, strong candy. For two weeks Dash had carefully cared for the sticks. Early every morning she would arrive at Peppermint Grove and add more mint to the sugar soil. Her magic touch was working, and the sticks were growing beautifully.
Dash had also kept up with her practice schedule for the big race. In the afternoons she did her workouts and runs down the slope. Sticking to her training program was very important. Dash was one busy Mint Fairy.
Fluttering her silver wings, Dash flew over to the mint bushes along the edge of Peppermint Grove. She checked on the tiny white buds on the thin branches. The mints were ready to pick and send over to Candy Castle. Dash sighed. The Marshmallow Run was tomorrow. She really wanted to get two more practice runs in before Sun Dip today. Once the sun went down, she wouldn’t be able to take her run down the slope. She’d have to pick the mints tomorrow. Hopefully as a new speed champion!
“Hello, Dash,” a cheery voice called out.
Dash watched as Princess Lolli flew over to her. The beautiful fairy princess was wearing her candy-jeweled tiara and a bright pink dress. Her wings glistened in the winter sun as she settled down on the ground.
“I haven’t seen you around this past week,” the fairy princess said. She flashed Dash a sweet smile.
“I’ve been here,” Dash explained, “and on the Frosted Mountain slope.”
“Ah, yes,” the princess said. Her strawberry- blond hair bounced around her shoulders. “Are you ready for the race?”
“Yes,” Dash said. “I am.”
“I heard about your run-in with Mogu,” Princess Lolli said. She stared into Dash’s blue eyes. “You were very brave. And your fast thinking to challenge him to a race was very smart.”
“I had no choice,” Dash told her. “I
didn’t want that salty troll to eat my sled!”
Princess Lolli laughed. “Well, your quick thinking is a match for your speed on the slope. Well done, Dash.”
Dash blushed. She was happy that Princess Lolli had come by to see her. She flapped her wings excitedly. “I’d like to show you how the peppermints for your throne are growing,” she said proudly.
Princess Lolli flew beside Dash and saw the tall sticks at the far end of the grove. “Dash, these are wonderful!” she exclaimed. “You have been working hard.” She touched the beautiful candies striped with red and white. “These will make my new throne extra-special. Thank you.”
“I’m glad,” Dash responded. “Now if I can only beat Pep’s speed record. I want to be the fastest fairy in Sugar Valley!”
“There is more to the race than just speed,” the princess said kindly. “Skill and quick thinking are needed to conquer that slope. I have a feeling that you are going to do very well this year, Dash. You’ve already proved yourself to be a real champion. I am very proud of you.”
Dash’s wings fluttered again. She felt like sailing high about the grove. It wasn’t every day that Princess Lolli came to visit with so many compliments. Before Dash could respond, she saw her friends flying toward her.
“Hello, Princess Lolli,” Raina called.
“We thought we’d come and see Dash,” Berry told the princess.
As her friends flew down to Peppermint Grove, Dash smiled. She was glad to see them.
“I must get back to the castle,” Princess Lolli said to all the fairies. “It was good to see you all,” she added. “You are good friends to check on Dash. She’s been very busy!”
“Bye!” Dash called after the fairy princess. “Thank you again for coming!”
“Wow.” Melli sighed as the fairy princess flew off. “Princess Lolli just came by to see you?”
“She must have wanted to see how they are growing.” Berry flew up to look over the crop of sticks. “And she must have been very happy to see these.” She flew over to Dash. “The sticks are beautiful, Dash.”
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