How to love a devil

this strange

The jingle of the bell pulls me out of my thoughts. I look up from the t-shirts to see a tall stack of boxes balancing through the shop door. A piece of a black and white striped scarf is just peeking out from behind the boxes.

"Good morning, Edgar!" I smile at the stack and quickly come out from behind the clothes rail to unpack the new goods.

"Morning Colette!" moans Edgar while using his scarf to unload the boxes on the first free table.

"Why did you come through the customer entrance?" I ask casually, at the same time searching for the box cutter in the shallows of the counter until I finally find it.

"Because the delivery door is frozen and Gale hasn't addressed it yet," comes his reply as I quickly cut open one by one, awed by the contents.

"Woo-hoo! The new Bibi dolls are here!... And here! Rosa's new skin, finally!... It's awesome!... Meg transformed! Wow!... Edgar, just look! That's you!"

How I love my job! I spend all morning putting the dolls away, sorting this and that, and running around the store humming to find a suitable place for the other.

Meanwhile, Edgar looks after the few customers who come and shop. Hidden behind the high shelves, I watch him handing bags to a young family and hope it's just the cold, grey November that the store has fewer visitors, and not because word has gotten around, how I turned into a beast for a short time.

It has now been two weeks since the incident and soon I will be able to go back to the academy.

No! It's probably just the gloomy weather keeping people away. From the beginning of December there will be more customers in the gift shop, for sure! I'm not a monster, I'm a student! And soon I will be able to be a cashier again, definitely!

Finally, I got to the last box.

"Is this really happening?" I blurt out as I open the last box.

The box is filled with Piper dolls! All wear pink pretty dresses and umbrellas.

PINKIE PIPERS!!!

I enthusiastically sort the dolls on a shelf from which they can be seen from everywhere and immediately catch the eye of every customer. Piper! Her princess-like appearance, her blond hair, her sniper umbrella, her freshly baked muffin bombs and how she flies when they explode...

Oblivious to time and space, I tuck in the enchanting fabric pipers, admiring each and every one. I didn't notice how the minutes ticked by, nor how I was being watched from the counter. I only thought of Piper and Spike, and Colt's aimed shots, 8-Bit's dangerous beams, Bea's unerring bees, Amber's blazing fire...

"Colette? Earth to Colette!", Edgar is standing next to me, a box in his hands.

"Did you notice that this is the third time you've cleared the dolls from top to bottom and back again?"

"W-what?! Oh...", I look embarrassed towards the ground, I'm lost in the world of brawling again.

"It's lunchtime and Crow just wrote that the near and far players are having an impromptu battle on the practice field. Even the oh so noble adults want to train us today, are you coming?"

Brawl?! What a question!

I quickly take the empty box from Edgar, put it away in the storeroom, dash to the counter to get my Scrapbook, grab Edgar's hand and hurry to the ring. Today I will be first!

-----

WAMM!

Heaven, that was close!!!

Brock's missile missed me by millimetres. It's so amazing to train with adult brawlers! Hotzone, Brawlrumble and finally the good old duo showdown! Fantastic!

The adult fighting techniques are so incredible, so advanced, so... so... Wow, that was close again! Concentration Colette! Crow, who is now fighting Brock, almost hit you! Off to the bushes! But I can't stay here long. The two combatants are getting closer and closer. And still no star power, what should I do?

Heavy, lumbering footsteps right behind me - Bruce!

Crap, crap, crap! One hit would be enough to destroy me! Behind the wall, and on, on and on, just away from the bear! Is the fight between Crow and Brook already decided? Is Nita after me? It still is Bruce! A look over your shoulder is enough! The red fur, the bared teeth...

A bomb goes off right behind me.

Was that the mining chief and demolitions specialist dynamics? No! It doesn't smell of bird feathers or old socks, but of sweaty fabric. Then it must have been El Primo! There! Damn! Nita! Has she noticed me yet? Doesn't matter! If not, then all she must do is follow her bear to find me.

Although my energy is back in the green zone, I certainly wouldn't withstand a duel with Nita. But what is that?! My furry pursuer is changing direction!

My chance!

I quickly duck into a half-shot bush and watch as Nita follows her bear to... Rosa!

Rosa is also in this game?!

A fearsome melee fighter, Nita's opponent is strong, so she needs to be smart and be able to win with Bruce.

But she makes it! Incredible! She has beaten up my herbology teacher!

I'm almost sorry when I rush out of the bushes and kill both bear and mistress, but fight is fight!

A shadow appears over me! Crow? Did he win? No! Edgar! With targeted scarf-fist punches, he suddenly puts Barley and Bo out of action!

What?! Is this really happening?!

Unbelievable, Edgar is incredibly talented and accurate, strong, and brave and brave to take on two full grown experienced brawlers who -

WOMMM!

Shelly sneaked up from behind and put a bullet through my back. She's so cool, just her ability to sneak up so silently...

My expression is amazed when I end up in 4th place!

I just fought legends like El-Primo, Colt, and Tara in Solo Showdown and made 4th place?!

This is so cool!!!