Mythlands: THE HEIST

Part Two: Reflective

The Magic Mirror blinked. He had made it through! Somehow despite first the relocation to the Wood Between Worlds and now Jessica and the group's transportation through time, with difficulty Magic was able to keep the connection and stay with them.

He was being jostled around furiously inside Jessica's handbag, indicating that she was running. This was not a good sign. Jessica was a graceful, elegant and stylish lady - she didn't run unless she had to. Something was threatening her!

The Magic Mirror had the power to make his essence appear in every mirror that wasn't guarded by a magical ward and he had spent quite some time manifesting in Jessica's compact. By now it was like taking a well worn route - like a human leaving every morning to catch a bus to work. Every step of the way to the bus stop and every road glimpsed out of the window and the walk at the other end, was etched into the human's mind. So too for the Magic Mirror although his manifestations tended to be sudden and his target - the compact - was always moving to new and stranger locations.

However the link was so strong that not only could Magic find Jessica's mirror, he also had a rapport with the luscious Miss Bunny herself. It was almost as if he could ... yes, in fact ... he was seeing through her eyes, willing his essence to temporarily skip from the compact to her retinas and while he was there he could ...

'Jessica. Can you hear me?'

The words weren't spoken aloud - rather they were projected into her mind.

He thought he detected a pause in the chaos of her thoughts and then it came. 'Magic?'

'Yes, it's me! Don't slow down Jessica. Reach into your bag and bring your compact out. I can't maintain the connection much longer but can see directly through your mirror.'

He felt a surge of hope cut through the redheaded girl's sense of fright. She wasn't panicking - Jessica Bunny was one tough cookie, not as hardened as her friend Goldie Lochs, but she kept a cool head at most times. Even now, surrounded by ... whatever they were. Something moving at enhanced speed was toying with them, brushing by with a sound like ... Meep Meep. Another furry creature was also moving at speed and attacking the cats, but this one was spinning around furiously.

SC and Griffin were bravely fending it off with their claws but the Golden Goose was in trouble.

Magic felt a tremendous crash. Jessica had swung her bag hard at a smaller bird that had landed on top of the goose and with an insane laugh, had pecked at his back and head. The Goose, despite myth and legend was not made of gold - he just had a golden colouring, although his skin was tougher than average for goose flesh. Nevertheless the woodpecker's beak had drawn blood and pecked a few holes in the large golden wing the goose had put up in defense.

Jessica's blow had sent the bird flying and with a waugh of thanks, the Golden Goose had continued to run, but then stopped and looked back to where Jessica was kneeling over her bag. 'Jessica! Look out!!' screamed the goose.

Then Magic felt her hand around his casing - the front of the compact was opened and he mentally guided her to swing around in the direction of the ...

'Meep meep!!'

Magic angled himself to catch the sun and flashed a concentrated beam into the path of the runner. The beast, a bird even bigger than the Golden Goose, but with much longer legs, was blinded and crashed stunned into a wall.

The Magic Mirror saw they were in Loonytown and he sent his essence in the direction they were running, searching for another mirror and then ... he returned and shouted.

'Jessica. There is a barrier a hundred yards ahead. You must all reach it before the loonies regroup. They won't pursue you beyond it!'

He saw Jessica nod and then he was thrust back into the bag as she began to run, directing the others to follow.