Faylinn's Bazaar Tale

Part 2

Another time at the bazaar with her father, Faylinn heard tales of bandits and brigands from various merchants. She asked around to found out where it was happening. To her surprise, it was from a red Oni woman on the east side of the market. She told everyone near her stall of a gang of oni that were stealing from every one on Nigiri Island off the coast closeby: Giants, Fairies, Merfolk, even the other oni. A rice farmer surprised by her story asked her, "They stole from giants too?" She replied "Yes, they are that big a group and terrifying." After hearing the story Faylinn went over to her father and said, “Papa! I want to stop those bandits on Nigiri Island. They're ruining lives and spreading fear to everyone there.” The old tanuki was surprised by his daughter's passionate remarks but convinced her to wait until they talk it over with her mother. Back home she shared her story with her foster mother and begged them both to let her punish the bandits of oni Island. "Mother, you always say I should be kind and help out others. And Father, you said I should use the martial arts to defend myself and those who can't do so!" the sprite told her parents. 
 
Of course the tanuki couple were seriously worried but Faylinn insisted so earnestly that they finally gave in to her plea. Her father crafted her toothpick and fashioned a small steel shaving blade for her to tie on to make a great spear. Her mother used hemp fibers to weave her a saffron martial gi, like the one her husband wore when he used to be at the monastery. "Well, I didn't need a lot of material" she said as she laughed with her daughter as they finished it together.  Also they both prepared some millet dumplings and smoked mackerel jerky for Faylinn to eat on her journey and saw their five inch tall daughter off.
 
As she left the house, Shiba quietly walked behind her until Faylinn spotted him following her. "Boy, you shouldn't be here, go back home where it's safe", she told her pet. But once her canine started to whimper and give her the sad eyes, there was not a chance that Faylinn could say no to that. She gave her doggy the biggest hug she could give, along with a millet dumpling and some jerky as a treat. In return, Shiba let the sprite ride on his back and he agreed to be her faithful companion to fend off the brigands. Near the coastline they met someone sitting down and staring off to the island in the distance and sighing. She was a pretty looking brunette woman with a dirt brown cloth around her chest and and a matching wrap around her waist but instead of arms and legs she had the golden brown wings and sharp talons of an eagle.

The two met the woman and Faylinn started, "Hey! You're a harpy right? How come you're staring at the island over there instead of flying?" The winged women looked at the pixie atop the dog and sighed before saying, "Well I had a guy I fancied. I think he might even been thinking of making us a couple. But when I left to get some food, I heard from friends that some oni brigands where in our area. When I went back to his log cabin, I found all his things gone... including his life. I finally found them but...seeing all of them made me realize I can't beat them."

After the winged lady finished her story, Faylinn wiped a few tears from her eyes. With her destination in sight and a fire inside lit by the harpy's tragic plight Faylinn told him that if she joined them, they would defeat all the oni bandits. The harpy didn't believe her at first but was surprised to find Faylinn lifting her up from her bottom as a show of strength. Once Faylinn let her down and the harpy gained her senses back, she decided that maybe she would join the strange sprite after all. "What's your name Miss?" Faylinn asked the harpy she now swore to avenge. "Aello", said the woman with a weak smile that no longer sighed.

With Aello joining their quest, Faylinn gave her a dumpling, picked up her dog (much to Aello's sursprise), and they all flew over to the island. Nigiri was covered in palm trees as far as the eye could see. Passing through, they met a monkey climbing through the trees. The curious simian followed them as until Aello told Faylinn that it was probably looking for the food they had. Faylinn told the monkey that she would give him something if he helped them on the mission, and he gladly accepted a dumpling from her.

 
When Faylinn's party finally reached the oni's hideout, they found a large gate blocking their way. The harpy flew over it and unlocked it from inside. The group passed through and were met by a strange spectacle. The oni were in the midst of merrymaking around a bonfire, dancing with fine jewelry and partaking of alcoholic drinks like sake. Luckly, they had left their axes and bowstrings in a corner giving the rag tag team an advantage. "We've come to punish you for plaguing your own countrymen!" shouted Faylinn as she charged towards the drunken ogres with her three friends.
 
Faylinn lunged toward one of the oni with a dive kick toward his head with both of her legs. The attacked ogre grabbed his head as he yelled to the others, "Ah! She kicks like a wild donkey!" Three of the oni circled around the tiny girl and they told her that she couldn't take them all at once. Just then Aello pounced and scratched the oni all over, the dog bit their arms and legs, and the monkey threw their axes in the fire before chucking rocks at them. Faylinn took out her homemade spear as she flew to the ground and bounced off it towards the various oni to land key slashes and kicks to their arms and faces. Thanks to having eaten the best millet dumplings in the main land, Faylinn's party had more than enough strength to send the ogres running for their lives.
 
Hearing the commotion, what came towards them was a large blue oni almost the size of the giants they pillaged. "Are you lot getting trounced by wild vermin and a bug smaller than my pinkie toe?" The leader bellowed. "Time to remind everyone why confronting the Oni brigands will only lead to a foolish death." With this the leader clapped his hands, causing a shock-wave that caused everyone in Faylinn's group to fall to the ground. He strolled over to a prone Aello before coldy stating, "Shame a pretty little thing has to go to waste." As he was about to stomp his foot on top of her head at full speed he suddenly stopped it mid-flight. "Let me ask you sir, what is like to be weaker than a bug?"

Both the boss leader and the harpy were shocked to see a tiny fairy holding back his foot while
Faylinn simply similed. "Why you little pest!" He grunted but before he could act, the fairy zipped up to his belly and landed a flurry of punches that stunned him in his tracks. She then followed up a flying roundhouse kick under his chin to knock him flat on his back and finished her combination by landing on one of his shins with great force. His scream of pain rang throughout the campsite until he clutched his leg in agony. Faylinn simply crossed her arms and stated, "Let that limp be a lesson from those who you stole from and killed to get where you are."
 

With the defeat of their leader, the other brigands begged to be speared of the same fate. Bowing down on one knee and tears streaming down his face a red one said, "I promise we will never trouble the beings of the island again, and we will return all the treasures we have ever taken from the villages. But please spare our lives! I beseech you!" Faylinn responded with hands on her hips and a stern pout, "Make a decent living somewhere else. And if I hear any more trouble from you all, I'll break more than a leg. Now scram!" With that, all of the bandits grabbed what they could and paddled on some canoes as fast as they could. Faylinn gave a sigh of relief and found her self gripped by bunch of feathers and her harpy friend's cheeks rubbed against her own as thanks.

So Faylinn spent the rest of the day giving back the stolen loot to the merfolk, fairies, giants, and oni villages on the Island. Surprised by their savior, they were extremely grateful and rewarded her with exotic foods, clothing, materials, and precious metals. Thereupon, Faylinn loaded the treasures onto a boat and joined by her small yet larger than her, party headed back home with it in triumph.