Felicity Bat Finds Another Way

Felicity Bat couldn’t hear a single word Fran was saying through the frantic wheezing.

‘Calm down,’ Felicity Bat said, sounding bored. ‘I’m sure whatever the problem is, it’s not actually a problem.’

Fran stopped and held up a spoon. Fairy Fightz was showing.

‘I’m missing being the star,’ Fran wheezed. ‘That is how important this is.’

‘Oh, well, then it must be about Tiga,’ Felicity Bat said. ‘Go on, indulge me.’

‘Ritzy Six,’ Fran wheezed. ‘They’re back. Idabelle. Tiga. The mountain.’

Felicity Bat rose up into the air and levitated over to the window, her heavy boot making her float at an odd angle.

Fran pointed frantically. ‘They went inside the mountain, to stop the Ritzy Six.’

‘And my big sister brought them back,’ Felicity Bat said with a grin.

‘PLEASE DON’T TURN EVIL AGAIN!’ Fran wailed. ‘You’re the only one who can help. Mavis is on her way, but she’ll never even get past the Mean Lock.’

Felicity Bat rolled her eyes. ‘I’m not going to turn evil again. Peggy’s well and truly squeezed that out of me with all the hugs and mushy notes she leaves around for me.’

Fran glanced over at the table, where a note with Peggy’s bubble writing read YOU’RE AN AMAZING WITCH, FELICITY! NEVER FORGET IT!

‘Then why were you smiling when I told you about your sister bringing the Ritzy Six back?’ Fran asked.

‘Because Idabelle is so silly,’ Felicity Bat said. ‘I bet she thinks she can be friends with the Ritzy Six, or that they’ll share their powers. They’ll destroy her too.’

‘Well then, we should get going,’ Fran urged. ‘My … sidekick?’

‘NO,’ Felicity Bat said firmly.

‘You’ll easily get past the Mean Lock,’ Fran said, readjusting her beehive.

‘We’re not going inside the mountain like everyone else,’ Felicity Bat said, crossing her arms. ‘We’re going to levitate up the side.’

‘Can we do that?’ Fran asked. ‘Isn’t it very magic, with lots of rules and protection?’

‘Have you ever heard of the ancient jam stores near the top of Pearl Peak, Fran?’

Fran nodded. ‘They closed them years ago.’

‘I’ve been reading about them recently. And every so often, a witch who could levitate would take the quick route up the side of the mountain to collect the jam. That was the only witch they let past their defences. Do you know who that witch was?’

‘Was she called Sally?’ Fran guessed. ‘There were a lot of Sallys in the olden days.’

Felicity Bat’s face looked strained. ‘It was my gran, Fran. Celia Crayfish. I bet the defences would let me past too. We’re from the same family, so it’s my inheritance. And we can both levitate.’

‘It’s worth a try!’ Fran cheered.

‘But you can’t come with me,’ Felicity Bat said firmly. ‘You’d set off alarms. I must do this alone.’

‘But the glory,’ Fran said. ‘Do I still get some of the glory?’

Felicity Bat took off her boot and placed it in front of Fran. ‘Better than glory, you get to babysit. I need you to watch my boot until I get back. BUT YOU MUST NOT LOOK INSIDE IT.’

‘All right,’ Fran said casually as she waved Felicity Bat off. ‘I won’t look …’