Rainbow Swirl

by Helen Perelman

  As the two fairies landed, the rain began to stop. But the damage was already done.

  “Oh no!” Raina cried. Her heart sank as she saw so many of the gummy animals wandering around. They all looked lost. Suddenly her candy for the fair didn’t seem as important as helping the animals rebuild their homes.

  “Come on, Berry,” Raina said, zooming down into the forest. “We have to help.”

  Berry was right behind her. Her heart ached when she saw all the sad animals—especially the gummy cubs.

  Raina sprang into action. She organized the gummy bears in a line and set up a food station for them. She rounded up the gummy birds, keeping them together. “We’ll get this mess sorted out in no time,” she told the flock. “Don’t worry. We’ll get your homes back in order right away.”

  All the animals listened to Raina as she calmly began the cleanup. She was able to make all the animals feel secure and safe.

  Raina bent down to pet a little blue gummy cub. “Don’t worry, Blue Belle,” she said, smiling. “You’ll be just fine.”

  As Berry watched Raina work, she beamed with pride. Raina was a talented Candy Fairy and her candy was spectacular, but her true talent was working with the gummy animals. She knew that seeing Gummy Forest in such a mess was upsetting to Raina, but the Gummy Fairy didn’t let that show. She was concentrating on helping the animals.

  A small gummy bunny hopped up to Raina. He nuzzled his nose into her leg. “I know,” Raina said, petting his head. “I promise that you’ll be back in your bunny hole by nighttime.”

  Raina looked around the messy forest and sighed. If only she could find the hole under all the fallen leaves and branches!

  Just then Raina looked up to see her friends Cocoa, Melli, and Dash. Their wings were still wet from the strong rains.

  “We’re here to help,” Cocoa said. “We knew you’d need some extra fairy power.”

  Raina smiled. She had never been so happy to see her friends! She knew what a great sacrifice they had each made to come to Gummy Forest.

  “We knew you’d be upset,” Cocoa told her.

  “And we wanted to help,” Melli said.

  “We can get this cleaned up in no time,” Dash added.

  Raina stared at her friends. They had braved the storm to come help her. She reached out and hugged them. “Thank you,” she said. “It’s so important that we clean up the branches so that the animals can get back to their homes before nighttime. Will you help?”

  “Of course!” Melli exclaimed. “You tell us what to do. Sure as sugar, if we work together, we can clean the forest up by nightfall.”

  The fairies worked quickly and followed all of Raina’s directions. Together, the five friends carried fallen branches, picked up leaves, and uncovered nests. They rebuilt a few homes for the animals and replanted a couple of trees. Very soon the forest was back to normal.

  “Here you go,” Raina said. She grinned as she placed a young gummy bird back in her nest. “I bet you need a good rest after that storm.” She smiled at the bird and then flew back down to the ground.

  “Are you ready to head over to Gummy Lake?” Berry asked. Now that all the animals were safe, she knew Raina would be curious about her berry bushes.

  “We’ll go with you,” Melli told her.

  The fairies all gathered around Raina.

  “Thanks,” Raina whispered. She looked around at her friends. “I’m sorry that I’ve been so stuck on Candy Fair.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I can’t believe that it took a big storm to see clearly.”

  “Don’t start crying,” Berry said, smiling. “There’s been enough water in this forest already today! Besides, don’t you want to see what happened to the berry bushes?”

  The five fairies flew to Gummy Lake. When they arrived, Raina saw her berry garden and gasped.

  The storm had destroyed the bushes. The branches were broken and the berries were flattened. Just as she had expected, her prized gummy berries were ruined.

  CHAPTER 7

  A Berry Surprise

  Raina sat down at the edge of her berry garden. She peered at the berry bushes. She couldn’t believe the sight. Her heart sank as she gazed at the fruit dangling from the branches. Each berry was not only flat, but a swirl of different colors. No longer were there red, blue, yellow, orange, green, and purple berries hanging from the branches. They were all rainbow swirled!

  “Oh, sugar sticks!” Raina cried. “Who has ever seen candy quite like this! This is a disaster! I’ll have nothing to show at Candy Fair tomorrow.”

  “The rain must have swirled the colors together,” Melli said. She leaned in closer to get a better view. “You’re right. I’ve never seen any candy like that.”

  Plucking a berry from the vine, Raina lifted the rainbow-colored candy. She held it up to her friends. “All I could think about were these berries, and now look at them. What kind of Gummy Fairy am I? I should have been home trying to protect the bushes instead of trying to make them even better.”

  “Oh, Raina,” Berry gushed. “You are the kindest Gummy Fairy. Without you, the gummy animals would have been lost and without homes. You were the one who organized the forest clean-up.” She took a step closer and plucked the berry from Raina’s hand. She held it up to the sun. Carefully, she examined the colorful candy. “Besides, I don’t think these berries are ruined,” she said.

  “What do you think it tastes like?” Dash asked. When she saw the stern looks on her friends’ faces, she shrugged. “What? I’m just asking!”

  “Dash is right,” Berry said. “Maybe the berries taste even better.”

  Raina shook her head. “Not likely,” she said. “Look at them!” She sank down to the soggy, wet ground. “My perfect candy is now a swirl of a mess. I’m sure the flavors are a swirled mess too.”

  Melli stepped forward. “Don’t you remember what Tula said? She said that sometimes the greatest surprises make the sweetest candy.”

  “She did say that,” Cocoa confirmed. “Dash is right. Maybe we should taste the berries.”

  Berry picked another berry from the branch. “The candy does look beautiful,” she said with a smile. “I have a tie-dye rainbow skirt that looks similar,” she said. “Rainbow tie-dye is definitely very fashionable.”

  Rolling her eyes, Raina sighed. “But rainbow candy?” she said, full of doubt. “Whoever heard of such a gummy thing?”

  “That’s the point!” Berry replied. “Come on, taste it, Raina. If anyone can make a rainbow taste good, it would be you. You were born on the day the Great Rainbow appeared!”

  Berry did have a point. Raina took a bite of the rainbow berry.

  “How does it taste?” Cocoa asked, leaning closer to her.

  “It tastes …,” Raina said as she chewed, “delicious!” A wide smile appeared on her face. “Lickin’ lollipops, I did it!” she cried. Her wings fluttered and she shot straight up in the air. After a quick turn, Raina landed next to the bush and took another candy. She popped the berry in her mouth.

  The flavors are a terrific blend, she thought. Sweet, tangy, and juicy!

  Raina handed a berry to each of her friends.

  “It’s a rainbow fruit bowl,” Melli declared. She licked her fingers and smiled.

  “Congratulations,” Dash said.

  “Gumm-er-ific!” Cocoa added, laughing.

  “You see, there is a rainbow after every storm,” Berry told her. She gave Raina a tight hug. “And you’ve just discovered the secret of the rainbow! It’s gummy yummy.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without all of you,” Raina said. She looked around at her friends with a serious expression. “Thank you.”

  “For what?” Dash asked. She reached out for another rainbow swirl berry.

  “For believing in me,” Raina said. “And for help-ing me clear out the forest. You are the sweetest friends a fairy could ever have. Thank you.”

  They all shared a group hug, and then they picked the berries for Candy Fair.
Suddenly Raina had her competitive spirit back. She was ready to go to Candy Fair with her new swirled candy. So what if the candy wasn’t perfect—it was perfectly her own. And Raina wanted to share the berries with everyone in Sugar Valley.

  CHAPTER 8

  Candy Fair

  The next morning, the caramel trumpets blew as the royal gates of the castle opened. Candy Fair had officially begun! The Royal Gardens were filled with small white tents, all brimming with candy from Sugar Valley. Rows of tables were set up with Candy Fairies showing their new sweet treats. Some fairies had decorated their booths with candy, and some had fancy stands and signs to showcase their treats. There were old favorites like chocolates, jelly beans, and lollipops. But there were also more elaborate and new candies for the fairies of Sugar Valley to taste.

  There was excitement in the air with so many new and delicious treats. Candy Fair was a very special day in the kingdom.

  The storm had hit Gummy Forest the hardest, so other candies seemed to have been unharmed by the rain. After the storm the day turned out to be a beautiful and clear spring day.

  Cocoa and Melli were at the booth next to Raina’s, showing their chocolate-caramel lollipops. The caramel was swirled on a stick like whipped cream on an ice cream sundae. Carefully, Cocoa and Melli had dipped each caramel pop in dark chocolate and dusted the pops with colored sprinkles. Melli had stuck the lollipops into a sugar pinecone, so the pops were displayed beautifully in tiers. Many fairies were lined up to sample the candy.

  “Yum!” Dash exclaimed. She reached for another one from the table.

  “Hold on,” Cocoa said. She stopped Dash’s hand before she could touch another pop. “We have to save some for the judges.”

  “I know,” Dash said. She flashed Cocoa a sly smile. “How about just one more?”

  Melli slipped Dash another pop. “Last one, okay?” she said. It was hard for her to say no to her friend.

  “Thanks, Melli,” Dash told her. She took a bite out of the tasty pop. “Sure as sugar, these are the best pops you’ve ever made.”

  Raina was happy to see the line of fairies at her booth. Word had spread quickly around the fair that Raina had a new gummy candy. Many of the fairies were curious to see the candy that had survived the rainstorm. And to find out what made Raina’s candy so different.

  As she handed out her berries to the fairies, Raina heard only good reviews. But Raina knew that the judges were the ones to have the final say on who got the sugar medal. She searched the crowds for Princess Lolli and her advisers. She was growing a bit concerned. If Princess Lolli didn’t come soon, all her berries would be gone! She didn’t want to turn away any fairy, but she had to save some for the judges.

  When Tula appeared before her, Raina gasped. Seeing one of the judges at her table made her nervous. She knocked over two baskets of her berries! Quickly, she scrambled to pick up the candies. When she stood up, Tula was waiting for her.

  “Hello again,” Tula said calmly. She pushed her sparkling glasses up on her nose. “Is this the new gummy berry that you told me about at the sign-up?” She held up a berry to take a closer look.

  “Not exactly,” Raina said. “The candy turned out a little differently than I had planned.”

  Tula picked up the rainbow berry and took a bite. “Hmm,” she said as she chewed. “How did you get the colors to swirl?”

  “The colors just appeared on the berries after the storm—just like a rainbow,” Raina said, smiling. “And they are filled with the sweetness of the rain clearing after a storm.”

  “Very interesting,” Tula said. She examined the multicolored berry in her hand. “Different.”

  “I know that they’re not the perfect berry,” Raina said, hanging her head. Suddenly she felt embarrassed about her less-than-perfect berries. The more Tula examined her candy, the more nervous she became. Slowly, she raised her head. She watched Tula’s expression as the Royal Fairy finished eating the candy.

  “Ah, but they are perfectly sweet,” Tula said. She lifted her glasses and peered down at Raina. “Well done, Raina.”

  “Thank you,” Raina said. She thought she was going to burst with pride. “I wouldn’t have thought of showing this candy if it weren’t for my friends,” she added. “They gave me the courage to see that something not perfect might actually be better than planned.”

  “Yes, friends make life sweeter, that is for sure,” Tula said. “And so do acts of kindness.” She took off her glasses and looked Raina directly in the eyes. “I heard how you and your friends cleaned up the forest for the gummy animals after the storm yesterday.”

  “Yes,” Raina said. “The forest was quite a mess after all that rain and wind.”

  “You are a kind and good fairy,” Tula said. “And your candy is delicious. Thank you for sharing this candy here today.”

  Raina couldn’t respond. She was too excited. Tula liked her candy! Maybe her dream of getting the sugar medal was going to happen! Raina crossed her fingers for good luck as she watched Tula fly off to the next tent.

  “May I try one of your berries?” a small Gummy Fairy asked.

  Raina turned her attention back to the line of fairies in front of her table. She smiled at the little fairy and handed her a berry.

  “Enjoy,” she said.

  Holding her hand up to her eyes, Raina shielded the sun from her face and looked around the gardens. Where was Princess Lolli? She hoped the fairy princess and the other two advisers would come soon. The suspense of finding out who would win the sugar medal was growing—and Raina couldn’t wait anymore!

  Looking up at the sky, she saw the large sun above. Once the sun began to move toward the Frosted Mountains, the judges would have to submit their final decisions. Raina didn’t think she could wait till Sun Dip today!

  The awards ceremony would start once the sun began to slide behind the mountains. Raina felt as if the day was moving slower than any other day. Everyone in Sugar Valley was eager to hear who would win the sugar medal!

  CHAPTER 9

  Tasty Tastings

  Jumping jelly beans!” Berry cried when she saw Raina. She had been flying around the Royal Gardens looking for her friend. There were so many booths set up in the gardens that it took her a long time to find Raina and her booth with the rainbow gummy berries. “Raina, you have the longest line for candy here at the fair.” Berry pointed to the line of fairies waiting patiently for their candy.

  “I know!” Raina said, working quickly. She was busy handing out her berries, but careful to leave a special basket off to the side. When Princess Lolli finally came, Raina wanted to make sure she had candy for her to sample.

  “I’ll help you,” Berry offered. She landed next to Raina and started to hand out the rainbow candies. “Try a yummy gummy berry!” she called out.

  Raina smiled. Berry’s enthusiasm was making everyone excited about the new candy. She was thrilled that Berry had come to the fair.

  “Thank you for coming today,” Raina told her.

  “I wouldn’t have missed it!” she cried. “Just because I didn’t want to show my own candy didn’t mean I wouldn’t be here for you.”

  Raina gave Berry a tight hug. “Thank you.”

  As she pulled away from her friend, she noticed a little Chocolate Fairy staring at Berry’s necklace.

  “I love your necklace,” the little fairy said to Berry.

  Blushing, Berry smiled. “Thanks,” she said. “I made it out of fresh fruit chews.”

  “Sugar snaps,” the fairy cheered. “I’d love one. Could you make one for me?”

  “Sure,” Berry replied, grinning.

  “I told you other fairies would love the jewelry!” Raina said, giving Berry a nudge.

  “You might be on to something,” Berry agreed. “I have gotten a few comments on the necklace today.” She put her arm around Raina. “But today is about sweet candy—and the sugar medal. Has Princess Lolli been here yet?”

  “No,” Raina said, shaking he
r head. She was beginning to wonder if the princess would ever come sample her candy. She didn’t have time to fret, though. There were too many fairies wanting to try her rainbow candies. As she spoke, she continued to pass out her yummy gummy berries. All the fairies seemed to be enjoying the treat, and Raina was so pleased.

  “What if I run out before Princess Lolli gets here?” Raina whispered to Berry.

  At that very moment Princess Lolli stepped up to Raina’s table. With her were two Royal Fairies. They were ready to judge her candy!

  “What do we have here?” the fairy princess asked. She gave Raina a warm smile. Her beautiful long pink dress flowed out behind her. “These look gorgeous. May I have one, please?”

  “Oh, yes, of course!” Raina exclaimed. She handed a rainbow berry to the fairy princess.

  Holding her breath, Raina tried to wait patiently as Princess Lolli tasted her candy. The princess fixed her candy tiara on top of her long strawberry-blond hair.

  “Very good, Raina,” she declared. “This year it seems there are so many new candies. I think we have some tough decisions to make.” The princess turned to her two advisers and handed them each a berry.

  Raina stood still as a sugar cube. She wasn’t sure what to say to the princess!

  “We will be announcing the awards soon,” Princess Lolli said. “Raina, these berries were a very sweet treat.”

  As the fairy princess spoke, the two advisers scribbled notes on a large parchment scroll.

  Raina was so curious about what the two advisers wrote! She had to wonder if they liked the different berries, and if they thought they were worthy of the sugar medal.

  “Everyone has done a great job!” the princess exclaimed. “Even with the terrible storm. This will be a very difficult decision for us to make. Thank you, Raina, and good luck!”

  The fairy princess flew off to another tent with her two advisers by her side. She still had more tastings to do before Sun Dip.