Jax had two full days before their gate into the World Tree raid would open.
And only half a day before nightfall.
He wasn't about to waste that time.
"Alright," Jax said, clapping his hands once. "We're going to train."
Bunny stretched her arms happily.
"Training day!"
Pixelle, however, tilted her head curiously.
"Training?"
Jax nodded.
"If you're going into that raid with us, I need to know exactly what you can and can't do."
Pixelle puffed her chest confidently.
"I am the Fairy Queen."
"Yes," Jax replied calmly. "And right now you're also the newest Vixen."
Pixelle frowned slightly.
Still, she followed them.
They set up outside the village clearing.
Jax placed several metal targets at different distances and heights.
Pixelle hovered confidently in front of them.
"Watch closely," she said proudly.
She raised her wand.
A flash of magic burst forward.
The spell struck the metal target.
The target didn't move.
Pixelle blinked.
She fired again.
And again.
Nothing.
Jax scratched his chin.
"…Interesting."
Pixelle crossed her arms.
"Well obviously my magic works better on living targets."
Nyxian leaned over slightly.
"So you're saying the raid bosses will need to politely volunteer to be attacked?"
Pixelle glared at her.
Jax tried to remain diplomatic.
"Let's try something else."
His first idea seemed simple.
"Sit on my shoulder during combat."
Pixelle immediately brightened.
"Oh! I like that idea."
She landed happily on his shoulder.
Then Jax moved.
Pixelle didn't.
Jax was already across the field.
Pixelle was still hovering in the air where his shoulder had been.
"…Oh."
Jax looked back.
"Yeah. That won't work."
Pixelle crossed her arms again.
Jax rubbed the back of his neck.
He had half a day to figure out how to keep everyone alive inside that raid.
Which meant he had to be honest.
"Alright," he said carefully.
"I have another idea."
The Vixens all looked at him.
Pixelle narrowed her eyes.
"What idea?"
Jax pointed between Bunny and Nyxian.
"I think you should ride in one of their cleavages during combat."
There was silence.
Bunny blinked.
Nyxian slowly smiled.
Pixelle's jaw dropped.
"WHAT?"
Jax held up his hands defensively.
"Listen. Bunny is the frontline tank."
He gestured toward her.
"She's going to be taking heavy hits."
Bunny flexed proudly.
"True."
Then Jax gestured toward Nyxian.
"But Nyxian fights slightly behind the frontline."
Nyxian placed a hand under her chest thoughtfully.
"And my cleavage does have excellent defensive positioning."
Pixelle looked horrified.
"I am a queen!"
Jax shook his head.
"Not inside the raid."
Pixelle froze.
Jax continued calmly.
"In the raid, you are a Vixen."
"And the Vixens follow a chain of command."
Nyxian leaned in slightly.
"And you're currently at the bottom."
Pixelle looked like she had just swallowed a lemon.
They trained for several hours.
Pixelle fired spells.
Practiced flying.
Tried defensive magic.
By the end of the quarter day…
She was exhausted.
Meanwhile Nyxian looked like she had just finished a warm-up.
Pixelle finally sighed.
"…Fine."
"When combat starts… I will ride in Nyxian's cleavage."
Nyxian grinned proudly.
"A wise decision."
Pixelle muttered something under her breath.
Something about saving Jax and proving everyone wrong.
Jax pretended not to hear it.
On the ride back to the fairy village, Pixelle looked completely drained.
Nyxian leaned back comfortably.
"A half-day training session was a day off for me."
She glanced down at Pixelle.
"You want to test the cleavage early?"
Pixelle blinked.
"…What?"
"You're going to be riding there anyway."
Pixelle hesitated.
Then slowly nodded.
Nyxian gently placed her between her breasts.
Pixelle immediately relaxed.
Within seconds…
She fell asleep.
The entire ride back was only five minutes.
She slept the whole way.
When they arrived, Lexi and the fairy guards carefully carried their sleeping queen back to her palace.
Pixelle needed a serious nap.
Meanwhile…
Jax saw an opportunity.
He stepped into the dimensional kitchen inside the caravan.
"Alright ladies," he said. "I'm cooking tonight."
The Vixens cheered.
But Jax wasn't just cooking for them.
He started preparing a much larger meal.
A massive pot of stew simmered slowly.
The aroma spread through the village.
Before long curious fairies began gathering nearby.
When Jax rolled the pot outside, the smell filled the entire clearing.
Hundreds of tiny fairies hovered nearby.
"What is that?"
"It smells amazing!"
Jax smiled.
Then he rolled out a second, even larger pot.
Now the fairies were extremely curious.
Jax cleared his throat dramatically.
"As part of our new trade partnership," he announced, "the village is welcome to share this stew."
Excited whispers spread through the crowd.
"There is only one condition," Jax added.
"You bring your own plates and utensils."
The fairies nodded eagerly.
"And…"
Jax rolled out a keg.
"…you may help yourselves to this Pixie Mead as well."
The fairies gasped happily.
"In return," Jax continued, "all I ask is that you bring us some of your Fairy Mead so the Vixens and I can each enjoy a cup with dinner."
The trade was accepted instantly.
Fairies rushed off.
Within minutes they returned with their own keg.
Jax noticed something immediately.
They didn't refrigerate it.
His Pixie Mead came from one of his cooling units.
Their version was cool… but not cold.
With a few distribution improvements, he realized, the fairies could drastically improve their product.
One fairy poured large mugs for the Vixens.
Then another fairy corrected him politely.
"It isn't mead."
Jax raised an eyebrow.
"It's Fairy Cider."
Jax stared into his mug.
The drink was golden and sparkling.
Nearly the size of his personal pitcher.
Interesting.
The Vixens lifted their mugs.
Nyxian grinned mischievously.
"To recovery day tomorrow!"
Llandra added with a confident smile,
"And to conquering the raid the day after!"
They clinked their mugs together.
Jax took a drink.
It wasn't as cold as he preferred.
But it was incredibly sweet.
The Vixens loved it.
Around them the fairies who had eaten Jax's stew were flying around laughing and celebrating.
They were delighted with the food.
"Drink as much cider as you want!" they announced happily.
Meanwhile inside the palace…
Pixelle was waking up.
Lexi stood nearby.
"Your Majesty," she said formally.
"Jax and the Vixens are drinking Fairy Cider."
Pixelle's eyes snapped open.
She jumped into the air.
"I'm coming!"
Back outside, the Vixens were already halfway through their second enormous mugs.
Pixelle flew down beside them with Lexi trailing behind.
"Hi guys!"
She smiled brightly.
"Sorry I'm late."
"How are you enjoying the cider?"
Nyxian slowly grinned.
She glanced at the others.
Then back at Pixelle.
"I think…"
She took another sip.
"…tonight is going to get interesting."