An election… Somewhere in distant ethereal realms, so that later the 'chosen ones' could manifest in our earthly fairy tale world, today there is an election.
Thousands of fairy tale characters — Gingerbread Men and Snow Maidens, Elves, Trolls together with a host of new, daring, sometimes still little-known 'Superheroes' were putting forward their candidacies for the election, promising top-quality tales and 'stories'.
In the event of victory, each of them promised all, even the most inconspicuous inhabitants of the ethereal realm, the opportunity to participate in the plot and materialisation on the pages of earthly books, in the theatre, in cinema.
One of the first, waving a white-striped flag and frightening the young inhabitants with piercing shrieks, Baba Yaga appeared above the polling station.
Despite the ban on campaigning and counter-campaigning on election day, Baba Yaga loudly expressed her displeasure towards one of the candidates — the 'corrupt' Water Spirit. According to Baba Yaga, he, for the umpteenth time, only promises to take 'a pair', but always deceives: he recruits all sorts of relatives, cheap small fry like stupid marsh mosquitoes.
And he takes a bribe for the promise, and no small one — ten plots featuring himself and his 'electorate'. 'He's absolutely useless for ideas'!
"Freeloader!" — Baba Yaga hollered from her mortar, spiralling down to the ground.
According to the rules, each candidate, putting forward their candidacy for the leading role in the future tale, had to vote for two: most often, of course, for themselves, and the second could be anyone who was sympathetic to them or who could bribe them (which is what Baba Yaga did).
The absolute winner presented a plot with themselves in the leading role and, besides the 'pair', recruited an unlimited number of 'electorate'.
The polling station had already gathered quite a bit of fairy tale folk: an ageing Batman, SpongeBob SquarePants, Cheburashka, a whole crowd of Gnomes. Many of the old heroes, being quite conservative, adhered to old traditions in their clothing.
The appearance of others reflected the spirit of the times. Thus, Cinderella, unlike in previous elections, arrived on a Tomahawk in a cool outfit 'from the Fairy Godmother'. Leather, belts, studs and rivets, mirrored surfaces of a super-powerful 'bike' — all this promised new plots with breathtaking adventures and a meeting with the Prince on such a 'steed'; on an eagle, as if on a screen, painted like an Avatar, came little Myu.
Registration of participants was coming to an end when an unusual sphere the size of a carriage rolled up to the polling station. It shimmered with silver, then disappeared from view altogether. Soon from the sphere, like from a ball of yarn, a trail of silvery sand began to unwind, twist into a spiral, rise upwards.
Rising and falling, it revealed now a lovely face of a princess in golden curls and delicate lace, now, sweeping upwards like a cloak covering the old hero, it scattered again, presenting a new one. Sometimes the sand, as it fell, left a group of heroes, only to mix everything again and create someone anew.
Three heads of the Dragon Gorynych flashed, whereupon the real Gorynych, realising what was afoot, breathed combustible gas at the impostor, threatening at any moment to strike a spark with his tooth. The 'Virtual' one, quickly realising the danger, promptly changed the subject: 'Chip and Dale', 'Lolek and Bolek'…
What on earth is this! Two — that's a ready-made plot! But here you wait! And if he impersonates me — that will leave me without a crust of bread!
Baba Yaga hollered.
The crowd supported Baba Yaga with an indignant murmur. The chairman of the commission intervened — the experienced Old Raven.
Now then, my boy, make up your mind who you are and don't break the rules, or there'll be hardly any time left, I'll be finishing registration soon.
Or maybe you're a Haemorrhoid?
Baba Yaga quipped.
The clock began to strike the final seconds before the election began.
The candidate for the main hero in the new Tale, seeing time running out, began frantically changing images, unable to decide on any one. After a magnificent seven-petalled flower appeared Don Quixote, who was immediately replaced by Petka with Chapaev. Clearly unable to model something 'more fairy-tale-like' in time, the future hero discarded Petka and finally appeared in the firm form and image of Chapaev in a papakha and with a long sabre at his side.
"Oh, this youth! — grumbled the Old Raven. — It's always like this: they think they're cool, think they can do everything, they rush to create a tale, and it all ends up as a joke».
"Not a contender! Absolutely not a contender! — Baba Yaga smirked and breathed a sigh of relief. — Thank God! Maybe I'll finally get into the Tale again!»
The election began. There was less and less time left until the birth of a new story…
