Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure (8 page)

T
inker Bell saw Fairy Mary collapse. “No. No. No. Don’t worry, Fairy Mary. It’s okay. Just wait.” Tink sounded confident, but inside, she was quaking.

Will it work? Will it really work?

Fairy Mary woke up, but she didn’t look happy. Terence stared up at the moon. “Come on. Come on … ,” he urged.

“Please work,” Tinker Bell whispered. “Please.”

Blaze flew in circles and crossed his antennae.

As all the fairies watched, holding their breath, the moon moved into its final position. Its rays touched the scepter and—
WHOOSH!
—the result was spectacular.

Thousands of beams reflected off the fragments. Brilliant blue rays went streaking into the crowd, followed by a light shower of blue pixie dust raining from the sky.

A roar of approval shook the forest. The fairies lifted their hands to catch the dust as it fell. At first, it was just a flurry. Then it turned into a dust fall; then a blizzard. The wonderful, magical blue pixie dust piled around them in deep drifts.

The Minister of Autumn and Queen Clarion were awestruck. “Your Majesty,” said the Minister, “I’ve never seen this much blue pixie dust before!”

“Indeed” was all Queen Clarion seemed to be able to say.

Fairy Mary was too happy and relieved to speak. Fairy Gary stood on a pile of dust that reached all the way to his chest. “It’s at least a million smidges. Maybe more.”

Silvermist flew in giddy circles. “This is amazing!” she exclaimed, almost out of breath.

Fawn created snow angels in the dust. “Woooohooo!”

“Come on, girls!” Rosetta shouted. “It’s show-time.”

Queen Clarion held up her hands and called them to order. “Fairies of Pixie Hollow, we have celebrated this revelry without interruption for centuries. Tonight, I believe, is our finest revelry ever—thanks to one special fairy, Tinker Bell.”

Tinker Bell pulled Terence close beside her and pointed at him, trying to get Queen Clarion’s attention.

Queen Clarion nodded. “Oh … yes … and her friend Terence.”

Blaze circled Tink and Terence close beside her, blinking and buzzing.

“And … her
new
friend,” Queen Clarion added, unsure what to call the bright bug.

“Blaze,” Tinker Bell whispered.

“Blaze,” Queen Clarion told the fairies. “We owe them all our thanks!”

The fairies applauded and cheered. Fairy Mary came and gave Tink a hug. “I’m so proud of you,” she said.

“Thank you, Fairy Mary,” Tinker Bell responded.

“What made you think of breaking the moonstone into all those tiny pieces?” Fairy Mary asked. “Genius.”

Tinker Bell really didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t want to tell the truth, either. Luckily, she didn’t have to answer the question, because the Minister of Autumn approached her, holding the scepter. He solemnly handed it to her. “On your lead, my dear.” Then he turned toward the crowd. “All right, everyone. To the Pixie Dust Tree!”

Proudly, Tinker Bell raised the scepter and began to lead the procession.

“That’s our cue,” Fawn told the other fairies. She blew a whistle, and the beautiful special effects began.

The sky turned bright yellow as the twenty-onebutterfly salute successfully launched into the air.

Silvermist’s tadpoles blew bubbles that danced and sparkled overhead.

Clank joyfully ran to his fireworks launcher and let ’er rip.

KABOOM!

The fireworks split the contraption in two, but it didn’t matter—it still managed to hurl fireworks into the sky. Sparkling, sizzling patterns in every color streaked this way and that, reflecting off each happy face in Pixie Hollow.

“It worked, Bobble! It worked!” Clank hollered happily. To celebrate, he sprinkled a bit of the blue pixie dust on Cheese the mouse.

Cheese took to the air, flying along with everyone else as they soared over the waterfall, over the meadows, and took their place on the Pixie Dust Tree, where Lyria was waiting.

Tinker Bell and Terence stood in a place of honor and held up the scepter together. Blaze circled happily, proud to be a part of this momentous occasion.

Fairy Gary and the other dust-keepers carried in the cauldrons full of blue dust. They poured the precious magic into the well of the tree while Lyria recited the poem she had prepared to commemorate the miracle of autumn—a miracle that couldn’t have taken place if not for all the fairies in Pixie Hollow.

The greatest treasures are not gold,

Nor jewels, nor works of art.

They cannot be held in your hands—

They’re held within your heart.

For worldly things will fade away

As seasons come and go.

But the treasure of true friendship

Will never lose its glow.