Fairy Dust

by Titania Woods

  ‘Yes, I – I think so,’ said Twink. Her heart was singing.

  Miss Sparkle handed the boot back to Twink and patted her shoulder. ‘Yes, that’s the thing about fairy dust. Once you know the secret it becomes a part of you for ever, making you a better fairy. Well done.’

  Twink nodded slowly as a warm glow spread through her. Miss Sparkle was right. Of course she was glad for herself that she wouldn’t be left out of the Spring Ceremony – but suddenly that didn’t matter nearly as much as being able to help turn winter into spring. And the funny thing was that the secret was so simple! Why hadn’t she realised it ages ago?

  ‘Excuse me, Miss!’ announced a haughty voice. Mariella smirked as everyone turned towards her. ‘I’ve got it, too.’ A yellow pixie boot sat on her desk, looking every bit as perfect as Twink’s.

  Miss Sparkle lifted her eyebrows with a surprised smile. ‘Mariella! Well done!’

  Flitting to the back of the branch, she picked up Mariella’s pixie boot – but no sooner had she touched it than it fell to pieces in her hands. Mariella gasped in dismay as the petals drifted to the floor.

  Miss Sparkle shook her head sternly. ‘Mariella, you didn’t find the secret out for yourself, did you?’

  Mariella flushed. ‘Of course I did!’

  Miss Sparkle looked at Lola. The thin little fairy gulped. ‘I – I just gave her a hint,’ she whispered.

  ‘That’s what friends are for, isn’t it? Mariella said . . .’ She trailed off, her pale wings slumping miserably.

  Miss Sparkle frowned, and turned back to Mariella.

  ‘I thought so,’ she said. ‘You can always tell when someone hasn’t worked fairy dust out for themselves. You have to really feel the secret, Mariella. Until you do, your spells will always be shoddy things that don’t work.’

  .

  .

  Mariella’s face was on fire as Miss Sparkle turned away. Twink and Bimi exchanged a look. Trust Mariella to cheat – it served her right to have been caught out!

  ‘Sooze, how are you doing?’ Miss Sparkle’s eyes widened when she saw that Sooze hadn’t even opened her bark box. ‘You’re not trying very hard! Don’t you want to dance in the Spring Ceremony?’

  ‘If it happens,’ said Sooze glumly.

  The branch went silent as everyone stared at each other. What on earth did she mean?

  Even Miss Sparkle seemed startled. ‘What do you mean? Why wouldn’t it happen?’

  Sooze bit her lip. ‘I mean, um . . . I’ll try harder, Miss.’

  Miss Sparkle frowned, obviously unconvinced. But before she could say anything else the magpie’s call echoed through the school, signalling that the class was over.

  ‘All right, everyone, boxes shut and passed to the front,’ said Miss Sparkle. ‘And, Sooze – please do try harder tomorrow.’

  Twink quickly gathered her things together. Sooze looked so down. What was wrong with her? ‘I’m just going to have a word with Sooze,’ she whispered to Bimi.

  Her best friend nodded. ‘See if you can get her to talk to you this time!’

  As the Daffodil Branch fairies flew out into the trunk, Twink hurried to catch up with Sooze. It wasn’t easy – the lavender-haired fairy was skimming away like a meteor!

  ‘Sooze!’ called Twink, putting on a burst of speed. ‘Wait!’

  For a moment she thought Sooze wouldn’t stop. Then she did, hovering reluctantly as Twink flew up to her. ‘Sooze, what did you mean just now, about the ceremony?’

  ‘Nothing.’ Sooze looked away. ‘I was just talking rubbish.’

  Twink’s forehead creased. ‘But you sounded so –’

  ‘Oh, just leave me alone!’ burst out Sooze. ‘Nothing’s wrong, all right?’

  Twink clenched her fists. ‘No, it’s not all right!’ she snapped. ‘You’ve been moping about for days now. What’s wrong with you, Sooze? You didn’t even act pleased when I finally worked out fairy dust!’

  ‘Who cares if you did!’ retorted Sooze. ‘Nobody’s going to dance in the ceremony anyway –’ She stopped short, clasping her hand to her mouth.

  Twink’s wings went icy-cold. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘I – I just –’ Suddenly Sooze burst into tears. ‘Oh, flap off!’ she cried, covering her face with her hands.

  Twink stared at her, shocked. Sooze, crying? Sooze never cried! She quickly drew her friend into an empty classroom branch.

  ‘Sooze, please tell me what’s wrong,’ she begged as they landed on the mossy floor. ‘I’m your friend; I want to help.’

  ‘Nobody can help!’ sobbed Sooze. ‘I’m the only one who can do it, he said so – but I don’t know how! I’ve tried everything, and nothing works –’

  ‘Sooze!’ Twink gave her friend a gentle shake. ‘What are you talking about?’

  Sooze gulped and sniffed. Putting her hand in her pocket, she drew out a small object and handed it to Twink. ‘This,’ she said morosely.

  Twink looked down. The object lying in her palm was small and narrow, like two triangles stuck together, and felt cold to the touch. ‘But – what is it?’

  ‘A beak,’ mumbled Sooze.

  Twink blinked in confusion. ‘A what?’

  ‘A beak,’ said Sooze more clearly. She wiped her eyes. ‘It – it belongs to the robin on the ice pole.’

  Twink’s mouth fell open. ‘You mean one of the carvings is broken?’ she gasped.

  Sooze’s lips trembled as she nodded. ‘I was going to play a prank on Madame, you see, and . . .’

  She told Twink everything, finishing with, ‘And I’ve tried everything to mend it! I’ve tried sticking it on with sap glue, and doing a fixing dance, and tying it on with a ribbon – nothing works, nothing, and now the sprites will take the pole away!’

  Grabbing the beak back from Twink, Sooze shoved it into her pocket again, her eyes bright with tears.

  Twink had listened to Sooze’s tale in growing horror. ‘But they can’t take the pole away!’ she cried. ‘How could they? Then we couldn’t turn winter into spring!’

  Sooze shrugged miserably. ‘I – I suppose not.’

  A third-year student flitted past the window, carrying a sparkling ice ornament. ‘A bit lower!’ she called. ‘Yes, that’s it – glimmery! Oh, it’s looking lovely!’

  ‘But . . .’ Twink’s throat went dry. Winter not turn into spring? Did that mean the flowers wouldn’t bloom? What if it stayed cold and icy for ever?

  ‘Sooze, we have to tell Miss Shimmery,’ she whispered.

  ‘No!’ Sooze grabbed her arm in a panic. ‘Twink, you can’t – promise me! Queen Mab will be here any day now – and – and everyone’s busy decorating the school, and they’ll all know it was my fault!’ She looked close to tears again.

  Twink shook her head helplessly. ‘I know, but what else can we do? You’ve already tried everything to mend the beak, and –’ She stopped as an idea struck her.

  ‘What?’ asked Sooze.

  ‘Well, there has to be some way to mend it,’ said Twink slowly. ‘I just wonder if the sprite would give you a hint, if we went back and asked him.’

  Sooze’s eyes grew wide. ‘Oh! Do you think he might?’ Then her shoulders sagged again. ‘But the sprites aren’t speaking to us now. Remember the dance that Madame tried to do – they just ignored her!’

  Twink’s lavender wings tapped together as she thought. ‘Well – maybe Pix will know how we can get them to talk to us,’ she said finally. ‘Do you mind if we ask her?’

  ‘Not if you think it might help!’ Sooze grinned suddenly. ‘And – and listen, Opposite, it was pretty glimmery of you to keep on at me. I suppose I did need to tell someone.’

  Twink gave her a quick hug. ‘That’s OK,’ she said. ‘Don’t worry, Sooze, we’ll get it sorted! Everythi
ng’s going to be fine, I’m sure of it.’

  Privately, though, Twink wasn’t sure at all. Everyone knew how prickly the sprites were. And if Sooze didn’t manage to mend the robin . . . what would happen to spring?

  .

  Chapter Seven

  ‘All right, let’s try this one,’ said Pix, squatting beside the frozen pond with a petal book in her hands. ‘Ready?’

  Twink and Sooze nodded. It was dusk, and a white mist crept over the ground as Pix leaned towards the pond and started to sing.

  .

  Sprites down below,

  Friends of fairies,

  Come say hello,

  Please don’t tarry!

  Greetings! Greetings! Greetings!

  Twink and Sooze joined in the chorus, fluttering their wings as they sang in lilting harmony. They sang the song over and over again, staring pleadingly at the pond.

  Nothing happened.

  Their voices faded into silence. Twink swallowed. ‘Well –’

  ‘We could try another dance,’ said Pix, flipping hurriedly through the pages.

  ‘We’ve done three already!’ burst out Sooze. She stamped her foot. ‘Oh! They could at least come out and talk to us!’

  ‘What other dances are there, Pix?’ said Twink, squatting down beside her.

  Pix paused at a page. ‘Well – here’s one for helping the algae grow. And there’s one to calm down nervous frogs.’

  ‘But nothing else about sprites.’ Sooze looked dangerously fed up. Her violet eyes glinted as she tapped her foot on the ground.

  ‘Well – no,’ admitted Pix. ‘But maybe they’d like it if we helped the algae grow. You know, like a snack, if they’re peckish . . .’ Her cheeks reddened as Sooze glared at her. ‘All right!’ Pix burst out. ‘We’ve tried everything and I don’t know what else to do. It’s hopeless!’ She slammed the petal book closed, her yellow wings fluttering in agitation.

  Twink’s throat tightened. ‘Then we don’t have a choice. We really do have to go to Miss Shimmery.’

  ‘No!’ burst out Sooze. ‘They’re going to come and talk to me – they have to!’ She picked up a rock.

  ‘Sooze, no!’ Twink grabbed her arm. ‘You’ll just make them even angrier!’

  Sooze shook her off. ‘How could I make them angrier? Things can’t get any worse!’

  Pix made a face. ‘She’s got a point, I suppose.’

  ‘Yes, thank you!’ Clutching the rock, Sooze flew high above the pond and then dived straight down, whistling through the air like an arrow. As she neared the ice she lifted the rock over her head, ready to fling it. Twink winced, anticipating the crash.

  ‘STOP!’ bellowed a watery voice.

  Sooze skidded to a startled halt, her legs churning the air as her wings flapped madly. The rock dropped from her grasp, skating harmlessly over the ice.

  A sleek green head had popped up through the thin ice at the edge of the pond. ‘What destruction is this!’ shrieked the sprite. ‘First you break our ice pole, now you throw rocks at us!’

  Sooze gulped. ‘I – I just wanted to talk to you. You see, I –’

  ‘Talk?’ screeched the sprite. ‘Why should we talk with you? You have not mended the pole!’

  ‘But she’s been trying,’ cried Twink. ‘She’s done everything she can think of!’

  ‘Pah!’ sneered the sprite. ‘Glue and dances and ribbons – these things are an insult! There is only one way to fix an ice pole.’ Its pale eyes bulged.

  ‘What? What is it?’ cried the three girls eagerly.

  The sprite bobbed up and down in the water, looking as if it wished it could burst on to the ground and box them about the ears. ‘What do you think? Fairy dust, of course! What could be more obvious?’

  The tips of Sooze’s pointed ears went pale. ‘But – I don’t know the secret of fairy dust yet,’ she faltered.

  ‘Then you cannot mend the pole,’ snapped the sprite.

  ‘Couldn’t someone else mend the pole?’ pleaded Twink. ‘I could do it, or Pix –’

  ‘No!’ said the sprite. It pointed an accusing webbed finger at Sooze. ‘That fairy must mend it. If anyone else tries to, we will take the pole away.’

  ‘But you’re probably going to take it away anyway,’ pointed out Sooze glumly.

  The sprite folded its arms across its scrawny chest. ‘Correct! If you have not mended the robin’s beak by the time the ceremony starts, we’ll sink the ice pole back into the pond and you’ll never see it again!’

  ‘But what about turning winter into spring?’ cried Twink. ‘We have to have the ice pole! You can’t just take it away.’

  ‘Hah! Watch us!’ And with a splash, the sprite disappeared under the ice again. No amount of cajoling brought it back. Finally the girls looked at each other in dismay.

  ‘Well, I–I guess that’s that, then,’ said Sooze faintly. ‘I’ve been trying for weeks now to get fairy dust – I don’t suppose I’m going to get it in the next day or so.’

  ‘You’ve got to try!’ said Pix. ‘You’ve got over a day, Sooze – there’s still time.’

  .

  ‘Think of your family,’ said Bimi again. ‘That’s how I got it.’

  ‘I know, you’ve told me!’ Sooze’s elbows slumped on the mushroom desk as she glared down at the yellow petal. ‘And it still doesn’t help. What have they got to do with anything?’

  Poor Sooze! thought Twink. She looked exhausted. It was almost bedtime, and they had been at it for hours already. Bimi had been let into the secret, and the four of them were all in the empty Fairy Dust branch, having got permission from Miss Sparkle to practise.

  A squad of Fourth Years flew past the dark window, checking that all the ice ornaments were in place. The Queen was due to arrive just before dawn. The ceremony was mere hours away – if it took place at all!

  The thought chilled Twink down to her pixie boots. ‘Come on, Sooze, try just once more!’ she urged.

  Sooze glanced at her. ‘How did you get it?’ she asked. ‘And don’t tell me that you thought of your family, or I’ll scream!’

  Twink hesitated. ‘Well – I tried to imagine what Bimi might have done,’ she admitted.

  Sooze groaned, covering her face with her hands. ‘Naturally!’

  Twink saw Bimi’s mouth tighten as she bit back a reply.

  ‘Just try, Sooze.’ Pix rubbed her yellow wing against Sooze’s pink one.

  Twink held her breath as Sooze reached into her bark box. Closing her eyes, she was silent for a moment – and then she flung the dust in a glittering shower of pink and gold.

  The petal stayed the same. The fairies’ wings drooped.

  ‘What were you thinking of?’ asked Twink in a low voice.

  Sooze dropped her chin on her hand. ‘I don’t know. That – I wanted to get the secret to show my family I could do it. Well, you said to think of my family!’ she added defensively as they all looked at each other.

  .

  .

  ‘Not that way, Sooze,’ said Bimi tiredly. ‘We can’t tell you any more, or we’ll give it away. But – oh, can’t you think of something else besides –’ She broke off, looking flustered as she realised what she had almost said.

  ‘Besides what?’ said Sooze in bewilderment. ‘I don’t understand!’

  ‘That’s just the problem,’ muttered Pix. And Twink knew with a sinking heart that she was right. It simply didn’t come naturally to Sooze to think of anyone other than herself. It could take her months to work out fairy dust!

  ‘Are you girls still in here?’ Miss Sparkle hovered in the open doorway, eyebrows raised. ‘That’s quite enough practice – you must be worn out by now! Time to get ready for bed. I’ll put the fairy dust away for you.’

 
; ‘Oh, please, Miss, just a few more minutes!’ burst out Sooze. ‘I really want to dance in the ceremony –’

  Miss Sparkle shook her head gently. ‘I’m sorry that you haven’t got it yet, Sooze, but never mind; watching the Spring Ceremony will be lovely as well. Now come on, flitter-flutter.’

  Despair swept over Twink as she and the others flew slowly from the room. Sooze would never have a chance to get it now. What on earth were they going to do?

  ‘No,’ said Sooze.

  ‘But, Sooze, we have to!’ whispered Twink. They were in the bath-branch, rubbing their arms with soft mossy sponges. Walnut buckets of fresh water stood on mushroom stands.

  ‘No,’ repeated Sooze. ‘I am absolutely not going to tell Miss Shimmery. And you can’t, either – promise me, all of you!’ She glanced at Pix and Bimi, who were washing nearby.

  ‘But, Sooze, it’s not being a tell-tale, don’t you see?’ said Bimi miserably. ‘What if the sprites really take the ice pole away? There won’t be any spring!’

  ‘And the Queen’s going to be here,’ added Pix. ‘We can’t just keep quiet about it.’

  Bright tears shone in Sooze’s eyes as she scrubbed at her arms. ‘Maybe I’ll still get the secret in time.’

  ‘Oh, Sooze . . .’ Twink trailed off.

  ‘I might.’ Sooze wiped her eyes. ‘Maybe I just need to really feel under pressure. I’ll get some fairy dust off Winn before breakfast. I bet I’ll work it out once the Queen gets here.’

  ‘But we can’t wait until then!’ cried Twink. ‘Everyone will be down at the pond, ready for the ceremony to start!’

  ‘And besides, then you’d have to mend the pole in front of the whole school,’ pointed out Bimi. She looked horrified at the thought.

  Sooze flung her sponge back into the bucket with a splash. ‘Well, that’s better than telling everyone that I broke it and there’s not going to be a spring this year!’

  ‘I don’t know, Sooze . . .’ Pix tapped her wings together. ‘I think we should fly up to Miss Shimmery’s office and tell her the truth.’

  ‘No!’ Sooze glanced quickly around and lowered her voice again, her fists clenched. ‘It’s not your secret to tell. If I don’t get it before the ceremony starts, I’ll tell then, I promise. But just give me a little bit more time!’