Tinker Bell Mothra: Of Moths & Fairies

by Japan Boy

Another Disney-Toho crossover: in this flashback story, see how Tinker Bell & the other fairies from Pixie Hollow first met the Elias as they help them bring down Moll & Lora's vile twin sister Belvera, along with some of the world's most dangerous monsters! Kindly review if read.

For everyone at Walt Disney Studios, for making Tinker Bell one of their most enduring &

beloved characters of all time in their roster, earning her a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

on September 21, 2010, joining Snow White, Winnie the Pooh, Donald Duck & Mickey Mouse.

For television, movie & voice actress Mae Whitman along with the remaining voice cast of the

5 'Tinker Bell' films from 2008-2012, giving Tinker Bell a brand new generation of fans.

For the good people at Japan's Toho Company, for giving us a remarkable butterfly kaiju who's

just as harmonious & beautiful now as she was when Mothra first appeared to the world in 1961.

And finally, to Sir James Matthew (J.M.) Barrie, who created Tinker Bell in 1904 in his novel &

play 'Peter & Wendy'. If not for him, Tinker Bell would be all but dust, pixie or otherwise.

TINKER BELL/MOTHRA:

OF MOTHS & FAIRIES

2011 by Anthony Ogozalek

CHAPTER I

London, City of Westminster:

Not since the Great Fire back in 1666 which burned many blocks & ruined numerous structures or the Great Plague from the previous year which killed up to 100,00 people has the city of London suffered a major blow: at approximately 2:00 in the afternoon, a rumbling began occurring that made everyone cease their daily activities & stay on alert, being on edge & uneasy, not knowing just when or where the quake was originating at, let alone how it even started. People were nervous: London hadn't had any kind of quake since 1382 & 1580, so the populace wondered amid their fear as to why one would occur now of all times. For fifteen minutes, the local authorities were urging people to remain calm & to follow the necessary instructions that were being broadcasted on both radio & television.

Everyone waited with baited breath for what happened next.

They didn't have to wait long.

At 2:20, a chunk of ground in the middle of Green Park suddenly erupted, spraying grass & globs of dirt & rocks the size of boulders into the air, landing yards away. People scrambled to get out of the path of these oncoming projectiles, barely escaping getting crushed. Smoke exited from where the hole in the ground was made, but those in the vicinity could see a large silhouette moving from within. This shape shook itself like a groggy bear that was just awakening from a long winter hibernation, shaking off excess dirt, rocks & the obscuring smoke. When it vanished, people gasped mostly in fear at the sight which they now behold: a quadrupedal creature was looking out in its new surroundings. The thing measured about 25 to 30 meters in height, but was nearly three times that in length from nose to tail. Its body color was a dark hue of brown, & had an armored carapace of thick overlapping plates upon its back & tail. On each of its feet & hands were a trio of toes & fingers that ended in sharp claws, perfect for rending & tearing away at its food or enemies. It had an unusual dinosaurian head, having sprouted what appeared to be large ears on the sides that flapped when it moved its head. Twin sinister reptilian eyes gazed the area, & a mouth filled with sharp teeth opened & closed with anticipation. Small but pointed curved spikes rested on top of its head, while a sharp horn protruded from its snout that glowed briefly in the overcast afternoon sky. A shrilling, echoing roar escaped its toothy maw which could be heard for miles around, causing people to run for cover at the horror that now besieges their city.

For forty minutes, this dinosaurian monster rampages throughout the area, having crashed into & demolishing the Buckingham Palace Gardens building as the inhabitants flee like a horde of scurrying ants that have been discovered under a rock before making its way towards River Thames, heavily damaging & destroying all structures in its way, including the Guards Museum & Her Majesty's Courts & Tribunal Service buildings. Crashing through St. Margaret's Church, many people who had taken refuge there & believing the monster wouldn't damage to or destroy the House of God took off running for safer grounds as debris rained down over their heads.

Then it spots a structure that grabs its attention above all else.

That structure is none other than Big Ben itself, the largest four-faced chiming clock tower designed by Augustus Pugin, & one of the city's most famous landmarks.

Unleashing its beastial roar, the monster strolls towards London's prominent symbol as it smashes through the Burrowes David building & into the inner yard of the Palace of Westminster where it comes upon a plethora of people who got trapped when the rumble caused pieces of debris to block the doors, keeping them pent up like cattle. Some tried breaking windows, but only received red & black-&-blue bruises.

Now they really were cattle, & this creature which now briefly stands up on its hind legs before getting down on all fours again bellows a happy roar as it gets hungry & heads towards its helpless prey, all of whom are too frozen with fear to even stifle a scream.

With murderous intent in its reptilian eyes & its mouth wide open, the monster begins to feast as the teeth get closer to its food.

From above, twin beams of yellow energy strike down on the monster's back, causing it to bellow in pain. Looking up, it sees a giant butterfly with a body length of about 36 meters & a wingspan of roughly 110 meters in width. Its body consisted of white & light brown fur, with three pairs of thin but strong legs underneath. The head sprouted twin antennae, a black mouth which opened horizontally & a pair of blue eyes that shined with radiance & beauty. The wings were equally beautiful, with patches of black, red, orange & yellow. An angry chirp emitted from its mouth, marking it as a challenge to the dinosaurian beast that now eyes it when it flies by overhead from a height of 100 feet. Taking one last look at the frightened people, the monster now ignores them & focuses its energy on the newcomer: why bother with small tidbits when it can have a larger, more fulfilling meal?

The giant butterfly hovers over the Middlesex Guildhall, eyeing the monster & daring it to make a move. Returning its hateful gaze, the dinosaurian creature rears up on its hind legs & lets out an angry roar, clearly not happy with interrupting its afternoon feast. Watching from atop the London Eye Ferris Wheel across the River Thames, a small butterfly identical to the larger one but with a wingspan of only around a dozen inches or so hovers with two small passengers on top. Both are Japanese women measuring only six inches tall, as one wears a kimono of orange & yellow with matching orange boots & gloves, & a blue cloth belt wrapped around her waist. Her companion wears a kimono, shoes & gloves of blue with an orange cloth belt. A small gold crown was placed upon their well-groomed heads of hair.

These two six-inch-tall women are known as the Elias: a very long time ago, there were many of these little humans on the Earth.

Now there are only three left.

Knowing what was about to take place, the two women were filled with dread.

"So…our suspicions turned out to be correct after all, didn't they, Moll?", said the one in blue, sitting behind her.

"I'm afraid so, Lora", said Moll. "As we both feared from the beginning, Mothra now faces the ancient subterranean beast Baragon. One guess as to who went & revived it from its ancient slumber."

Lora nods. She didn't need to say her name, as they both knew the culprit for reviving Baragon was none other than their older sister Belvera, who was as different from Moll & Lora as night is to day: while the latter two girls were benevolent souls, Belvera was wicked & longed to see the Earth cleansed of humans, as she believes they will one day destroy the planet on their own. That's why she released Baragon from his ancient slumber from nearby Ireland, luring him here to London, thinking it would be a good place for him to start. Taking no chances, Moll & Lora summoned Mothra to help subdue him again.

Now it's up to her to put the subterranean dinosaur to sleep once more.

Bellowing a roar of rage, Baragon uses his powerful hind legs to make a mighty leap from the ruins of the Palace of Westminster over to the Middlesex Guildhall building with amazing speed despite Baragon's size & bulk. The burly saurian lands on & demolishes the building only a second after Mothra lifts herself up & away from it, missing Baragon's savage claws. Furious, Baragon fires an orange heat ray from his mouth up at Mothra, but the giant butterfly dodges left to avoid the searing heat. She retaliates by firing twin beams from her antennae down at her foe, striking him dead-on in his shoulders, causing him to bellow out in rage & pain. Mothra keeps her assault up as she slams hard into the subterranean dinosaur, knocking him onto his armored back & sending him sliding across the pavement. Chunks of concrete & dirt spray in opposite directions of Baragon as he gets taken towards what remains of St. Margaret's Church, crashing into the remnants of the once-great structure. Debris covers him like a blanket, & Baragon soon becomes invisible to all.

All but Mothra, that is.

Not wanting to give Baragon time to gather his wits, Mothra bombards her enemy with a cascade of antennae blasts, stingers from her abdomen & yellow beams from her wings. Baragon roars in pain & disapproval, his resentment getting louder & stronger with every passing second.

Finally, Baragon could stand no more: even with the heavy bombardment from Mothra, the dinosaurian beast rises from his nest of rubble & launches his heat ray that strikes Mothra in the underside of her abdomen. Stunned by this surprise attack, the giant lepidopteron screeches in pain & gets herself to a safe distance just in time to see Baragon launch another heat ray attack. With only a split second to respond, Mothra lifts up into the air away from the searing heat. She then fires her antennae beams which strike her foe in the chest, making him bellow angrily. This gives her enough time to get close to Baragon & begin battering him with a combo of beams from her wings & strong wind gusts from them as she flaps her colorful appendages, throwing debris & dust in Baragon's direction, blocking his vision & impairing it. The beams from her wings weren't helping his foul mood either: the bombardment he was receiving was making him even more irate & vicious the longer this kept up. Like any wounded animal, Baragon lashed out with fury as he unleashes his orange heat ray indiscriminately, shooting it off in all directions. A stray beam hits places like Parliament Square & the Victoria Tower, scorching & destroying what it touches with its intense heat.

From within Big Ben, Madeline, a young woman presumably in her late 20s & dressed in red was scrambling up steps in the landmark clock tower, frantically searching for her young six-year-old daughter who had disappeared from her sight amid the panic & evacuation of people when Baragon first appeared. For several minutes, Madeline looked everywhere in the structure where she set foot, hoping to see a glimpse of her daughter as the sounds of screeching/roaring monsters, destruction & terrified fleeing people could be heard even from within. Finally, she gets to the top of the tower & finds a young girl who's slightly obese, dressed up in a baby blue dress & shoes with short brown hair & green eyes. A light shade of pink covers her lips. She was looking out from the tower at the raging battle between Mothra & Baragon when Madeline calls her name.

"Sareena!"

Madeline rushes up to her & takes her arm.

"What on Earth are you doing up here?", she says, taking her away from the view. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"I was just watching the battle from a safe distance, Mother!", Sareena says like it was no big deal. "Neither of those monsters even know I'm in here!"

"That only makes the situation all the more dangerous! What if one of them should all of a sudden make its way here & hit this place with us in it? We'd be killed!"

"But, Mother…", Sareena started protesting but her mother would have none of it.

"No 'buts', young lady!", Madeline says firmly, pulling her daughter with her to the stairs. "We're getting out of here now! For Heaven's sake, Sareena, this isn't a zoo we're in, honey! It's chaos! Now come!"

At the ruins of St. Margaret Church, Baragon gets in a hit on Mothra when one of his beams strikes the giant lepidopteron in her left wing, causing her to screech in pain. Another of his beams hits her in her thorax, forcing her to put distance between her & her enemy. One more of Baragon's stray beams strikes Big Ben itself, causing an explosion near the base as debris gets sprayed & the tower begins to rock with some of the façade starting to crack upwards. Madeline & Sareena were jarred by the hit, & they lose their grip on each other. Things take a turn for the worse when Big Ben suddenly lurches to one side, causing both ladies to slide across the floor to a hole in the wall caused by the structure's tremor - a hole they were both heading straight for!

"Mother!", yelled Sareena, reaching out to her.

"Sareena!", Madeline yelled back, doing the same.

The ladies head straight for the gap in Big Ben's side, & despite their efforts to slow their ascent towards it, they could not do so. All they could do was grab onto the ledge as soon as they were able. With only a second to act, they were just able to take hold of a piece of wall on either side of one another, being ten feet apart as they dangle at a height of 300 feet, their hearts beating madly with fear.

With one hand, they reach out to each other in desperation when the piece of wall they'd been holding onto for support & salvation from sudden death gives way, plunging both mother & daughter to their deaths as their graves rush up to meet them.

As Mothra backs up, the winds she was generating lessened in force, enabling Baragon to go on the offensive. With a mighty leap, he plows straight into the giant butterfly & knocks her flat on her back, the roles reversed from before. Being on top, Baragon drags Mothra from the ruins of St. Margaret Church across Parliament Square & crashing into the HM Treasury, spilling tons of debris everywhere, including onto both beastly contenders. Pressing his advantage, the subterranean dinosaur rakes at Mothra with his front claws, slashing at her in the face & the base of her wings. Mothra's screeches of pain are ignored as Baragon keeps up his assault on her & creates cuts that start bleeding green. Desperate, Mothra uses her antennae beams to get her foe off before he decides to gut or really tear into her. The beams catch Baragon square in the face & cause him to cry out in a bellowing roar. With amazing strength in spite of her frail appearance, Mothra pulls herself out from under Baragon's tremendous weight & knocks him over to his left side, crashing into more of the building. Flying upside down until she gets to a safe distance & altitude, Mothra turns herself right-side up & makes a u-turn in mid-air just in time to see her foe launch himself at her with a mighty leap.

But she was ready for him: with a hard swap from her left wing, Mothra smacks Baragon & sends him flying towards the remains of the evacuated Buckingham Palace Gardens building, crumbling it to earth with a ground-shaking thud that was felt for miles. Getting back up albeit groggily, Baragon was struck from behind by a combo of Mothra's antennae beams & abdomen stingers. In his current condition, his armored back was no protection: the beams seared his back as the sharp stingers penetrated the thick plating. The pain caused Baragon to bellow loudly as he falls onto all four feet, stunned by the attacks.

It still didn't mean that Baragon was finished, however: when he senses Mothra coming in close, the subterranean dinosaur lashes out with his thick tail & smacks the giant butterfly in the head, knocking her atop the Department for International Development building. Her weight causes the abandoned structure to collapse onto & around her, burying her in tons of debris as she screeches in pain & protest. Once the stars were gone from his sight, Baragon unleashes his heat ray at where Mothra made her crash landing, damaging the building even more in explosions of fire. Soon, the Buckingham Gate side of the building was in a funeral pyre as fires rose into the overcast afternoon sky. Baragon waits for several moments to see if his adversary was all but dead & roasted by the flames, staring into the fire as if hypnotized by it.

Believing he was triumphant, Baragon lets out a roar of satisfaction.

His victory was short-lived: from within the debris & flames, twin yellow beams shot forth & struck the subterranean dinosaur in the face. Roaring in dismay, Baragon watches as Mothra emerges from her bed of rubble, past the flames & straight into Baragon before he can gather his wits. Slamming into him headfirst in his stomach, Mothra puts Baragon onto his back & grabs his chest with her legs, using her claws to get a firm hold. Once she was secure, she shoots a strong electric current from her body into Baragon as electricity surrounds his whole body.

Baragon roars painfully as his vision starts going dark & the electricity Mothra emits lights up the immediate area.

Like her mother did, Sareena shielded her eyes when she plummeted to earth, not wanting to see or feel her final moments of life go in a flash.

But the impact, let alone her life in flashes, never came.

When she removed her arm from her eyes, Sareena found that she was no longer falling to her death; in fact, she wasn't even dead to begin with. She saw herself in the middle of a yard in the Palace of Westminster, right next to Big Ben, the latter of which was now laying in a heap of rubble. No doubt it fell & broke apart shortly after Sareena & her mother fell from it, she mused.

I'm alive!, Sareena thought, clearly baffled. How is that even possible? And how exactly did Mother & I get way over here when we…Mother!

Forgetting about her miraculous rescue, Sareena gets to her feet & rushes over to Madeline & starts calling to her, gently but firmly shaking her shoulders.

"Mother! Mother!", she cries.

After half-a-dozen shakes, Madeline opens her eyes & sees her daughter.

"Sareena?", Madeline says, her eyes going wide as she is shocked and relieved to see her daughter alive & seemingly well. She hugs her closely. "Sareena! Are you hurt anywhere?"

Madeline's little girl checked herself over thoroughly from head to toe.

"No, Mother. Not a scratch on me!", she says, shaking her head. "How about you?"

Sareena's mother does the same, with exact results.

"Not even so much as a paper cut!", she replied. "How in the world did this happen? It's like nothing short of a miracle, considering we should both be dead right now!"

"So then, why aren't we dead, Mother?", Sareena asked, just as baffled as she. "What kind of miracle saved us from being sent to the grave?"

"This kind, Sareena!"

A pair of two new female voices cut through the air, grabbing the attention of mother & daughter. When they turn to their left, they were met with a most unusual sight: a pair of tiny, six-inch Japanese women in colorful attire riding on top of a small butterfly float down to them at eye level at a distance of sixteen inches away. Madeline & Sareena's eyes go agape at the mere sight of the small women, who smile back at them in delight.

Still dumbfounded, Madeline stayed silent, but Sareena came a bit closer as her curiosity gets the better of her.

"My word!", she says in an almost breathless voice. "Are you both fairies? And were you the ones who actually saved us from certain death just now?"

The two small ladies look at each other in amusement & then back at Sareena, barely able to surpress a giggle.

"While we may not be true fairies, we do have similar attributes to them", said the one in orange attire. She gestures with her hand. "My name is Moll, & this sitting right behind me is my sister Lora. We're known as the Elias."

"And this cute little fella", Lora says, gesturing to their butterfly, "is named Fairy. And to answer your second question, I'm afraid we only had a very small hand in your miraculous save. They're the ones who did the real chore!"

"'They'? Who do you mean, Lora?", Madeline wondered as did her daughter mentally.

Still smiling, Moll & Lora turn towards their left.

"You all can come out now!", they say in unison cheerfully.

From a pile of rubble to their right, Madeline & Sareena can see a multitude of yellow glows that shine through the gloom of the day & their immediate surroundings. Three seconds later, they were both met with a most astonishing sight, one even more so than that of Moll, Lora & Fairy themselves: from out of the rubble emerged a group of no less than nine small humans - eight females & one male - who were more or less the same size as Moll & Lora were. The only difference is that unlike the twin Elias, these small people have wings on their backs! A closer inspection from Madeline & Sareena shows that the clothing these small people wear are made consistently of leaves & things like acorns, with colors ranging from green, orange, pink, purple, brown, yellow & blue. One of the fairies was even dark-skinned like Civil Rights Activist Rosa Parks, & another even had a pair of the most miniature binoculars Sareena & her mother had ever seen. Each one of these 'people' had a yellow glow surrounding their persons, & a trail of dust followed wherever they flew.

Keeping all these factors in mind, Sareena came up with the only logical solution, & her mouth became a wide grin.

"Fairies! Real fairies!", she exclaimed with glee. "From Pixie Hollow, right?"

The fairy with a green leaf dress & blonde hair approached Sareena.

"The very same, Sareena!", she said.

"Amazing! I can even hear you talking! I read somewhere that when a fairy talks to a human, he or she hears only something like the sounds of a bell, or whatever! How is it that I can be hearing you speaking?"

"I've wondered that same thing, Sareena", Madeline said, coming to her daughter's side.

That's when Moll & Lora comes to the blonde fairy's side as the former explains.

"You two are hearing the fairy's words because of us. You see, since Lora & myself share a telepathic link, we can use it to translate a fairy's words into speech you'd understand. That way, the fairies of Pixie Hollow can speak to you regularly as you would with anyone else."

"Like my daughter said…amazing!", Madeline says, clearly impressed.

"Isn't it?", asked the blonde-haired fairy. A cry from Mothra catches their attention, & they all race (& fly) over to the opening in the wall that Baragon made before the giant butterfly's intervention. When they get to the edge, they watch as Mothra has Baragon in her grip like she had before but from his back instead of his stomach, her claws dug deep in his armored plates. A strong electric current still courses through the subterranean dinosaur's body as Mothra took no chances of him reviving anytime soon, especially since she is now airborne high above the streets of London with her catch as Baragon's arms, legs, tail & head hang loose, his eyes closed.

Package in tow, Mothra heads north, unleashing a triumphant screech from her mandibles.

Viewing the scenery from a secluded spot & hidden from all prying eyes including her own two younger siblings, Belvera scowled in dismay at the events that had unfolded as she witnesses Mothra carrying the defeated Baragon away from London.

Curse that Mothra!, she thought with undisguised contempt. This would've been a grand slaughter for Baragon, had it not been for her! And she's meddled in my affairs for much too long! One of these days, she's going to pay dearly for doing so…along with her little guardians & my younger siblings Moll & Lora! Just you all wait!

"Come, Garu-Garu! There's nothing else for us here!", she orders her pet henchman, a black, white & gray creature she rides that is a combo of a bat & a dragon. Obeying his master, Garu-Garu takes to the air with Belvera in tow.

Sareena, her mother & company watch as Mothra disappears from sight with Baragon in her grip.

"And there goes Mothra with her defeated enemy", said the dark-skinned fairy.

"Mothra?", Sareena & her mother wondered.

"Yes", said Lora. "Mothra is our guardian & the keeper of peace on this wonderful Earth. She has done so for many years with us by her side."

"Do you mean to say that you girls & Mothra…look out for each other?", asked Madeline.

"In a manner of speaking, we do", Moll explains. "She shares a bond with Lora & I, & that bond has helped us in defeating the worst kinds of threats that dare cause harm to the Earth."

"It's something like as to how you & your mother are able to understand us, Sareena", said the blonde fairy. "They keep a telepathic link with one another."

"So you're saying that Moll & Lora can control Mothra?", Sareena asked.

"To a degree, yes", Moll said. "But we're being rude, & getting way ahead of ourselves. We should introduce you & your mother to the rest of our company before we go any further."

"Allow me, Moll", the blonde fairy said. "Madeline, Sareena, these are my fellow fairies & friends from Pixie Hollow." Pointing to each one, she starts introductions. "First up is our scout fairy Myka, followed by mainland-visiting fairy Prilla, dust-keeper fairy Terence, light fairy Iridessa, garden fairy Rosetta, water fairy Silvermist, animal fairy Fawn, fast-flying fairy Vidia, & my name is Tinker Bell! I'm a…"

"A tinker fairy!", Sareena finished for her happily. "Your kind of fairies are one of the first ones I've read about! Your tinker inventions help the other fairies to benefit in their causes!"

Tinker Bell couldn't supress a giggle.

"You sure are a sharp one, Sareena!", she says proudly. "But it isn't just a tinker fairy's doohickeys that assist others in Pixie Hollow."

"Tinker Bell's correct", said Iridessa. "Since you seem to have some knowledge of us, then you'd know that each one of our talents in Pixie Hollow is just as important as the next, & we all work in unison to bring the yearly seasons here to the mainland when the time is right for them. If we didn't, then everything - from the seasons to Pixie Hollow itself - would be in utter chaos."

"I see what you mean, Iridessa", Sareena said, turning to Prilla. "But how is your talent in visiting the mainland so important, Prilla?"

"There's a good reason for that, sweetie", Prilla explains. "You see, I make frequent trips to & from the mainland & appear before little children to keep their beliefs in us both strong & healthy."

"And is that why you fairies exist to this day?", Madeline asked.

"That's right, dearie", Rosetta adds. "It's most important of all because, the sad but true fact of the matter is, if little children like your daughter didn't believe in us, well…"

Rosetta couldn't finish her statement, so Vidia does it for her.

"We simply cease to be. Simple as that."

"You mean to say you all would just…die?", Sareena asked with dread in her voice.

All the fairies, including Moll & Lora, nod solemnly.

"More or less", Myka said. "That's why Prilla's job is most essential & vital to our very existence."

"You wouldn't stop believing in us, would you, Sareena?", Terence asks.

"No, never!", she answered immediately. "You fairies are the most wonderful beings on the face of the Earth, & have as much right to exist as anyone else does!"

All the fairies grin their biggest & brightest from Sareena's remark…even Vidia.

"Thank you, Sareena", Silvermist said sincerely, seeing the veracity in her face & voice.

"But I still must ask you all something that's puzzling me", Sareena went on.

"What might that be, Sareena?", Fawn asks.

"First off, how did you all know who my mother & I were when we just met? Don't get me wrong - we're both grateful to you all for saving our lives & all, but why save particularly us? And if Moll & Lora here aren't fairies from Pixie Hollow, how did you all get to know each other like you do?"

Tinker Bell giggles again.

"Well, you sure are full of questions, Sareena!", she states. "But don't worry, because we have answers to just about all of them, & then some."

"You mean there are stories behind each of those questions?", Madeline asked.

"Just one story in particular, Madeline", Lora said as Moll nods.

"Lora's right", Vidia went on. "I should point out that this isn't the first time us fairies were involved in something like this, being in an incident with giant monsters such as Baragon."

The other Pixie Hollow fairies nod in unison again.

"Are you saying that London was attacked by a giant creature before?", Madeline asked.

"Two of them, in fact", Fawn replied. "It was one of the city's - and even Pixie Hollow's - darkest days one can imagine."

"That's an incident that still haunts Pixie Hollow to this day, I have to admit", Silvermist adds with a slight shiver up her spine.

"I'd like to know about it, Silvermist", Sareena said plain & simple. "And Tinker Bell did say that you had answers to my all other questions. I'd love to know."

"Of course you do, Sareena. We expected as much", said Terence. "But first, let's head for someplace which won't leave us so…exposed like this."

"Good idea, Terrence. And I think I know just the place we can head for to tell Sareena & her mother our story…and give her the answers she longs for in one shot!", Tinker Bell says.

Facing her fairy friends, Tinker Bell winks with a glitter in her eye, giving them all the answer they need.

Even Moll & Lora get the message.

"Lead the way, Tinker Bell!", Moll says.

With a smile & a nod, Tinker Bell & company head off, taking Sareena & Madeline with them.

They were on the verge of telling one of the most memorable stories of Pixie Hollow's long history.

CHAPTER II

Mainland England, over a century ago:

It was the start of the summer season, & the sky teemed with life. Birds of all kinds flew in happy, rapid succession in the warmth of the season, soaking in the sun, feeding their young & simply just enjoying being in their natural element. The same went for all the insects that buzzed about, traveling solo or in groups, searching for the nearest flower to take nectar from or feast on.

The land animals were the same: mice & ground insects scurry about in search for their next meal or meeting others of its kind to frolic gleefully, with chipmunks & squirrels searching for nuts to gather to feed themselves & their offspring. With more than plenty of open land to go about & human civilization miles away from this vast space, each species of animals, land or air, will have much to take in & explore at their leisure.

Just like the wildlife itself, the fairies of Pixie Hollow were in the same joyous mood. The season of summer was their favorite of all the seasons that they help to prepare to bring to the mainland, & each time it arrives, they become as anxious, frivolous & giddy as any child who simply can't wait to open their presents on Christmas morning.

With Tinker Bell in front, she leads a band of Pixie Hollow fairies towards Fairy Camp. Following her are water fairy Silvermist, light fairy Iridessa, garden fairy Rosetta, animal fairy Fawn, dust-keeper sparrow man Terence, mainland-visiting fairy Prilla & scout fairy Myka. Fast-flying fairy Vidia was originally supposed to be leading this merry band, but being the fastest of any Pixie Hollow fairy, she naturally blazed on way ahead of everyone else, & is no doubt at Fairy Camp already even as they fly towards it.

It's not like any of them had too much of a problem with it - Vidia is basically a loner, & prefers to do things on her own due to her talent.

For the most part, that suits the other fairies just fine.

No skin off our nose, Tinker Bell thought. Vidia does everything by herself, leaving us all in the dust. Then again, if I were the fastest fairy in all of Pixie Hollow, I guess I too would be overconfident in my abilities, never having to rely on others to get things done…or would I?

Then Tinker Bell thought of how Vidia arranged for her rescue when she got her trapped in a small, human-made house built by a little girl named Lizzy, the young daughter of Dr. Martin Griffiths, a man who once believed in hard facts, not fantasy, unlike Lizzy, who firmly believed in fairies. Even though Lizzy was kind-hearted & enthusiastic towards her & the world of her people in Pixie Hollow, Tinker Bell could've easily been captured by humans who were not as benevolent as Lizzy Griffiths, & thereby could've never been seen or heard from again were that the case. When Vidia brought the other fairies to come set her free, not knowing what was in store for her, Tinker Bell saw a different side in Vidia she & the rest hadn't seen before - a rather compassionate side, even though Vidia hides it well & is most reluctant to admit/show it.

But I do know that she does have a good side to her, & her planning & leading my rescue from Lizzy is proof of that, Tinker Bell thought. Besides, if the roles were reversed, I wouldn't have hesitated to help save Vidia or any Pixie Hollow fairy in trouble, no matter how kind or selfish they might be.

For the rest of the way to Fairy Camp, Tinker Bell flew on in silence, her own thoughts on nothing but the upcoming season, & all the fun she's going to have with her friends who follow her like a flock of birds flying south for the winter.

A half hour later, they arrived at their destination.

"And here we are! Fairy Camp, last stop!", Terence says playfully as they touched ground & pushed aside the leafy curtain to the great oak tree that holds their seasonal camp. Even though everyone knew - including Tinker Bell - what to expect, the mere sight of the interior of Fairy Camp still amazes them in every aspect: fairies & animals in motion, creating magic & wonders with their natural talents in bringing summer.

"Here, Tink", said Terence, handing her a small leaf ball. "Your extra dose of pixie dust."

"Thanks, Terence", Tinker Bell said, accepting the stash. Nodding, the dust-keeper does the same for the rest of the group - Iridessa, Prilla, Myka, Silvermist, Rosetta & Fawn.

"Thanks, Terence!", they all said when only Rosetta continued speaking. "You really are the best! No wonder Tinker Bell is such good friends with you!"

The garden fairy bats her eyelashes in a playful manner, making Terence & Tinker Bell a little embarrassed & their cheeks get somewhat red. The others giggle slightly to their response.

Great, Tink thought. I've been here for not even one minute, & already my friends make Terence & I bashful. How many times must I tell them - we're just good friends?

"Hey, don't be ashamed, you two!", Rosetta went on, putting them at ease. "It's perfectly normal! Do you know that I once had a crush on a winter fairy named Sled?"

That piece of trivia took them by surprise.

"YOU?", they all said in shock, staring at her. Rosetta just smiled sheepishly, her hands behind her back.

Oh, won't someone please save me from this?, Rosetta thought, praying for a miracle.

"Haydeehi, haydeeho, Miss Bell!"

That voice!, Tinker Bell thought happily, knowing it anywhere. Turning around, she finds a burly fairy slightly taller than she, wearing a green outfit in two shades with matching shoes. A head of thick black hair rests at the top, & his eyes showed a hint of brown in them. A smile was plastered across his face, & a hammer of rock with a wooden stick hung from his belt.

"Ah, Clank!", Tinker Bell said with joy.

"Huh? Oh no, Miss Bell! I don't need or want a spank! I've been a good tinker fairy as of late!", Clank says innocently. "Just ask Bobble!"

Tink & the other fairies bring a confused expression on their faces, staring at Clank as if he'd suddenly sprouted antennae on his forehead. Clank just scratched his head.

"One moment, folks!", said a fairy also dressed in green leaf cloth & shoes. This one was much thinner than Clank, with short & messy red hair. His eyes were covered by a pair of glasses with a wooden frame, & his 'lenses' were actually dewdrops that help him see more clearly since he's near-sighted. From his string belt, a hammer not unlike Clank's own & a flower eyedropper hung proudly at.

He's Clank's best friend & tinker companion.

"Bobble!", the new arrivals say as Bobble reaches up & takes out Clank's cotton ear plugs with his fingers.

"There! You forgot to take these out of your ears…again!", Bobble said, holding up the cotton to Clank's face as the burly tinker fairy grinned.

"Oops! My bad, Bobble! Thank you!", Clank said, taking his cotton plugs & placing them back in his pocket. His slim comrade just sighed & shook his head & the others giggled, clearly amused at their antics, however unintentional they are.

"Well, that was interesting, to say the least", Myka said. "I'll catch you all later. I'm needed at my post to keep an eye out on the horizon. I am a scout fairy, after all."

"As for me", said Terence. "I've got other fairies to hand out their dose of pixie dust to. See ya later, everyone!"

With a smile & a wave, Terence took off to perform his chore.

"We'd best be going too, Tinker Bell", Iridessa says. "While we spend the summer here, it still doesn't mean that we shun our duties. And don't forget…we've got a grand opening to help set up for tonight. See you later for it?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, 'Dessa! Have a great, flitter-ific day, everyone!", Tinker Bell said proudly.

"You too, Tink!", Prilla said as she & the rest all took to the air & went off in different directions to perform what they were made to do.

"Looks like you're stuck with us again, Miss Bell!", Clank said. "Not that it's a bad thing, mind you. We are all tinker fairies, and…"

"Uh, what Clank here is trying to say", Bobble interjects, cutting him off, "is that they'll be plenty of things for us to, well…tinker with as the days progress. Yeah, that's it!" Bobble looks at Clank hard. "Right?"

"Oh uh, right!", Clank said with a grin. "Relax, Miss Bell. You won't feel as useless as you were the first time you were here."

His reward for his remark was a stomp on the foot by Bobble, making the burly fairy yelp.

"Ix-nay on the sue-less-ay, Clank dear boy!", Bobble warned under his breath.

Tinker Bell lets out a laugh of pure joy.

"Don't fret, you two", she says evenly. "I'll be sure to take it easy this time around, & fix something only when there is something to fix, or in our case…tinker with."

"Does that also mean you won't try to fix any more families this time…namely, any human families?", said a new voice, one that was mostly a displeasure to hear from nearly all fairies.

Turning, Tinker Bell, Clank & Bobble saw a fairy in a leaf dress of purple with a head of long, dark violet hair in a ponytail. In her blue eyes the tinker trio could easily see a spot of sheer cruelty & malevolence that she doesn't bother to hide.

"Hello, Vidia", Tinker Bell said with pretend kindness, crossing her arms across her chest.

Clank & Bobble, however, were indifferent.

"Top o' the morning' to ya, Vidia!", they say in unison, smiling.

Her own arms crossed, Vidia looks at them like a snake would a mouse just before it comes in for the kill & replies with a simple 'hmph'.

Their good spirit broken, Clank & Bobble cease their smile, turn & start to fly away, more than a little ashamed.

"What's wrong with you, Vidia?", Tinker Bell says, clearly unhappy with her treatment to her fellow tinkers. "They were merely saying hello to you! Why can't you go be more respectful to those who just want to give you so much as a friendly greeting for the day?"

Vidia casually flies up to the tinker & places her arm around her shoulder. Through it all, Tink kept a not-too-pleasant look on her face.

"Sweetie", Vidia begins with less charm than she meant. "First off, those two make me feel like I'm an embarrassment…something I try to steer clear of whenever I can. Secondly, is this any way to treat the one who organized a rescue party for you when you got trapped in that human house the first summer you spent here?"

"Not to sound ungrateful, Vidia, but that still doesn't give you any right to treat my friends like they're used acorn hats! Besides, who was it that got me trapped in that house in the first place, hmmm?"

"Tinker Bell, I tried to warn you about human things & how unpredictable & dangerous they can be, but did you actually listen to me? Noooo, you just had to go & pique, or should I say, satisfy your own curiosity, & where did it get you? Trapped…like a bird in a cage! You know, Tink, you were lucky that human girl was rather nice to you! Of what I hear, some humans kidnap others & make them their slaves…or worse!"

"Ha! This coming from the fairy who got herself trapped in a jar as a specimen to be taken to a museum for display!"

Vidia fell silent & frowned after that. She vividly remembers when Dr. Martin Griffiths was about to put Tinker Bell in a jar & show the science trustees at the London Museum when Vidia flew in & pushed Tink out of harm's way, only to get herself caught in the very jar Tinker Bell would've been caught in.

Were it not for Lizzy & the others, the Pixie Hollow fairies & its whole way of life would never have been the same…and not in a good way either. While Vidia could care less for how others think of her, the last thing she'd want is for her home to be ruined in any way, shape or form.

Rather than discuss the matter further, Vidia smirked.

"Hmmm, good comeback, sweetie", she said, removing her arm from Tink's shoulder. "I guess you got me on that one, I admit. Still…do try to stay out of mischief & away from humans this time, won't you?"

Speaking her last few words, Vidia slowly lifted herself off the ground.

"See you later, darling!", she says in her wicked way before taking off in the blink of an eye, disappearing from sight as suddenly as she arrived.

That suited just fine with Tink.

Hmph! Maybe I was wrong before in thinking there's some good in her!, she thought with some contempt, but that went away in a heartbeat. No…Vidia may be impossible most of the time, but I can sense her helpful side. She just doesn't want her reputation ruined if she got others in believing she was going soft. So how come it's me who can sense it in her better than others? I'm just a tinker fairy like Clank & Bobble. But why would she be more compassionate mostly towards me…in her own way, at least?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a snug at her feet. Looking down, she saw a welcome sight that made her grin brightly: a mouse with light blue fur on top & white fur underneath it was nibbling its nose on Tinker Bell's foot & leg. It was a mouse she knew.

"Cheese!", she says cheerfully, bending down & patting him on the head. "Boy, are you a sight for sore eyes! Did you have a nice time in getting here?"

Cheese's answer was a chorus of happy squeaks, making Tinker Bell laugh. She didn't need to be an animal fairy to tell that his mood was the same as hers.

"I'll take that as a 'yes'!", she replied, giggling even more. Another familiar sound hits the ears of the tinker fairy - a buzzing that gets louder with each passing second. When Tink rises up from the ground after petting Cheese, she gets greeted by a second friendly face: a lavender-colored firefly with dark purple wings & green eyes. Its abdomen shone bright at the sight of Tinker Bell.

"Blaze!", she cried as they embrace in a warm hug, going in a circle once before letting go. "If ever I needed a quick pick-me-up in moods, you & Cheese are my best remedies for it! Thank you…thank you both!"

More happy squeaks & buzzing erupt from Tink's two best animal friends. Tink could never resist smiling from their cheerful sounds, so she doesn't even try: her smile grows from it.

"So…are you two ready for another fun-filled summer, or what?", she asks. Cheese replied by wagging his tail like any happy dog would, & even pants slightly like one too. Blaze nods & uses his two front forelegs to imitate a prize fighter by letting out left & right jabs, indicating he is more than ready.

Tinker Bell giggles once again. Ever since he joined & assisted Tink on her quest to find the enchanted Mirror of Incanta, located in an abandoned pirate ship on a faraway island north of Never Land, to help repair the blue moonstone after it got shattered during a falling out Tinker Bell had with Terence in preparing to make a new Autumn Scepter for the commemoration of the night of the blue harvest moon - an event that replenishes the pixie dust so that fairies can perform their work with ease. Helping Tink fend off angry rats & even trolls, the scepter was repaired (with Terence's assist), & on that night, the pixie dust supply was replenished more than what was expected. How was that accomplished? Simple - the moonstone was still in bits & pieces, & it actually improved on the situation, without anyone even noticing it!

Since that day, Tinker Bell & Blaze were inseparable, second only to Cheese himself.

"Yeah, I can see you two are pumped up & ready to take charge!", Tinker Bell says with a grin. "Come on, you two…time to get this season set up. We'll prowl around the camp & offer our assistance, but only if & when we're needed. Deal?"

Cheese & Blaze stand at attention & give her a mock salute, making Tinker Bell supress yet another laugh that threatens to blow out of her mouth.

"Very good, troops! Now…onward!"

That said, Tinker Bell takes off for the air with Blaze & Cheese following close by.

Evening:

It took a while, but Tink & her two animal companions have found work to do in preparing for the start of summer: Cheese was assisting her two tinker comrades Clank & Bobble making deliveries in a cart back & forth, as Blaze assists Tink in numerous tasks such as fixing leaks & gadgets that have broken down to coming up with a few new knick-knacks for the grand opening, one of them being an automatic balloon launcher that will release a multitude of balloons (which are really cotton balls sprinkled with pixie dust to make them float) when it becomes time. She also helped other fairies by coming up with new tools for their tasks, such as a watering can that had not one, but two spouts, one on each side. This was given to garden fairy Rosetta, who could now water folwers & other plants quicker without having to turn the can too many times. Tinker Bell also came up with an animal feeder - a cart which had multiple empty acorn shells with hoods, each one serving different foods for different animals. This cart was pulled by an adult squirrel, who received more than his share of sustenance for a job well-done. Fawn was tickled pink &, like Rosetta, thanked Tink for their latest gadgets.

A swarm of high pride swelled over Tinker Bell for her hard work, & she couldn't feel any giddier if she tried.

And best of all, not one thing went wrong, whether caused by me or anyone else!, Tinker Bell thought proudly, relieved that no mishaps took place. Not even Vidia can go spoil my good mood!

And she didn't forget to thank both Cheese & Blaze for all their invaluable assistance in getting things set for tonight.

Now the sky was dark but cloudless, with twinkling stars shining bright high above as the fairies gather round the outside of Fairy Camp once the coast was all but clear from any prying human eyes. A ring of eager fairies sat around Tink's balloon launcher, which was made of a log branch smoothed & carved. It had six metal half-rings that were driven into its surface, each one being ten inches apart. Attached to the launcher is a spring-activated metal cutter that measured the launcher itself. Six cotton balloons - each the size of an apple - were tied down with vines that were placed through the rings & on the edge of the launcher. A piece of string was tied onto the firing mechanism, one in which Tinker Bell herself proudly holds. With everyone present & accounted for, mainland-visiting fairy Prilla takes center stage & speaks to the crowd using a flower petal as a megaphone to address herself.

"Greetings to one & all!", she began. "Welcome to the start of yet another summer season, a time of year we all eagerly look forward to more than any other!" The crowd roared in cheer at Prilla's words, being all but true. Prilla continued once the cheer settled down. "All of our hard work & accomplishments throughout the year leads to this most joyous season…one we adore & cherish above all else - the warm weather, the wonder of life from all species of animals of all shapes & sizes, & the simple joy of being a fairy by helping to achieve in bringing happiness to countless humans all across the mainland, year round! And now, fellow fairies, without further ado, I now officially declare the season of summer…open!" Prilla turns to Tinker Bell, who stands ready. "Tinker Bell, you may now release the balloons!"

"Balloons away!", Tinker Bell calls back, giving Prilla a quick salute right before she pulls on the string. With one swift yank, the long metal cutter springs forward in the blink of an eye & lands on the strings simultaneously, cutting them between where they were tied & the six metal rings. As one, the half-dozen cotton balloons float skyward where Blaze was keeping an eye on them. When they reach a certain height, the bold firefly flies up to the top of the Fairy Camp tree where Iridessa, Fira & other light fairies wait patiently for the balloons' arrival.

With a few signals from his forearms, Blaze sends a clear message to the light fairies.

"Thanks Blaze. We'll take it from here", Iridessa said as Blaze zips away. "All right, light fairies, when I say…"

Aiming their leaf buckets, the light fairies await for Iridessa's signal as the balloons keep on rising into the sky. When the first three balloon come into sight, she gives the word.

"Now!"

At Iridessa's command, a trio of light fairies shoot a small ball of light from their buckets right at the balloons. They all hit their marks, striking each balloon with one light ball. The process gets repeated three more times until all six balloons are struck, glowing a bright white. Since they were all sprinkled with pixie dust, the light fairies were able to direct the balloons where they wished for them to go, & one by one, they get placed in a circle not unlike the crowd below. Then, the first balloon suddenly explodes & gives off a shower of colorful sparks, acting like fireworks. Another balloon follows suit, giving off the same results. Down below, the fairy crowd gaze up in wonder & awe as each balloon bursts with vibrant colors, lighting up the area & letting out 'ooohs' & 'ahhhs' from everyone, fairy and animal alike.

Even from Vidia herself!

When the opening celebration was done, Iridessa, Silvermist, Fawn, Rosetta, Prilla, Myka & Terence all flew up to Tinker Bell & gathered around her in a large group hug, laughing & cheering in rapid succession, each one congratulating Tink for her grand invention, & then some.

"You've done it again, Tink!", Terence says after the group gave her elbow room. "Your balloon launcher helped to make this summer opener the best one yet!"

"I'll say you did!", Myka said. "In the past, we used to have to hold the balloons down until it became time to release them, & more often than not, someone got tangled in the strings & went up with them! That was quite a disaster!"

"Let me guess…was it Clank who held down the balloons?", Tinker Bell asks.

A boisterous guffaw left everyone's mouth, laughing until it hurt.

"Got it right on the first try, Tink!", Iridessa says once the laughter died. "You should've seen it back then! Why, Clank turned as red as you do sometimes!"

"But with your new invention, everything went smoothly without a single hitch!", added Silvermist. "I don't mind saying, I still find it hard to believe that you once actually shunned your tinker talent when you first arrived at Pixie Hollow."

"Yeah, go figure", Tinker Bell said. "And talk about disasters, I was kinda foolish to try & excel at trying my hand at being a different talent fairy than who I was meant to be. But hey, that was before I discovered how special my tinker talent was to Pixie Hollow & everyone living in it. And thanks to all of you, I'm darn well proud to be a tinker fairy! So…it's you who should get the highest thanks!"

Fawn shook her head.

"Tink, no one deserves the higher praise than anyone", she states. "We fairies - regardless of what talent we come to Pixie Hollow with - are all the same, because we're all family. Don't you think so?"

Tinker Bell felt Fawn's words close to her heart. When she first came to Pixie Hollow, she was most unhappy with being a tinker fairy, & thus wanted to try out other fairy's talents - with disastrous results. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't hold water drops like Silvermist, she couldn't aim light in the right direction, she couldn't even get a baby bird to leave its nest & fly like Fawn did. She even tried to round up the dreaded Sprinting Thistles in Needlepoint Meadow, which resulted in almost ruining spring for the mainland. Because of the disaster she (& Vidia) caused, Tink was so ashamed she wanted to leave Pixie Hollow forever. Only with the intervention of Terence did she remain to correct the damage done, & it was then she discovered that being a tinker fairy was who she was…and became proud of it!

Keeping that in mind, Tinker Bell answers Fawn with pride & a smile.

"Yes Fawn. I do."

Smiles from the other fairies light up their faces.

"Hey, Tinker Bell."

All turn to see Vidia approach the group at a leisurely pace before touching ground.

"I gotta say, sweetie", she starts to say as everyone prepares for the worst.

Uh-oh, here we go! More scolding from Vidia!, thought Rosetta, rolling her eyes.

But the next thing she says catches them off-guard.

"Not bad, little tinker. Not bad at all", Vidia replies as their jaws all drop in shock.

"Wait. You're actually…praising Tinker Bell?", Silvermist wondered. "I don't get it."

"What? Even I get impressed sometimes. At least Tink made the balloons do what they were supposed to & not get caught in them…like some fairies I know of!"

That last statement Vidia directed towards an approaching Clank, who stops short with a delicious strawberry cake in his hands with Bobble at his side (as usual).

"Oh. You remember that, huh?", Clank asked with a sheepish grin, his face more than a little embarrassed. Bobble does the same as Clank thrusts out the cake in his hands. "Care for a piece of strawberry cake, Vidia? Just came right out of the oven!"

"Lemon tarts for me if you please, dear Clank", Vidia harrumphed. The other fairies keep from bursting out laughing: they all know that Vidia will only settle for lemon tarts for a treat & nothing else. "I wouldn't touch that gripe if it were the last bit of food in Pixie Hollow or here on the mainland! Why you'd go to all that trouble to offer me a piece of it I'll never…wait. Does anyone else here feel that?"

"Feel what, Vidia?", Terence asked before the fast-flying fairy put her hand up, silencing him. After a couple moments of quiet, they fairies all start to feel a slight rumble beneath their feet. It gets more intense with every second that passes by before they see the balloon launcher & small rocks begin to shake & quiver along with the ground itself. Soon, the other fairies & all the animals in the vicinity, including Cheese & Blaze, feel the trembling themselves & begin to lose their balance. Even those in the air feel the tremors going on, & before long they witness a most disturbing sight.

The Fairy Camp tree was starting to sway.

"Earthquake! Everyone, exit the tree…now!", Prilla yelled as fairies & animals all started pouring out of the tree, with the whole thing literally shaking. Inside, the area was getting jolted with enough force to jar loose structures & pieces of debris & branches as they fall to the ground.

In the midst of the quake, Clank lost his footing & fell face first in the strawberry cake he was holding. Bobble gave a look of disgust & sorrow on his face.

But just as everyone thought the quaking was about to get worse, they suddenly cease & desist altogether as quickly as it started. Soon, everything was steady & sturdy again-as if the quakes never occurred to begin with.

"Don't worry…I'm okay!", Clank said, lifting himself up out of the cake, his face covered in fruit & cream. Taking a taste with his tongue, Clank smiles. "Mmmm, tasty!"

Bobble just shook his head in dismay, letting out a sigh.

"Is everyone all right? Are we all accounted for?", Prilla asked the crowd. She gets nods of approval from just about every living soul at the camp. But Prilla wasn't about to go & leave something like this to chance.

She turns to Myka.

"Myka, better do a quick head count just to be sure."

"I was just thinking of that myself, Prilla", Myka said as the scout fairy flew up & around the crowd & sharply counted every fairy & animal in the immediate vicinity. Myka is by far the best scout fairy in all of Pixie Hollow: her sharp keen senses can hear the flutter of a bee or spot an inchworm crawling from a distance. If you wanted anyone to spot any kind of trouble or do a quick head count to make sure all were present & safe, you'd want Myka at your side. And while her speed isn't anywhere near Vidia's velocity, she's no slug either.

After several minutes of counting fairies & animals, Myka lands near Prilla.

"I'm happy to say that we're all present & accounted for, Prilla!", she says.

The mainland-visiting fairy & many others breathed a collective sigh of relief.

"What happened just now? What caused that earthquake?", Iridessa wondered.

"We don't know yet, 'Dessa, but we'd better inform the queen about this!", Tinker Bell said, calling Blaze over to her. "Blaze, fly back to Pixie Hollow & tell Queen Clarion about what occurred here! Go as fast as you can! Okay?"

With a quick salute, Blaze took off for Pixie Hollow in a shot.

"Good thinking, Tinker Bell", said Silvermist. "Just in case we should get hit by another quake from out of the blue, Queen Clarion is sure to bring additional help once Blaze gives her the message."

Tinker Bell nodded.

Unfortunately, another rumbling is exactly what they get hit with. Like before, it becomes louder with each passing moment, but this time it doesn't shake the Fairy Camp tree. It didn't make the situation any less dangerous, though: earthquakes are known to send in aftershocks not long after they occur, & the fairies & animals of the area get worried. If it gets to be too strong, it could destroy their camp or the ground could open up & swallow it whole.

"You just had to say something, didn't you, Silvermist?", Vidia said, annoyed. Luckily for the water fairy, nobody seemed to care much for her sarcasm. During the chaos, Myka flies to the top of the tree & looks all around for the cause of the disturbance. She spots it in no time, & she swoops down to tell the others.

"Did you see what's causing it, Myka?", asked Terence.

"Yes. Listen, everyone!", she explains. "This particular rumble is caused by a stampede of animals quickly heading this way! Let's all get inside the tree before they trample us!"

Following Myka's advice, all the fairies & animals begin entering the Fairy Camp tree in a pair of swift rows. But not everyone did so: Fawn, being an animal fairy, decides to head out & meet the stampede head-on.

"Fawn! Where are you going?", Bobble called out to her.

"I need to know just why they're stampeding our way!", Fawn said over her shoulder. As she got twelve feet from the tree, Fawn saw the stampede of squirrels, chipmunks, & all kinds of numerous animals, birds & insects racing towards the tree. When they get closer, Fawn can see looks of shock on their faces as they run/fly past her. And then the answer hits her, one she lets Tinker Bell, Iridessa, Silvermist, Terence, Myka, Prilla, Bobble, Clank & Vidia know, all of whom have joined her.

"So what's with them all of a sudden, Fawn?", Terence asks. "Are they in a revolt of some kind, or what?"

"No, you misunderstand, Terence!", Fawn replied, turning to him & the rest. "All of these animals aren't running because of any kind of rebellion! They're running like they are because they're scared! And I mean deathly scared!"

The group was stunned by the news.

"They're that scared?", Rosetta wondered. "It must be the earthquake moments ago that frightened them, or maybe they saw something to give them that much of a fright to run wild!"

"Well, whatever it is, we need to do something! I'm not going to put up with animals being treated like this for any reason!", Tinker Bell said, clearly angry about what she's now bearing witness to. She takes off in the same direction which the animals are approaching from.

"Tinker Bell, wait!", Clank shouted. But it was no use: she took off like a shot. Silvermist, Iridessa, Fawn, Rosetta, Terence, Myka & Vidia followed her before Prilla, Clank or Bobble could object.

"Forget it, Clank! You know how solidly determined she is once she puts her mind to something!", Prilla said as the last of the animals run past the tree & away. "Let's get back to the others inside the tree."

Without another word, the trio head back to Fairy Camp.

Please be careful, Miss Bell!, Clank & Bobble both thought, taking a quick glance over their shoulders.

Vidia, of course, easily caught up to Tinker Bell first before the others did. Flying side-by-side with the tinker fairy through the tall grass in the twisting path the animals made, she speaks her mind.

"Tinker Bell, do you even know where you're going?", she asked.

"Simple, Vidia: all we need to do is follow this trail of trampled grass blades those animals made!", Tink says. "We do that, & we'll find the cause of their stampede!"

"Which might still be waiting there for us!"

"Maybe so, but I can't just sit by & do nothing while those poor animals run frightened!"

Vidia knew it was pointless to try & talk her out of it: Tinker Bell's mind was made up, & she's going to need assistance in whatever's making the animals run scared.

But Tink's well-being wasn't the only reason why Vidia & the others were accompanying her.

Truth be told, I too am curious as to why those animals were running off scared, thought Vidia. It sure takes a lot to frighten their follies!

That's when they all heard two kinds of sounds: one was a high-pitched screech of some kind, while the other was more beastial, a low but still blaring guttural roar that could be heard as far away as Fairy Camp itself. The sounds made everyone halt in their flight.

"You heard that, right? Please tell me you heard that", Vidia asks as Tinker Bell nodded.

"Fawn, what kind of animals makes a noise like that?", Myka asks.

"To be perfectly honest with you, Myka…I don't know!", Fawn replied doubtfully. "I've never heard anything like it before!"

"You what?", the others ask her as one, the surprise clear in their tones. Then the two new sounds echo again, giving the fairies a dreaded chill to the core.

"Like I said, these are new kinds to me!", said Fawn. "All I do know is that they're coming from two different creatures!"

"All the more reason to check them out! Let's go!", Tinker Bell said, taking off again. The others do the same, again with Vidia flying in parallell with Tink. Their flight lasted for ten more minutes, hearing the new creatures roar & screech several more times. Each time became more disturbing than the last.

Whatever they are, they sure aren't friendly!, Rosetta thought. She wonders if going to the source of the disturbance is a big mistake: no doubt the others have got that same thought going through their own heads. But even if she & her group aren't animal fairies like Fawn is, Rosetta wasn't going to abandon this task. Pixie Hollow fairies stick together, regardless of their talent, even if it's not their own.

Being a good distance ahead of the rest, Tinker Bell & Vidia were the first to arrive at the end of the grass trail the fleeing animals left in their haste. Their view was now towards a wide open area of a plateau with forest trees in the far background. But it was what currently resided in the plateau that made their eyes go wide, their bodies frozen to where they stood as if they were encased in ice. The only thing they can move was their mouths.

"Great Mother Dove!", they both shouted. When Myka & the rest of the fairies catch up with them, they peer in the background over Tink & Vidia, & their reactions were no different.

What lay before them, hundreds of yards ahead, was a horror.

Two of them.

CHAPTER III

Pixie Hollow:

Blaze raced back to his home in record time. Once he got to Pixie Hollow, he flew like the wind to Queen Clarion's chambers & explains in sign/body language about the slight earthquake Fairy Camp had on the mainland. Even though Blaze's 'speech' was literally buzzing noises, an animal fairy named Beck (a blonde-haired fairy wearing a green leaf dress with a hat & brown boots) was on hand to translate for the queen. Upon hearing Blaze's report, Queen Clarion, Fairy Mary & the Ministers of Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall were all horrified, each one gasping in terror & fearing for everyone's safety on the mainland.

Wasting no time, Queen Clarion ordered Blaze to take her & her squadron over to Fairy Camp on the mainland.

As fast as he can!

Mainland England:

What Tinker Bell & the other fairies with her were now staring at was an animal & garden fairy's worst nightmare: in the distance of the plateau they came upon were twin creatures they had never encountered in their lives. One of them was a gigantic butterfly with a 36-meter body length & a huge 110-meter wingspan. Its white fur had splotches of brown & black, while its wings had basically the same, with spots of orange, yellow & red mixed in. Twin antennae were placed over its blue eyes that shined with radiance, & strangely enough, beauty.

The other creature was nowhere near as glamorous or beautiful as its opponent: this thing measured about 120 meters in height, dwarfing the enormous butterfly. A central pointed bole came down & revealed a massive mouth, resembling that of a behemoth alligator or crocodile's. This maw was filled with sharp teeth, with three pairs of curved fangs on either side just below each hideous eye. A dark orange area on the chest of its massive body began to give off an eerie glow, & from the base of it sprouted numerous green tentacles that wriggled & held like snakes, each one possessing a mouth with sharp teeth. These mouths let out a high screech, while the larger one let out a bellowing animalistic roar that was heard all over the immediate area - it was the same one which the fairies heard heading over.

It still made their bodies turn cold whenever they hear it.

The large butterfly hovers in the air as both creatures eye each other.

"What in the name of Pixie Hollow…", Terence says above a whisper.

"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would've never believed it for myself!", said Fawn, keeping her gaze on the giant butterfly.

"Same here, Fawn!", said Rosetta. "And that other creature, it looks to me like some kind of, well…plant!"

"Like nothing you've ever encountered before, I take it?", asked Iridessa.

Rosetta shook her head, never taking her eyes off the monstrous greenery with the giant mouth.

Then Silvermist sees something else along with the two behemoths.

"Myka, I think I see little women near those monsters!", she says as the scout fairy pulls out her wooden binoculars & takes a peek through them. Sure enough, Myka finds herself staring at three different women, all dressed in attire they'd never seen before. The scout fairy explains to her friends that one of the women is dressed almost entirely in black, holding a small glowing green sphere in one gloved hand. She rides a winged creature of some kind, a cross between a bat & a dragon. The other two women were dressed in more brightly clothing; one was dressed up in a light blue outfit, while the other was attired mostly in orange. They were both riding on a small butterfly which resembled the much larger one, with the woman in orange riding up front.

"Come to think of it, they are little women! Do you think they're fairies like us?", Tinker Bell wondered, spotting them with her own vision.

"I don't think so, Tink!", said Vidia. "First off, they're not dressed like us, & they don't even have wings! Why else would they need to be on those flying creatures for?"

"They don't have to have wings, Vidia", Silvermist adds in. "Don't forget: Rani no longer has her wings anymore, having cut hers off to save Mother Dove & all of Pixie Hollow once."

"Besides, from what I can witness, those ladies seem to be at odds with each other…like rivals", Terence puts in.

"Or maybe even enemies!", Fawn added.

From their vantage point, the fairies can hear bickering from the three women. The two riding the little butterfly were at odds with the one in black as the woman dressed in orange now shouts to her.

"Belvera! Cease & desist this madness before it escalates out of control! What business do you have to go & destroy the people of England, or anywhere else?"

"I'm only doing them a favor, Moll!", Belvera said. "These stupid humans are only going to drive themselves to extinction all on their own! I'm just helping to send them on their way towards it sooner, that's all! And Biollante here is going to help me do it, & neither of you or Mothra is going to stop me!"

"All life is precious on this Earth, Belvera!", said the woman in light blue. "Only God himself has the right to choose between life & death! Who are you to make a decision like that?"

"The gullible fool as ever, aren't you, Lora? How the two of you managed to keep living for all these centuries with your sentimental whims is beyond even me! But it won't matter: even with Mothra by your corner, you two still won't be able to put an end to my plans!" Belvera turns to Biollante as the green orb in her hand shines in the night. "Biollante, attack! Turn Mothra and those two ladies into mulch!"

In response, Biollante bellows a roar & lashes out with two of her snakelike vines - one goes straight for Mothra, the other towards Moll & Lora themselves.

"Fairy!", Moll & Lora cry out to their butterfly as she flies off to avoid the venus fly-trap-like head, attacking like a snake & closing its mouth only a split-second too late to gobble them up. It goes off in pursuit while the one that attacks Mothra gets blasted by her antennae as twin yellow beams blow apart the mouth in a shower of green ichor & vegetation. It did no good: almost immediately after, four more vines broke the ground's surface & streaked skyward to take its place. Two of them spewed an emerald sap which sizzled even as it hit nothing but open air. Mothra used her extreme flying skills to avoid the acidic sap as she twisted & turned in the sky, never once hitting the deadly ichor, if barely staying clear of it.

Getting herself to a safe distance, Mothra uses her antennae beams to cut off/blow apart Biollante's vines that attach both her & her tiny guardians. Some were blown apart into icky pieces, others were chopped off & fell to the ground, lifeless. Biollante roared out in pain, having its limbs severed & destroyed. But the horrid plant monster was like the dreaded Lernaean Hydra of Greek mythology: for every vine that got destroyed or cut off, there was always another taking its place. Sprouting from the ground, they continued their attacks on Mothra & the twin Elias, picking up where their counterparts left off. Acidic sap was spewed at Moll & Lora, the ichor sizzling where it touched as it barely misses the two girls by inches. Fairy cries out as she gets slightly clipped on the wing by a drop, but it did nothing to hinder her speed. Placing their palms together, Moll & Lora fire green beams at a pursuing vine as the toothy mouth gets too close. The beam blasts off several teeth, causing it to stagger & cry out.

Two more join in the pursuit as Fairy flies even faster, & the Elias attack fiercer.

Six more vines strike Mothra from below, only to get blasted to bits by energy beams from the giant lepidopteron wings from underside. Still, other viny appendages replace those lost & continue their relentless pursuit of her. Mothra realizes that possibly the only way of defeating Biollante is to destroy it at the source.

And that meant destroying the main body.

From her abdomen, Mothra unleashes a barrage of pointed stingers at Biollante's head & body. Each stinger hit home & struck Biollante in the head & main body, piercing its vegetated flesh with ease. All hits caused green sap to fly out of every wound inflicted upon the giant plant creature. Biollante roared out in pain & disapproval, & its attacking vines wriggle madly as if in confusion. Mothra keeps up her assault by bombarding Biollante with beams from both her wings & antennae, striking with deadly precision. All this made Biollante roar out even louder.

Despite the predicament Biollante was in, Belvera was in good spirits. She even laughs out loud maniacally.

"It's no use, Mothra! You think your pitiful powers can defeat Biollante? You haven't seen anything yet!", she shouts, letting out another hideous laugh.

Being hurt in numerous spots on its person, Biollante roars again before unleashing a spray of acidic sap from its toothy maw, aiming it directly at Mothra's underside. The giant butterfly sees what's heading her way & although the deadly sap doesn't hit her, it does cause her to cease her attack on the plant beast. As Mothra turns around for another assault on her foe, Biollante launches one of its own & fires acidic sap from numerous heads of its vines as well as its own & shoots forth at Mothra. The giant butterfly was able to dodge most of these attacks.

Most…but not all.

A pair of sap attacks strikes her on the underside of her thorax & abdomen, causing her to cry out in pain as the substance burns at her flesh. It was only a prelude for what came next: two of the vines rushed up & bit Mothra on the base of her wings by her main body. She cries out in pain as the vines pull her towards Biollante's monstrous mouth. No matter how fiercely she struggled & fought, Mothra could not get free of the mouths from Biollante's vines. Once she was close, Biollante's massive mouth closed in on Mothra's thorax with a tight vice-like grip which made her cry out.

Even though occupied by attacking vines, Moll & Lora sees what happens to Mothra, & they call out her name. This gave one of the vines a chance to get close enough to knock the two Elias off of Fairy, who tumbles through the air without her twin passengers as Moll & Lora fall to the ground, landing many yards away from Biollante.

Belvera laughs even louder.

"I told you two that you won't be able to stop me, didn't I?", she calls out with a wide grin. "Say goodnight, girls! This pitiful rivalry of ours finally comes to a conclusion tonight! Biollante…go swallow these two whole!"

At Belvera's command, one of Biollante's vines slithers up over the now-helpless Elias as they watch the toothy maw open up & strike down at them with amazing speed. With Fairy too far away to assist, Moll & Lora may become the plant monster's dinner.

Their eyes go wide as death approaches.

In a blurring motion, twin objects from out of nowhere rush forward at Moll & Lora & take them out of the path of the vine's mouth which strikes only dirt, creating a miniature fountain of it from the impact. When their visions clear, the twin Elias can see that they are both being taken by something most unbelievable.

A fairy. An actual fairy. With wings, no less!

"Are you two okay?", Silvermist asks Lora & Moll as she takes the former in her arms, with Rosetta carrying the latter in hers.

"You're a fairy, aren't you?", Lora asks, clearly surprised.

"Last I checked!", Silvermist said with a smile. "I'm Silvermist, & carrying your friend over there is Rosetta!"

"What about Fairy?", Moll asked. "We can't leave without her!"

"That butterfly you two were riding on? Don't worry, darlings…our friends Terence & Fawn are tending to her even as we speak!", Rosetta explains. "Right now, let's get you two to a safe distance away from that monster!"

At that moment, Myka, Iridessa, Vidia & Tinker Bell rejoin the group.

"But we can't leave yet!", Moll protests. "We need to stop Biollante, & fast! Mothra's in big trouble!"

"You mean to say that giant butterfly…is your friend?", asked Iridessa.

"More than a friend - she's the Earth's guardian!", Lora explains. "And she's helpless in the jaws of Biollante! Unless we do something, she'll be devoured!"

"But what can we do? We're just fairies, for pity's sake!", Vidia complained.

"That still doesn't mean we give up!", Tinker Bell said solidly. "There must be a weakness to Biollante somehow! Do either of you have anything you can share with us on how to bring him down?"

Moll & Lora gave the matter some thought for several moments. Then the answer hits them in the blink of an eye, & it coincided with what Myka herself came up with.

"The green sphere!", Myka & the two Elias said together.

"When I first saw Belvera give a command to Biollante, that green sphere she had glowed in her hand!", Myka said. "Unless I miss my guess, that sphere might bring Biollante down if we go & destroy it!"

"That's all I need to know!", said Tinker Bell. "Iridessa, Vidia, come with me!"

"Whatever for?", Vidia wondered.

"I have a plan, but I need both of your help to do it!" Tink turns to the others. "The rest of you get our new friends to safety!"

"Gotcha, Tink!", said Myka as Tinker Bell, Vidia & Iridessa flew off.

Towards Belvera.

While Belvera was enjoying Mothra's ghastly predicament of seeing her in Biollante's jaws, she didn't like the fact that Moll & Lora were literally snatched from the jaws of death by a pair of fairies & taken to safety away from it. She sneers at the sight & turns to Biollante, only to find that it's currently occupied with Mothra held tightly in its jaws. But the giant lepidopteron doesn't go down without a fight: from her legs, even though crushed, she emits a powerful electric current that goes through Biollante which jolts it throughout its body, causing spasms in the vines. Ignoring the harsh pain, Biollante bites down even harder on Mothra's body, hoping to stop the flow of electricity she's hitting it with. From her wings, Mothra unleashes a cloud of sparkly dust that soon envelopes both monsters as she cries out from the pain of Biollante's bite.

During their swift escape from the continuing battle, one of Biollante's vines reached far enough to burst forth from beneath the ground directly in the path of Silvermist & the others as a vine lashes out & tries to breaks apart the group, which also includes Fawn & Terence helping to carry an injured Fairy. The Pixie Hollow fairies & Elias all veer away at the last possible second & avoid the ambush as they continue to race across the plateau.

It would've been a happy sight for Belvera, were it to have actually happened or given the chance to even witness it. She & her creature assistant Garu-Garu were suddenly struck by a flash of light that came out of a leaf bucket held by a dark-skinned fairy in a yellow leaf dress.

"I've come for that green sphere, Belvera! Hand it over!", Iridessa firmly demanded.

Her vision back in focus, Belvera just sneered.

"You'll have to get up very early in the morning to pull the wool over my eyes, little girl!", she snapped, holding the sphere out with a nasty grin. "You want this thing? Then try & take it from me…if you can!"

Iridessa aimed her leaf bucket at her enemy again, but this time Belvera was prepared. Her pet henchman Garu-Garu unleashes a volley of purple beams from its mouth. The light fairy had barely seconds to avoid getting fried alive by the oncoming projectiles, putting distance between herself & the deadly duo.

"Ha! You don't get me with the same trick twice, little girl!", Belvera scoffs. "You'll need to be faster than than on the draw if you think you'd stand a chance against us!"

"Will I do, Belvera?"

The little black-clad woman turns to the new voice just a second before something speedy collides with her, knocking her clear off Garu-Garu's back. Vidia snatched Belvera by the lapels of her outfit & took her twenty feet away from her flying pet before slamming her face first into the ground, partially burying it. When Belvera lifted her head, she saw her new enemy for the first time: a fairy with a purple leaf dress & long dark hair tied in a ponytail, arms crossed. Her scowl matched Belvera's own.

"Oh, I'm sorry darling! I'm being rude, aren't I!", Vidia scoffed. "The name's Vidia, & I'm the fastest-flying fairy in all of Pixie Hollow!"

"Is that right?", Belvera growls, being mildly impressed. "Well, 'Vidia', you still won't be able to beat me, no matter how fast you can fly!"

All Vidia did was smirk.

"Maybe. Maybe not. But whoever said we had to beat you, sweetie?", she teased, & held up a hand. In it was something glowing a green hue, & Belvera's eyes went wide.

My green sphere!, Belvera thought with dread.

"Tinker Bell…catch!", Vidia shouted to her before throwing it with all her might towards Pixie Hollow's grand tinker fairy. The emerald sphere soared through the air & into the waiting arms of Tinker Bell, who takes it to the nearest rock.

NO!, Belvera shouted in her mind.

"Garu-Garu! Forget about that dark-skinned fairy & concentrate on that one instead!", the irate woman said, pointing to Tink. "Get my sphere back! Hurry!"

"I don't think so, Belvera!", Tinker Bell said, reaching behind her & taking out her trusty tinker's hammer that she always carries with her. Placing the sphere on the rock, Tinker Bell now raises her hammer above her head & brings it down on the sphere with all her might. The green sphere gets smashed to little pieces & shatters everywhere, leaving it in pieces even smaller than when the moonstone was accidentally smashed.

"Noooooooooooooo!", Belvera screamed.

Losing the green sphere was only the beginning: as soon as Tinker Bell had destroyed it, Biollante started sparking green flashes of electricity, letting out an ear-splitting roar that echoed for miles. Mothra's body was free from its massive mandibles, but the other toothy vines still held her fast & would not release her, even as she emits more of her sparkling powder all over herself & Biollante, the latter of whom now starts glowing brighter than before.

Leaving Belvera & Garu-Garu behind, Vidia & Iridessa rush up to Tinker Bell.

"Tink, I believe you & the others were right on the money about that sphere!", Iridessa says. "Biollante's life essence was attached to it, & now that it's gone, it may be going critical!"

"Meaning, it'll explode & possibly at any second!", Vidia added grimly.

"It certainly looks that way, doesn't it? Let's ride like the wind & get to a safer distance away from that beast before it blows!", Tinker Bell said as the trio rush off & rejoin the others, who have already gotten to a safe distance. Seeing them safe made them feel relieved.

"Good job, you three!", said Terence. "Biollante's giving off what our new friends here believe to be death throes for him! Your plan worked perfectly, Tink!"

"Yeah, Tink!", Iridessa praised. "Thanks to your careful planning, we were able to snatch Belvera's green sphere & smash it to bits, putting an end to Biollante!"

"But it looks like a double-edged sword, Dessa!", Fawn says gravely. "Because it seems as if Mothra has reached her end too! We've got to do something to help her!"

"You can't!", said the Elias, shaking their heads.

"Moll, Lora, what are you talking about?", asked Rosetta. "Biollante's about to explode & take Mothra with him, & you're saying we should do nothing to save her?"

"While reluctant to fight if she can avoid it, Mothra will battle on to the death if it warrants it", Moll explains.

"But…", Fawn starts to say before Lora cuts her off.

"It pains us too, believe me. But this is what Mothra was destined to do - protect Earth at any & all costs. She herself knows this as well as us."

"So we're just going to sit back & watch her die?", Silvermist asks solemnly.

"We're sorry, Silvermist, everyone", the Elias say sincerely.

None of the fairies could say anything else after that. Although they had helped to weaken Biollante, they could do absolutely nothing to help save Mothra's life. Even now, the two giants of the plant & animal kingdom square off in what will be their final battle as Mothra's glittering dust covers them completely as Biollante still has green electric sparks showering all over its body, making it cry out its death throes even as several of its thorns hold Mothra solidly in their toothy grips.

Both Biollante & Mothra's glittering dust begin glowing brighter & brighter.

That was when Myka spots something in the distance. Using her binoculars, she sees a flying object.

"Is that…Belvera?", she asks, getting everyone's attention.

"What's she doing, Myka?", Terence asked.

"She's…actually flying towards Biollante & Mothra!"

"What?", the rest shout in disbelief.

"Why in the world would she do that for?", asks Iridessa. "Does she think she can save him?"

"If she does, Iridessa, then she's even crazier than I thought!", Vidia says. "If we have no chance in saving Mothra, then what makes her think Belvera can save…huh?"

"Belvera!", Moll & Lora shout, passing the fast-flying fairy on their butterfly named Fairy, nearly knocking her over.

"Moll! Lora!", shouts Fawn.

"Get them both back…quick!", Tinker Bell said, leading the charge as the others follow after her. Not surprising, it was Vidia who reached them first, snatching Fairy by her abdomen & slowing her down long enough for the others to catch up with & join her.

Unable to shake off everyone, Fairy & her twin passengers came to a complete stop.

"What's that all about, ladies?", Vidia asks, staring at the Elias & clearly annoyed by their sudden departure. "Just because Belvera's suicidal doesn't mean you both have to be!"

"Vidia's right!", Rosetta adds. "We can't do anything about what's going to happen, & we surely can't save Belvera even if we wanted to! Now let's get away from here before…"

"You fairies don't understand!", Moll starts to explain. "We have to save Belvera, despite what she's done! She's…"

"No way!", Tinker Bell says, putting her foot down as the others agree & shake their heads. "You both said it yourselves - Biollante's on the verge of exploding, & it's going to take Mothra with him! If we don't get to a safe distance in time, we're going to join her, making this rescue all for naught! Now come on! There's still time for us to…!"

The glow engulfing Biollante & Mothra now reaches its peak, turning into close to a second sun in the dead of night. The fairies & Elias stare at the luminous glow as Belvera keeps getting closer towards the two monstrous titans, ignoring the danger to herself.

"Biollante!", Belvera screamed as she gets to about a hundred feet of the plant beast right before an explosion brightens the English plateau, nearly turning the immediate area briefly into early morning. Belvera shields her eyes with her arm as the flash engulfs her & Garu-Garu in the wink of an eye.

Now the blast heads towards Tinker Bell & company.

"GO!", Tink shouted. The others didn't need any motivation to get moving: even before the tinker fairy cried out, the rest turned tail & headed back in the opposite direction, going as fast as their wings can carry them. But even going at full speed, the explosion was still gaining ground on them. Daring a quick glance over their shoulders, their eyes go wide as the blast was practically on top of them, & their fear rises in their hearts.

The last thing they see before blacking out was bright light as it covers them like a wave.

Some time later at Fairy Camp:

"I think they're coming around, everyone!"

The sound of the female voice sounded to Moll & Lora like their own ears were stuffed with cotton, having barely made out the words. But hear them they did nevertheless, & it was more than enough to awaken them. Slowly but surely, they make out blurs in their visions before it took several moments to clear up. When it all comes into focus, Moll & Lora find themselves on a pair of makeshift beds of leaves & cotton balls padded together with wooden stick frames. Countless fairies were crowded around, looking at them in concern.

Moll & Lora looked around quickly to find Tinker Bell, Terence, Iridessa, Rosetta, Fawn, Silvermist, Myka & even Vidia standing nearest them, with Prilla, Clank & Bobble joining them.

"Moll, Lora, are you two going to be okay?", asked Silvermist sincerely.

"We…we think so", Lora says, putting a hand to her head. She & Moll look around to their new surroundings. "Where are we, anyway?"

"You are now at Fairy Camp, ladies", said a new voice unfamiliar to the Elias. Several of the crowding fairies part ways & make a path for five new arrivals. Three female fairies dressed in green, blue & violet leaf dresses, & heads with blonde & brown hair. One of these new fairies wears a baker's hat on her head, & holds a tray of freshly-baked blueberry muffins on it. This one - who introduces herself as Dulcie, a baking fairy - offers a muffin to the Elias, both of whom gracefully accept & dig in. The fourth newcomer was a little burly than the others, with a green leaf dress & a reeds belt to hold it in place. Her chestnut hair was in a neatly-styled bun, & holds a sturdy wooden abacus in her hand that has beads in six rows. The fifth & final newcomer was about twice as tall, & was attired in an elegant golden dress that seemed to sparkle like the very sun itself. Her honey blonde hair was also done in a bun, & a shiny crown was placed on top of her head. Her wings were larger than just about anybody's in the whole vicinity, & her very presence seems to bring a natural balance of order among the fairies.

She is the ruler of all of Pixie Hollow, & it is Prilla who announces her name.

"Queen Clarion."

She & all the other fairies, including Vidia, bow in respect of her presence for a moment.

"Thank you, one & all", Queen Clarion addresses the crowd in a voice as graceful as her own appearance is. "I see that everyone is all present & accounted for, & doing quite well I might add." She takes notice of the Elias, taking savoring bites from their muffins, & approaches them. "I guess that also goes for you two. How are you both doing this fine morning?"

"Slightly woozy, but these delicious blueberry muffins are helping in getting our strength back. Thank you", Lora said.

"Thank Dulcie here. She's our top baking fairy in all of Pixie Hollow. We all can't seem to get enough of her wondrous treats."

Lora smiles at the aforementioned fairy who returns the favor, but Moll was concerned with something.

"Queen Clarion…did you say that this is morning?", she asked.

"Yes…Moll, is it? You & your twin Lora were out for the entire night when your little butterfly & Tinker Bell's group brought you back here."

The mentioning of Fairy made both fully aware.

"Fairy! Is she okay? I don't see her anywhere!", Lora says in a slight panic.

"No need to worry, ladies! Fairy is right here among us, awaiting you!", Fawn reassures them, clearing another path that opens up to where Fairy now rested at. Moll & Lora smile widely seeing their friend perfectly fine, & accompanied by a blue & white furred mouse & a big-eyed lavender firefly with an even wider grin. Both looked all but happy with her.

"And she even seemed to have went & made a friend or two in the process!", Fawn adds, laughing slightly.

"Thank you all so much!", Moll & Lora said happily.

"Not at all, ladies", Rosetta said. "It was you two who went & saved us. If not for that little trick you both pulled, we wouldn't be still among the living right now."

Tinker Bell & the fairies who were with the Elias all nod.

"Yes", Queen Clarion said. "Tinker Bell & the others have told us about how you two had put a shield of some kind to protect yourselves & them from when the monsters called Biollante & Mothra exploded. Tell us…how did you manage a feat like that?"

"It's something Lora & I use sparingly", Moll explains. "The amount of energy we use for it takes a lot out of us, so we only create that barrier for the most dire of emergencies. And after helping to save our lives, we couldn't allow Tinker Bell or her friends to perish like Biollante, Mothra & Belvera did."

"Or did she really perish?", Lora wondered, turning to Tink. "Tinker Bell, are you sure you found no trace of Belvera anywhere after the explosion?"

It was Myka who answers for the tinker fairy.

"I & several of my fellow scout fairies searched the immediate area some time after the blast, but none of us found no body of either her or that dragon-thing she called Garu-Garu. We didn't find even a scrap of cloth, I'm afraid."

The news put the Elias in a state of mourning which didn't go unnoticed by the others.

"Is something wrong, ladies?", wondered Terence. "You both seem unhappy by this."

"Really!", Vidia snapped, her hands at her sides. "Why would you two even bother to go after & try to save that witch? Need I remind you that she wanted to kill you both, & not to mention us?"

"Come on, Vidia, ease off!", said Fawn. "They did save our lives, don't forget!"

"Dearie, our lives wouldn't have needed saving if they hadn't decided to go on a suicide mission, putting themselves - and us - in peril just to rescue someone who's fondest wish was to see them dead!"

"Calm down, Vidia", Queen Clarion said with ease. "I'm sure these two had a very good reason for it."

"But Queen Clarion…", Vidia starts to say before Lora cuts her off.

"Vidia, your anger & confusion is understandable, we admit. But as your queen stated, we did have a good reason to try & save her despite her homicidal attitude towards us."

"And what would that be, dearies?", Fairy Mary asks politely.

Moll took a deep breath & exhaled before answering.

"You see, Belvera…was our older sister."

Wide eyes & quick gasps of breath from everyone filled the crowd. Even Vidia was struck with surprise by the news.

"Your older sister?", Clank repeated. "I don't believe it!"

"Neither do I, Clank dear boy!", said Bobble, turning to the Elias. "Moll, Lora, how was it possible for Belvera to convert from your sister into such a maniacal sour-puss?"

"She wasn't always like that…Bobble, is it?", Lora states as the wide-eyed tinker fairy nodded. "You see, we Elias were once a plentiful & prosperous race, very much like your own. We lived in perfect peace & harmony for countless lifetimes, with multiple Mothras to help keep it that way."

"But then the dark times came", Moll picked up. "Out of nowhere from another realm, a horrible creature named Death Ghidorah came upon the Earth & caused mass damage to this wondrous planet. The Mothras who guarded it fought a long, desperate battle against this dire menace. In the end, they triumphed & sealed Death Ghidorah deep within the bowels of the Earth, but it came with a terrible price: nearly all of our beloved civilization was wiped off the face of the planet. Out of our entire race, only Belvera, Lora & myself were all that remained of it. While us two remained benevolent & kind, the sight of seeing our race devoured by a monster made Belvera just the opposite - malevolent, twisted & vengeful. For countless millenia, Lora & I battled Belvera, putting a halt to any & all her plans against the Earth & mankind wherever they occurred."

Now it was Lora who took in & released a deep breath.

"And now, Belvera's gone", she says solemnly. "Regardless of her violent nature, it won't change the fact that she's still our sibling. That makes us the last two living Elias in the world."

Lora's last statement put the fairies of Pixie Hollow in a state of deep mourn. The thought of seeing one's own race get literally wiped off the map is something no one should ever have to witness in their lifetime. It gave the fairies a sense of dread: what if one day a terrible danger came & did the same to Pixie Hollow & all its inhabitants? Just the mere though of it sent a cold shiver down their backs.

Great Mother Dove! Even I'm not that bad!, Vidia thought, having sympathy for the two Elias like everyone else.

"Hey ladies, I didn't mean it like that. I was only…", she started to say when Lora cut in.

"No harm got done, Vidia", she says compassionately. "Neither you nor the others knew it at the time. We should've told you first before blindly rushing in, & because of our arrogance, we did almost get you killed. You were certainly right about that."

"But 'almost' doesn't count, dearies", Fairy Mary said. "You more than atoned for your error, & we are most grateful to you for it."

Moll & Lora watch the proud, happy faces of the fairies, & that helped to lift the sour mood they were in of the loss of their older sibling. In gratitude, they smile proudly themselves.

"Thank you all very much", they say together.

"No problem, girls", said Rosetta. "We only wished that Mothra were still here, though. While I'm just a garden fairy, I can't deny that she was such a beautiful butterfly, even if she's many times larger than the ones Pixie Hollow breeds!"

Tinker Bell & the other fairies from the adventure nod in agreement.

"Mothra would be pleased, Rosetta", Lora said. "But don't worry: while she has perished along with Biollante, it still doesn't mean that it's the end for her. Even as we speak, her egg at home on Infant Island is resting, waiting for the right time to hatch."

Murmurs of excitement & amazement erupt throughout the crowd.

"So Mothra still lives! That's excellent!", said Silvermist. "Will you two be heading back to your island to greet her?"

"Wait a minute, Sil!", Clank steps in, approaching the water fairy. "I've just got a great idea which happen to occur to me!"

"You do?"

Uh-oh!, thought a worried Bobble.

Oh boy!, thought Fairy Mary, placing a hand on her head & slightly shaking it.

"How about this?", Clank went on. "Who says they have to head back to Infant Island? Moll & Lora are very much alike in par with us, minus wings of course, so why not allow them to stay? They'd love it, I'll betcha!"

"Have them live with us in Pixie Hollow? I like that, Clank! They certainly have my vote!", Iridessa says happily.

"Oh, now wait a minute, everyone", Moll said. "Lora & I don't wish to be a bother or a burden to you…"

"Nothing doin', dearies!", Fairy Mary said, cutting her off. "This is one time in which Clank comes up with a brilliant idea! Iridessa speaks for all of us & makes it official!"

Lora was about to speak, but Queen Clarion beats her to it.

"Indeed it does, & I'm afraid you two don't have any say in the matter", she says, walking up to the Elias & takes their hands. "Moll, Lora, as queen & ruler of Pixie Hollow, I bid you two welcome to our humble abode!"

Fairy makes a chirp in the distance.

"And that goes for Fairy too!", Fawn adds, getting chirps, squeaks & buzzing of approval from Fairy, Cheese & Blaze, getting cheerful laughs from the fairies & eventually from the Elias themselves.

"Well, Fairy has taken quite a shine to those two, & vice versa!", Lora says gleefully.

"And Queen Clarion is offering us sanctuary", Moll adds. "Lora, I'd say it'd be wrong to refuse their offering of refuge, even though we'd found it long ago on Infant Island."

"Yes." Lora turns towards the crowd. "Fairies of Pixie Hollow…we accept!"

A boisterous chorus of cheer erupts throughout Fairy Camp as Moll & Lora get warm hugs from Tinker Bell & most of the other fairies, immediately making their stay as comforting as they could for the two new arrivals…and they didn't even come from a baby's first laugh either!

Even so, Pixie Hollow has three new residents.

Pixie Hollow, the beginning of autumn:

Like Tinker Bell & most other fairies, Moll & Lora remained within Fairy Camp for the season, bringing the warm summer months to the mainland. The Elias, along with Fairy, offered their unwavering assistance to the fairies with whatever they needed it in. Everyone was highly impressed by their abilities & determination to help the fairies in all their fields of expertise, be it with animals, light, water, painting the insects, & even baking & tinkering. None of them knew just how they were able to keep up with all their natural talents, but the fairies were incredibly pleased to have them at their side. Unlike the scenario with Tinker Bell when she wanted to accommodate & try out the other fairy's talents, Moll & Lora's attempts went without any hitches or hilarious results. In fact, they were getting a good laugh when Silvermist, Iridessa, Fawn & Rosetta had told them about when Tink tried such an attempt when she first arrived at Pixie Hollow. Tinker Bell was a bit embarrassed at first, but Moll & Lora's good-natured spirits had made her laugh at her own disastrous misfortune. Since then, things went even smoother than before, strengthening the bond between Pixie Hollow fairy & Elias.

And because of the Elias' assistance, summer never looked better.

Now in autumn, things got busy as all the fairies were painting leaves all sorts of colors, gathering food for animals for winter's approach, & so forth. But Moll & Lora were being taken on a grand tour of Pixie Hollow itself by Clank & Bobble, along with Tinker Bell. Riding upon Fairy, the Elias get a bird's eye view of their homeland, having visited Sunflower Meadow, where Iridessa, Fira & the other light fairies were gathering light from the sun in their leaf buckets. Next they went to Lilypad Pond, where Silvermist & the water fairies were making dewdrops to place on spider webs & sculptures from the water itself. In her own personal garden, Rosetta was tending to her plants that grew there, giving them the right doses of food, water & whatever else her flowers need to get off to a fine start. When they went up to the snow-capped mountains, the snowflake fairies were getting ready for the winter that will precede autumn, making each individual snowflake by hand.

Moll & Lora have never been more impressed by anything in their lives.

In all the places they've visited, Moll & Lora waved happily at the fairies hard at work, who did the same right back with a grin.

Now they approach Pine Tree Grove, where Fawn, Beck & the other animal fairies helped put the woodland creatures to bed for a nap, fed them their late afternoon snack, & even helped baby birds to fly for the first time. With all the places in Pixie Hollow they've seen, Moll & Lora get a heart-warming sense of deja-vu, recalling a time when they were with their own people many millenniums ago before Death Ghidorah came & made the Elias nearly all extinct like the dinosaurs themselves became. Even if they need Fairy to be airborne & lack wings, Moll & Lora have never felt more at home than they do now.

Completing her work for now, Fawn flies up to greet Tinker Bell, Clank, Bobble & their new friends.

"Good afternoon, Fawn!", the tinker fairy trio say.

"Hello to you too, guys! Giving our new arrivals the grand tour?", Fawn says with a smile.

"Why not, Miss Fawn?", Clank says.

"Of course!", Bobble adds. "We gave Miss Bell one when she first arrived! Who better than us three to do so for Miss Moll & Lora?"

Fawn faces the Elias.

"So…what do you two think of our home so far?"

"Fawn, I'm not even sure where to begin to explain how marvelous your home is!", Moll said.

"Same here!", Lora says, equally thrilled. "Moll & I would've never guessed in a million years that it's you fairies who bring the seasons to the mainland! We always thought it was nature itself that does it!"

"That's what we want you & the humans on the mainland to believe, Lora", said Tinker Bell. "Like Queen Clarion explained when you were brought here at summer's end, all four seasons exist here at once, & we handle our chores effortlessly to bring it over when the time is right."

"Precisely", Fawn says. "With all fairies of their natural talent corroborating & laboring in unison, our work makes the seasons arrive when they're due."

"In short, what happens here in Pixie Hollow also affects the mainland", Moll said.

"Bingo!", Clank & Bobble cheered together as Tinker Bell & Fawn nod.

Moll & Lora smile at each other as Fairy chirps approvingly.

Suddenly, a chorus of blaring horns blown from scout fairies at lookout posts started sounding all over Pine Tree Grove, putting all fairies & animals on high alert.

"What is it? What's going on?", Lora wondered.

"That's a general alarm for trouble!", Fawn explains. "That means danger is approaching the area! Even here in Pixie Hollow, there are certain things to keep watch for!"

"Like what?", Moll asks, her senses keen.

"Like there! HAWKS!", Clank & Bobble shouted, pointing up. The Elias look to where the two tinker fairies point. Sure enough, they spot the trouble right away.

There were hawks. Three of them!

"Everyone take cover!", a scout fairy shouts through a leaf megaphone, amplifying her voice over the forest. Like ants being discovered under a rock, fairies & animals of all kinds get themselves to safety wherever they can find it - inside trees, under rocks, anywhere that will give them safe refuge from the terrors of the skies. That also went for Clank, Bobble & Fawn, who all went into a tree trunk. Tinker Bell was going to join them, but they see Fairy just floating there with her twin passengers, staring down the oncoming birds of prey.

"Moll! Lora! Come on! We need to get to shelter…now!", she pleads to them.

But neither Fairy nor the Elias refuse to budge.

"You go on ahead, Tinker Bell! Leave this to us!", Moll said.

"But…"

"Please, Tinker Bell…trust us!", Lora pleaded firmly.

There was no more time to argue or debate on the subject: the hawks were getting closer by the second, & Tink needed to get herself to safety like the others.

"Don't make us regret it!", she said, flying off to join Clank, Bobble & Fawn in the tree trunk as their safe haven.

The hawk trio stayed in a group for several moments more before breaking up as the two on the left & right broke off, leaving the center one heading straight for Fairy & the Elias. They wait for the last minute before Fairy abruptly takes off in a flash, the hawk in close pursuit. The bird of prey screeches angrily at having missed its prey on the first attempt to snap its beak shut on Fairy, not pleased. Moll & Lora hold tight as Fairy leads the pursuing hawk through the forest itself, heading for thick branches. Reducing her speed slightly, Fairy allows the hawk to gain ground (or air) on her as the flying predator chases her horribly close, being now only an inch or two away. Believing it to have a grand meal of butterfly, the hawk opens its sharp pointed beak & gets closer to Fairy's abdomen while a weary & nervous Moll & Lora watch from behind.

Then Fairy makes an abrupt turn upwards, jolting the Elias who manage to grab hold at the last second.

The hawk wasn't so fortunate: unable to cope with the sudden change in maneuvers, it rams itself into a thick branch right between the eyes, seeing stars in its vison before falling to the ground, unconscious.

One down, & two to go.

Emerging from the thick underbrush of the forest, Moll & Lora can see fairies throwing objects like rocks & sticks at one of the other two hawks who was harassing a group of fairies who have taken refuge in a rabbit hole. Getting pelted too many times was starting to annoy the hawk, & in no time it took off for the sky in search for easier prey.

Now it was down to one.

Moll & Lora find the last hawk on a tree trunk savagely tearing at a hole in which a next of baby birds were resting at. When the hawk came, the birds all scrambled into the hole in seconds before the hawk trampled their nest to shreds.

Now it wants to do the same to the baby birds.

Not if we have anything to say about it!, Lora thought angrily. Being the one with the good heart & all, she has always loathed bullies of all kinds no matter what species, & she & Moll nod to take down the final threat.

The hawk made a sizeable hole in the tree, & in just another thrust it will have unfettered access to the baby birds inside. Rearing its head back, it prepares to break through when it gets struck by a rock that causes it to turn right & find the Elias floating twenty feet away.

"Hey fella! You want a meal, try us!", Moll cried out.

Screeching angrily, the hawk takes off in their direction but as soon as its feet leaves the branch, it gets hit by a pair of yellow energy beams from Fairy's antennae, striking it in the chest & causing it to cry out in pain. Fairy launches two more beams from her antennae & Moll & Lora place their hands together & launch a volley of green energy beams from them, deliberately missing the hawk in an attempt to scare it off. After three or four near misses from both methods of attack, the hawk finally decides to call it a day & leave Pine Tree Grove, joining its lone companion in retreat & leaving their unconscious leader behind.

When the last hawk was way out of sight, everyone who was in hiding slowly but surely came out & breathed a sigh of relief.

"Moll! Lora!", Fawn cried out as she, Clank, Bobble & Tinker Bell flew up towards them. "Thank Mother Dove you're both all right!"

"Of course!", Lora said. "Fairy has dealt with predators of all kinds before, so she knows how to handle them!" She turns to Tinker Bell. "Sorry if we worried you & your friends, Tink."

"No, it's me who should be sorry, Lora", the tinker fairy says. "I should've had more faith & trust in you."

"And pixie dust!", Clank said playfully.

"Not now, dust brain!", Bobble softly scolded him, elbowing him slightly in the ribs.

"Whoops! My bad!", Clank said softly. Bobble just rolled his eyes.

Moll & Lora giggled lowly.

One scout fairy - named Sera, dressed in a peach leaf outfit & light brown hair - flies up to Moll & Lora, introducing herself.

"How did you girls & your butterfly do that?", Sera asks, clearly intrigued like the other scout fairies. "Shoot beams of green & yellow energies like you did?"

"It's hard to explain, Sera, but I guess you can say that she's a smaller 'relative' of our guardian & friend Mothra", Moll says. "As for our own ability, we were more or less born with it."

"Well, whatever she is, you all sure know how to handle yourself! We're lucky to have you both - and Fairy - here in Pixie Hollow!"

"That means a lot to us, Sera! Thanks!", Lora said with a smile from her & Moll.

"Unfortunately, not all of us can shoot beams of energy from our antennae or whatever", said Fawn. "If only there was a better way to protect ourselves from threats like hawks."

Sera & the other scout fairies & even Clank, Bobble & Fawn all nod. They were able to fend off the hawks using their usual methods of sticks, rocks & other objects they can find, but sooner or later predators like hawks are going to get lucky & snatch a fairy in its grip. And since none of them have the ability to fire energy beams like Fairy & the Elias can, they need to come up with something fast before a casualty occurs.

There must be a better way to defend themselves.

And then it hits Tinker Bell.

"Yes, of course!", she proclaims excitedly. "I've got just the thing to do that!"

"What is it, Tink?", Fawn wondered.

"It's something I've started working on just before the summer break! Fawn, I want you & the Elias to go get Queen Clarion & have everyone meet over at the Pixie Dust Tree in fifteen to twenty minutes! Once everyone's there, I'll both explain & show my new invention to you!"

Before anyone could say even a peep, Tinker Bell was off towards her home in Tinker's Nook, leaving a trail of pixie dust in her wake.

Moll & Lora looked at the other fairies.

"I guess we'd better do as she suggests, ladies", said Fawn. "Once Tinker Bell gets an idea in her head, I doubt that even a monster like Biollante can stop her."

"Well, she certainly has enthusiasm", Moll said, doing her best not to laugh along with Lora.

"Aye, that she does, Miss Moll", Bobble says, agreeing. "But still, Tink's inventions really have helped our home in a big way! Who knows? This could certainly be enlightening!"

"I don't know if that's the word I would use, Bobble", Sera says.

"In any case, I want to see what she has in mind. Moll, Lora, let's go", Fawn addresses them.

With a nod & a call to Fairy, the Elias follow Fawn out of Pine Tree Grove.

After a couple of moments, Clank, Bobble & the rest head in the same direction.

CHAPTER IV

The Pixie Dust Tree, nineteen minutes later:

Just about everyone from Pixie Hollow has gathered around the tree where the pixie dust is kept, wondering what all the hubbub is. Except for the fact that Tinker Bell herself has called this meeting of the fairies, no one knows what to expect from Pixie Hollow's most famous tinker fairy. Some were worried about what might occur with this meet, as just about everyone clearly remembers what happened when Tinker Bell first presented her gadgets to the group, resulting in making a baby squirrel cry when her nutcracker shot out a nut & hit it right in the head. And the disaster to end all disasters: when Tink tried to round up the Sprinting Thistles & nearly ruined spring for the mainland.

But she more than atoned for it with her berry-paint sprayer & other inventions helped to clear up the mess she made & get spring ready on time. Since then, the fairies of Pixie Hollow were eager to see what the tinker fairy has in store.

With the four Ministers of the seasons - Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall - all standing on each side of Queen Clarion & Fairy Mary, the fairies await for Tinker Bell's arrival.

That also includes Moll, Lora & Fairy themselves, with Silvermist, Rosetta, Iridessa, Fawn & Clank & Bobble standing beside them.

Terence, Fairy Gary & the other dust-keeper fairies let out a sigh, wondering if Tinker Bell would even show at her presentation, as her deadline is almost up.

"It's one minute more until the fifteen-twenty minutes are up", Fairy Gary said. "Where is that girl?"

"Don't worry, Fairy Gary", Terence says, trying to put his boss at ease. "If there's one thing I know about Tinker Bell, it's that she's hardly been late to one of her own presentations. I promise you, she'll be here."

Terence's words seemed to have made him less nervous, but he can tell that he was still a bit more so inside. A slight rumble caught everyone's attention, & they all turn towards where it was coming from. Some believe it to be a stampede of sorts at first, but they were reassured when it was only the mouse known as Cheese heading for the crowd with Blaze flying right besides him & a passenger riding on his back.

It was Tinker Bell herself!

"There she is!", Fairy Mary says proudly as the crowd began to cheer & call out her name in joy. A group of fairies part ways to allow Cheese into the center of the gathering before halting & allowing Tinker Bell off, who carries an object of some kind underneath a blue cloth. Cheese gets thanked by his good friend & wags his tail like any happy dog would.

"Hello everyone, & thank you for coming to this little gathering!", Tinker Bell addresses the crowd. From beneath the blue cloth, four legs spring out & form a table as she places it on the ground. "Now, before I reveal to you what's underneath this here blue cloth, let me ask all of you something: how many of you have been terrorized by hawks & other nasty predators that reign here on Pixie Hollow?"

Some hands go up in response, but not as many as Tinker Bell had hoped.

"Come on now, be honest!", she says in a half-smile, half-frowning face & voice.

Some more hands go up, but still not enough to satisfy Tink.

"Don't make me get angry!", she says, scowling in a low & threatening voice.

This time, dozens more hands go up as it calculates to just about everyone in the crowd.

"That's more like it!", Tinker Bell says, clearly pleased with the results & her face lights up like Iridessa's leaf bucket. "No doubt an experience like that gave you all a really bad case of the heebie-jeebies, am I right?"

Nods came from all over the crowd.

"Well, fellow fairies, I certainly feel your pain. I myself was a victim of an attacking hawk when I first arrived at Pixie Hollow, not to mention an attack right before this little gathering of mine with some friends at Pine Tree Grove."

Most were clinging to her words, but Vidia was already getting bored by them.

"Tinker Bell, is there a point to all this, or did you call for this gathering just so you can gloat?", she says with undisguised sarcasm.

"I don't gloat on something like this, Vidia! And my point, is that we fairies don't have to be scared of things like hawks, snakes, or any other predators our home consists of!", Tinker Bell went on. "In fact, I think I speak for everyone here when I say we've had more than enough of them terrorizing us at the first chance they get! So now, I believe it's time for us fairies to, oh I don't know…fight back!"

Murmurs from the crowd erupt all over, clearly intrigued where Tink's conversation was headed.

"But Tink, my light fairies & I drive away attackers with light from our leaf buckets", said Iridessa, getting nods from Fira & the other light fairies of their group.

"And my water fairies & I fend them off with the very water we use every day", Silvermist says.

"And the rest of us use twigs, stones, or whatever we can find & throw it at them to get rid of attackers", said Myka. "This is one of many reasons why we have scout fairies."

"Those are all good points, don't get me wrong", Tinker Bell said, grabbing the top of the blue cloth with one hand. "But surely there must be a better way to hurl weapons than tiring your arms out from it. That's why I've asked you all here, as I am now about to show what's under this! Voila!"

Tinker Bell effortlessly yanks the cloth away to show two objects on the makeshift table she brought. Both were hollow bamboo sticks 4 ½ inches in length each, but with one being larger than the other. Underneath each one was a trigger like that of a gun & an extra handle for balance, & on the left side was a circle that had an 'X'. In the center of the X was a small circle where the four points met. The large object had an open rear that was big enough to place a small rock onto what looked like a movable base that had a little spring right behind it. Through a slit on the bottom, the base had a stick that can slide back & forth. The smaller one had all the same attributes as its larger counterpart, but no opening in the rear. Reaching for the larger one, Tinker Bell places it upon her right shoulder & grabs a rock that rested right next to it. Placing the rock in the back & closing it with the hood on a hinge, she begins to explain to the crowd.

"I bet you're all wondering what I have here", she starts. "Well, say hello to my little friend I call simply the launcher. Let's say that a hawk should suddenly come out of the blue & decides to make you its dinner. All you have to do to tell him to get lost is to aim the launcher, and…"

Tinker Bell aims her weapon at an empty spot of the tree where no one occupied at as she looks through the crosshairs with her right eye, closing the left one. She then squeezes the trigger & the rock inside gets fired through the thing at a high velocity & hits the tree with enough force to leave a mark on it. A melody of 'ooohs' & 'ahhhhs' filled the crowd, followed by clapping of hands.

"Pretty neat, huh?", Tinker Bell says once the noise subsides. "And just in case your foe hadn't taken the hint after that, then perhaps this will send a clear message to him!"

Placing the launcher down next to the table, Tinker Bell picks up the smaller object with one hand, holding it like she did the launcher. She aims it at the exact same spot she aimed her other weapon at & pulls the trigger. From out of the barrel, a multitude of sharpened spikes fire at a great speed & strike the tree in many spots, the points penetrating the thick bark as they go in at close to a quarter of an inch. Another chorus of impressed voices erupt from the crowd.

"This little guy I call the quill gun", Tinker Bell explains. "With Fawn & Beck's help, I went & gathered up as many porcupine quills as I can to be used as ammunition. As with the launcher, you reset the base like so & load the quills in the back of the gun after opening the hatch & close it up again." As she explained it, Tink pulled back the base using the stick right underneath until it clicks back into position before opening the hatch & placing more quills into it, closing it up once more.

"Right now, these are the only two I have, but rest assured I'll have more by the time the autumn season comes to an end", Tink goes on. "The first ones to actually get them will be Myka & the other scout fairies. They are the ones who keep a keen eye out for & warn us of trouble, don't forget. But soon afterwards, fairies from other talents will receive them when they become available. Soon, we'll see how they like being terrorized for a change instead of us!"

Clapping of approval erupts once more at Tinker Bell's latest inventions. The tinker fairy takes a bow of appreciation towards her 'adoring public' as Queen Clarion & the Ministers of the seasons now approach her with Fairy Mary right behind them.

"Another genius of an invention from you as always, Tinker Bell", Queen Clarion praises her as Tink bows in respect. "Your launcher & quill gun will surely help to protect us better from hawks & the like once mass production of them gets started. And please know that if there's anything you need from us that can be of assistance, you needn't be shy to ask for it."

"I'll remember that, Queen Clarion. Thank you", Tinker Bell said sincerely, bowing to her again.

"That goes for us too, Tink!", Silvermist said as she, Iridessa, Rosetta, Fawn, Terence, Clank, Bobble, Prilla, Myka, Blaze, Cheese, Moll & Lora all approach her, happy beyone words at Tinker Bell's latest accomplishment as most of the crowd begins to disperse.

"Tink, just knowing that we have the launcher & quill gun in our midst makes me feel tons safer already!", Myka said proudly. "The other scout fairies & myself can't wait to get one in our possession!"

"The guys over at the Pixie Dust Well & Dust Distribution Depot could sure use one or two themselves, Tink", said Terence. "As a precaution, of course. In case anyone tries to…well, you know!"

Tinker Bell lets out a small laugh.

I sure do, Terence!, she thought. In case anyone tries to steal some extra pixie dust…like Vidia, for example!

"All in good time, Terence", she says orally. "Myka & her scout fairies come first."

Terence nods.

"Gotcha, Tink. I'll see you later."

Taking off, Terence heads off towards Fairy Gary as they start heading back to the Dust Distribution Depot.

"That Tinker Bell is full of surprises, isn't she?", Fairy Gary says. "It's no wonder you take quite a shine to her, Terence!"

"Fairy Gary…", Terence starts to say in a bashful tone before Fairy Gary unleashes a boisterous laugh. Terence lets out one too: he knows that Fairy gary & the other dust-keeper fairies tease him about Tinker Bell whenever they can. It used to bother him at first, but Terence can't deny that Tinker Bell has charm for at least a hundred fairies, even if she lets her temper get the better of her at times, like with the moonstone incident. He also can't deny that if you need a helping hand in something, Tinker Bell was the fairy you'd want by your side. Because of this, he & Tinker Bell became such fast friends - something Terence was proud of & wouldn't change for all the pixie dust in the world.

Terence & Fairy Gary flew onward in good spirits.

All around Tinker Bell, she was getting hugs & admiration from all her friends, including from her fellow tinkers Clank, Bobble & Fairy Mary.

"A marvelous pair of new inventions, Tinker Bell!", Fairy Mary says proudly. "I'd like for us to get started on mass producing more of these fine tools first thing in the morning, dear!"

"That's the plan, Fairy Mary!", said Tinker Bell. "I'll need full cooperation from you, Clank and Bobble!"

"You can count on us, Miss Bell!", Clank & Bobble shouted, standing at attention & salute their tinker comrade & friend. Tink chuckles, always amused by her two companions.

"Then off we go, boys! We've still lots to do for the rest of the day, and we'll need a good night's rest if we're to get up bright & early to begin with Tinker Bell's new weapons!", Fairy Mary instructs her two tinkers, who salute again. She first turns towards the Elias. "Ladies, I don't think I've been given the chance yet to tell you both how wonderful it is to have you two in our home. I must admit, I at first found it rather hard to believe that I'm talking to fairies of a similar, yet different, culture from our own, & yet here they are in the flesh! Simply incredible!"

"The same could be said of you & all of Pixie Hollow, Fairy Mary", Moll said. "Lora & I still find it fascinating to know that it's you people who bring the seasons to the mainland, rather than nature itself."

"I guess it's safe to say that you fairies are nature for the mainland, yes?", Lora asks.

"That's one way for you to put it, Lora!", Iridessa says, getting nods from everyone else.

"And yet the humans from the mainland are all but unaware that it's you fairies who make the seasons change?"

"That's right, Lora", said Rosetta. "All the work we do here is done in secret from humans. It's why Pixie Hollow remains hidden from the outside world. Only by following the second star on one's right & fly straight on until the morning would anyone have a chance of finding Never Land, which is another name for Pixie Hollow."

"Amazing!", said Moll. "And for all this time, no one's ever tried to attempt in coming here?"

"To most humans, Pixie Hollow/Never Land is mainly, well…a fairy tale", Silvermist says, getting slight chuckles from the group. "It's more or less a story they like to go tell their children during bedtime."

"But what about the children?", Lora asks. "Do they believe in you fairies, at least?"

"Absolutely, & that's where I come in!", Prilla says. "You see, my talent is to make quick visits to the mainland & appear, albeit briefly, before little children. When I do so, it keeps their beliefs in us going strong, & that's how we fairies thrive & prosper."

"Not to scare anyone but…what should happen if children didn't believe in you fairies?", asked Moll.

Solemn faces appeared before the Elias.

"That's the downside of it, ladies", said Clank. "You see, if children ceased believing in us for any reason at all, well…"

"We simply die", Bobble finishes for him. "Because children have so much more potential & imagination than adults do, it's their belief in us that's our lifeforce, you might say. If that ceases to flow, we cease to exist."

"And that's why Prilla has the most important task of all us fairies", explains Myka. "Even more so that any of the fairies who help bring the seasons to the mainland year round, believe it or not."

"But so far, I'm happy to say that hasn't happened yet, & as long as I keep the children's beliefs in us strong & healthy, I doubt that such a catastrophe will occur", Prilla says confidently. "Like everything else we do, it's hard work, but it certainly pays off in the end."

"Speaking of hard work, we'd best be going back to Tinker's Nook", Fairy Mary says as she turns to Clank & Bobble before taking to the air. "Come, you two - we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow!"

"Coming, Fairy Mary!", the duo say in unison as Clank turns to the rest. "Catch ya later, Miss Bell!"

Within moments, they were gone.

"I shall be off myself", Queen Clarion says, addressing the rest. "A queen's duties are never quite finished, I'm afraid. Tinker Bell, I wish you my personal best in your endeavors."

"I won't let you down, Queen Clarion", Tink says, bowing in respect as Queen Clarion did the same before taing off for her private chambers.

"Hey Tink, if we can offer you our assistance in any way…", Iridessa starts to say.

"Thanks so much, Iridessa, everyone", the tinker fairy said graciously. "Right now, I've got things well in hand, but I most surely will call upon any of you if it warrants it. See you all later."

"See ya, Tink!", the rest say as she flies off with Blaze & Cheese following her. Tink waves back in her departure.

"Of all her inventions, I have to say that this one tops them all!", Iridessa says. Smiles from everyone punctuate the light fairy's statement.

"I know what you mean, Iridessa", Rosetta says. "I'm surprised that no other tinker fairy came up with an idea like this before Tink did."

"That's because Tink has the most enthusiasm out of them all", Fawn says. "And the most active imagination: give her something like a few sticks & vines, & I betcha she'll make it all into a safe fortress in no time!"

"Fairy Mary & the other tinker fairies all speak very highly of her", Moll said. "Of what Lora & I have been told of her, we've never met anyone with so much energy in both their body & mind."

"Where she gets it all from, I guess we'll never know", Lora adds playfully.

"Maybe it's best we don't know where she gets it from, Lora", Myka replied, being equally as playful. "The truth can be stranger than fiction, so I've heard!"

A chorus of giggles from the fairies & Elias was released.

"But as long as she delivers when it counts - and she does - I doubt it matters where she gets it", said Silvermist once the laughing stops. "Hey, why not take Moll & Lora to the tearoom for some nice freshly baked goodies from Dulcie on this late afternoon?"

"Sounds good to me!", Iridessa said, turning to the Elias. "What do you say, girls? Up for a sweet treat or two?"

Moll & Lora looked to each other…and grinned.

"It is a late afternoon, & Lora & I are getting rather hungry", Moll said.

"I agree", Lora adds. "With the fight in Pine Tree Grove & Tinker Bell's little presentation, we've more or less forgot to eat. We'd be delighted to! Besides, we adore Dulcie's treats!"

"Same here! Follow us, girls!", Rosetta says, leading the remaining fairies towards the famed tearoom. Moll & Lora get upon Fairy's back, & she catches up to the others with ease.

On the ground, nobody noticed - or even cared - that Vidia was the last fairy left from the meeting Tinker Bell arranged. She stared into empty space as her mind raced faster than she was.

So, Tinker Bell came up with some new weapons to help us fend off hawks & other nasty critters, she thought. How beneficial. If only I could get my hands on one of those devices…oh, what delicious mayhem I could cause! And with my speed, I'll be able to play the most dastardly pranks on everyone & not get caught at it! All I need is to get my mitts on one of them!

Vidia smiled her wickedest.

For once, Tinker Bell, you made a device or two I actually like!

Her wicked smile still on her face, Vidia raced off into the sky, rustling up a few autumn leaves in the wind.

Pixie Hollow, the middle of winter:

Aside from Tinker Bell's work on her new devices, the fairies still had plenty to do with getting the next season on their roster ready to bring to the mainland: winter. The Minister of Winter, a no-nonsense individual with her elegant snowflake dress & white hair with ice crown resting on top, gets her snow fairies working on creating & making it snow when it becomes time for their scheduled visit to the mainland. Like always, she inspects every snow fairy's work at how the flakes are made: if she isn't satisfied with a particular flake or someone messes up, she lets them know & orders them to start all over until it gets done right.

In preparation of the cold season, animal fairies get animals, insects & other critters ready for hibernation & making sure they'll have plenty of nourishment for the long winter cold, not being able to leave their homes for a few months once the snow hits. Garden fairies make plants go dormant & keep young seedlings from growing again until the arrival of spring. Wind & fast-flying fairies (which includes Vidia) were given instructions on where & when to make winds, & just how strong they should be.

In all that time, Tinker Bell (with much valued & appreciated assistance from Fairy Mary, Clank & Bobble) had completed an impressive thirty-six pairs of launchers & quill guns, all with a good number of ammunition. As promised, the first ones went to Myka & the scout fairies to fend off enemies. They got their chance for a real workout with their new weapons when four hawks tried to attack woodland creatures at Pine Tree Grove: instantly, Myka & the other scout fairies aimed & fired their weapons at the hawks & gave them bad headaches, a broken leg or two, & even a rear-full of quills that sent them all packing & heading away. Cheers among them erupted for a victory against some of their worst enemies. One even made a hilarious quip about how much the hawks may terrorize them that thet always get it in the 'end', which got a huge laugh from all.

Word of mouth of the weapons' success didn't take long, & soon fairies of other talents were being greeted with their own: dust-keepers, garden, & other kinds of fairies were granted with theirs, depending on which group(s) needed them most. Vidia tried to sneak in Tink's house & obtain a pair for her own, but Tinker Bell was all but aware that the fast-flying fairy would try & attempt such a theft. So she set up a trap: the first time Vidia tried to steal her inventions, she was greeted by a nasty surprise of Blaze & a few of his firefly friends, all with their rears lit up so bright that anyone who touched them would get a bad burn. Even from a distance, Vidia could feel the searing heat from Blaze & company, & she exited Tink's house in Tinker's Nook but not before getting a taste of Blaze's rear upon hers, scorching it just a tad but more than enough to make the fast-flying fairy cry out in pain.

Since her botched attempt & not wanting another scorched rear, Vidia hadn't tried another theft of Tink's launcher or quill gun, much to her dismay (& wounded pride!).

But of course, it doesn't mean that life for the fairies in Pixie Hollow was all work & no play. In their free time, fairies made sculptures in the snow & went skating on the ice when the water of Minnow Lake turned to ice. All dressed in coats, boots, scarfs, hats & gloves made out of pussy willow, cotton & other warm fabrics with skate blades made of grass stalks, fairies skated across the lake, giggling delightfully & performing amazing maneuvers on the ice, similar as to what they'd do in the air on wings.

Moll & Lora were joining in on the festivities, & were having just as much fun as any of the other Pixie Hollow fairies. The Elias can't recall the last time they'd went skating on the ice, let alone made snowmen or whatever in the snow. For most of their lives, they had to keep tabs on their maniacal sibling Belvera, putting a halt to whatever plans she may have had to cause the Earth harm to have fun. But now that she's no longer among the living or their concern, Moll & Lora can fully enjoy life like anyone else.

And one couldn't find a better place to do so than at Pixie Hollow!

In an area near the snow-capped mountains, a whole field of snow was alive with activity as the Elias & fairies were having a grand snowball fight, being at a distance of sixteen feet apart from each team they've assembled, & a wall of snow acting as a shield at both ends. The first team consisted of Tinker Bell, Moll, Lora, Rani, art fairy Bess, Prilla & Beck. The opposite team had Clank, Bobble, Silvermist, Fawn, Rosetta & light fairies Iridessa & Fira. At the beginning, it was made clear that neither fairy nor Elias would use their power for any reason, making this a straight snowball fight with only their own personal skill. The rules of the game were totally simple: once someone was hit, he or she would be out of the game; first team to have all their players hit from a snowball loses.

So far, everyone's been lucky & not hit once.

As one, Silvermist, Fawn & Rosetta fire a volley of snowballs at Tink's team, all of whom hide behind their safety wall, getting to cover just in time considering the rapid firing that their opponents have made. Once the barrage was done, Tink's team retaliates as Rani, Bess & Lora launch their own volley of snowballs just as fast, both teams giggling as they do so. Silvermist's team ducks for cover all the same, the balls hitting the wall & splattering to bits.

"Another close call, but we're getting nowhere at this rate!", Iridessa says. "The only way to try & win this is by using some magic!"

"No dice, 'Dessa!", Fira said. "At the beginning, we all agreed not to use any magic: not even pixie dust to keep the snowballs their shape!"

"But Iridessa does have a point", Fawn says. "Neither side is making a dent in our walls, & unless something gives, we could be playing this game until next winter!"

"Yeah, we've been doing this for nearly two hours now, & my feet are really starting to go numb from the cold!", said Silvermist.

"Not to worry, ladies!", Clank said. "We've got just the thing to help us win!"

"Clank's right!", Bobble said. "While we can't use our magic, nothing was ever said about not using any gadgets!"

"Gadgets?", the five female fairies wondered.

"That's right, ladies!", Bobble said as he & Clank head over towards the twin lumps of snow on their left & right. The two tinker fairies clear the snow off a pair of green leaf covers just before uncovering what lays beneath. The ladies' eyes go wide when they see two catapults of branches, vines & stone wheels. The launcher had an acorn shell, & a lever on one side to launch a multitude of snowballs already waiting in the shell.

"Wow!", was all Iridessa could say.

"Impressive, huh?", Clank says. "Say hello to our own launchers!"

"I don't believe it!", said Rosetta. "You two had these here the whole time, & you're only revealing this to us now?"

"We were aiming to keep the element of surprise on our side, Miss Rosetta", Bobble says. "We didn't want to tip our hand too soon. Besides, what allies don't know…"

"Enemies don't know", Clank finished for him.

The five females look to each other, a bit confused…at first. But then the idea struck them like an acorn thrown by a squirrel. Turning back to Clank & Bobble, they smile wickedly.

"Prepare to fire on our command, boys!", Fawn says as the two tinker fairies give a wicked grin of their own, saluting.

Tinker Bell & her team were kept down & out of sight behind their own wall, a little jittery by the sudden silence.

"I don't like this, Tink", said Rani. "They've been awfully quiet for some time. You don't suppose they've given up, do you?"

"That group? Hardly, Rani!", Tink said. "Knowing Clank & Bobble like I do, they're up to something over there!"

"You're right, Tink", said Bess. "I'll bet they're developing a strategy even as we speak to get us to lower our defenses, & then strike!"

"Well, two can play at that game!", Beck says. "Tink, I believe it's time to reveal our little surprise, don't you?"

"Couldn't put it better myself, Beck!", said Tinker Bell.

"Surprise?", Moll & Lora said, puzzled.

"That's right", Prilla said. "Before you two arrived, the five of us were putting together a secret weapon to use when the time was right."

"Which happens to be now!", Tink says, uncovering snow from the pile which lay right in the center behind their wall. She then pulls away a green leaf cloth to reveal to the Elias the 'secret weapon' she was referring to. It was lower than the wall, so there was no way of having Silvermist's team of getting even a glimpse of it…until the time was right!

"So…are we ready?", Tink says with an evil smile.

Smiling themselves, her team nods.

Moll & Lora volunteer to take a cautious peek over their wall for any signs of oncoming frozen projectiles heading their way. Almost immediately after they showed themselves, Clank & Bobble shouted 'fire!', & Fira & Fawn pulled the levers on their launchers, throwing a volley of snowballs in their direction. The Elias quickly ducked down behind the wall, but this time it got hit harder than before & pieces, even chunks, of it were breaking away.

"If we're gonna use this thing, Tink, then we'd better do it soon!", said Rani. "Our wall's beginning to break up from their barrage!"

"True, but it's breaking up exactly where we want it to!", Tinker Bell says, getting the weapon ready for firing. Several more snowballs in clusters were thrown by the opposing team's launchers, dissolving more of the weakened point of Tink's wall & creating a cavity in it.

Peering through his goggles, Bobble can see that victory is near.

"Load it back up, folks!", he says excitedly. "Their wall is coming down, & I can spot the enemy in plain sight! A few more bombardments like that, & we'll have Tink & her crew crying all the way back to…uh-oh!"

"'Uh-oh?' What do you mean 'uh-oh', Bobble?", asked Fira. The tinker's worried remark caused Clank & the rest to cease loading the launchers & take a cautious peek over their wall. All their eyes go agape when they see what they have beyond the crack in their wall: Tinker Bell was right behind what appeared to be a large gun made of a bamboo pole for the barrel, with sticks & branches for support tied together with vines. A crosshairs sight was on top of the gun, a loader made from an acorn shell was on one side, while a crank was on the other, the latter of which Tink's right hand was grabbing onto.

"Uh-oh!", was all that Clank, Bobble, Iridessa, Fira, Silvermist, Rosetta & Fawn could say.

"Go ahead, fairies…make my day!", Tinker Bell says with a wicked but playful smile as she unloads a speedy barrage of snowballs once she turns the crank. Silvermist & her team dive down quickly behind their wall, but it was only a temporary refuge: the rapid firing of snowballs from Tink's device was eating away at it, blowing off chunks larger & faster than Clank & Bobble's own launchers were doing. Before they knew it, it was shredded down & those hiding behind it were completely exposed to their opponents. Letting out a cry of triumph, Tinker Bell kept firing snowballs from her weapon & aimed it left & right at Silvermist & her teammates as they run for cover & take to the air, now that they have no more protection. One by one, they get struck by a snowball from Tink's weapon until only Bobble was left standing.

Not for long!, Tink thought.

"Uh, Miss Bell, is it too late to issue a surrender for our side?", Bobble asked, taking out a white flag of cloth attached to a stick & waves it with a sheepish grin.

SPLAT!

Bobble gets knocked down from the sky & lands in the snow on the ground alongside the rest of his fallen teammates. Tinker Bell's team emerges from behind their wall & get into a group hug, congratulating each other on their victory.

"We win! We win!", Rani cried out happily as the group breaks up. "I knew I was right to join your side, Tink!"

"That goes without saying!", said Bess. "Even when the chips seem to be down, she finds some kind of miracle to pull our rears out of a sticky situation - and I happen to know about 'sticky' situations!"

Giggles from the group erupt from Bess' remark.

"But like certain types of games, it's not whether you win or lose - it's how you play it!", said Beck.

"And how much fun you have playing it!", Lora says as Moll nods.

"Incoming!", Prilla shouted, pointing towards the air. Her warning comes too late: before anyone on Tink's team could do anything, they were all bombarded by a volley of snowballs from Clank & Bobble's launchers that strike all seven members down into the snow. From their position, they can hear Silvermist's teammates letting out a heartfelt laugh, most of whom still have a snowball in his/her hand.

"Didn't expect that to happen, did you?", Rosetta teased, & they laughed even louder.

The Elias, Rani, Prilla, Beck & Bess all get up from the snow & shake off any excess with their hands. Looking at each other, one might expect them to be sore & throw a fit after a cheap shot like that, but in their case they just smiled & chuckle.

"No, I guess we didn't!", Rani said. "They sure are a sneaky bunch!"

"Always wanting to get the last word on things, right Tink?", Bess asks her. All smiles from both teams vanished as they see Tinker Bell rise up out of the snow with her face burning bright red. It burns so warmly that it actually melts the snowball off her face, her eyes in a deep, penetratating scowl. It was a look the fairies knew all too well: it wasn't a look of deep shame or embarrassment of any kind.

Tinker Bell was angry!

"Tink?", Moll & Lora said, not knowing what to expect. The Elias were not too aware that there are times when Tink's temper gets the better of her. Whenever that happens, all the fairies of Pixie Hollow, Vidia included, knew to stay clear of her.

"Tinker Bell, it was only a joke, sweetie", Moll said in a soothing voice in an attempt to calm her down. But Tink wasn't listening: her face was still in a deep scowl, & she was staring daggers over at Fawn, one of the main protagonists responsible for pulling the levers on one of Clank & Bobble's launchers along with Rosetta.

Then she does something no one thought would happen - she smiles.

Catching then off-guard, Tinker Bell hurls two snowballs she held in her hands as she got up - one at Fawn, the other at Rosetta. Both fairies get pummeled right in the face like Tink was before, knocking them down. She threw the snowballs so fast her motion was almost a blur.

"Ha! How do you two like them apples?", Tink scoffs, her face returning to normal.

"Well, we think they're pretty rotten!", Rosetta said, throwing a snowball on her last said word with Fawn. Tink easily dodges these, but retaliates by throwing two more of her own. Soon, snowballs get thrown by everyone & their play fighting resumes but with no sides.

"Free-for-all!", Clank & Bobble shout before getting creamed in the face by a snowball thrown by Beck & Iridessa.

"Yeah, great idea!", they both say, giggling. The snowball fighting resumed until dusk & they began heading back to the tearoom where Dulcie was serving up cups of her rich, delicious hot chocolate.

The North Pole:

For some regions, winter may have come to an end, but here in one of the most solitude of places anywhere on Earth, the season basically lasts all year round, even during the summer years of continents like North America, for example. Here, the sun was only a couple days away from showing itself on the horizon on the verge of changing polar night into midnight sun. But even now, strong frigid winds of more than 60 mph blew across the barren wasteland of lasting ice & snow, dropping temperatures to well below the freezing point of 32 degrees below zero. Anyone here without the proper protection on would become a frozen addition to the landscape in mere moments.

At a huge block of ice & snow near the center of the icebound continent, a radiant purple glow starts emanating through the ice, blinking on & off like that of a firefly's abdomen during nighttime. The radiant glow goes on for many more moments before a rumbling begins occurring & causes a slight avalanche down the sides all around. It glows more brighter until the area it shone at suddenly erupts, causing a spray of chunks of ice that fly everywhere, hitting the ground with great force. If anyone was in the vicinity, they would've heard a loud, growling, animalistic roar echo throughout the landscape & seen something no one else has: from out of the hole in the ice rose an insect-like creature that highly resembles a gigantic gypsy moth caterpillar with a body length of 90 to 100 meters, sprouting what looks like miniature legs with a sole claw on each one that run the length of the body. Its tail end has something of a pincer with sharp teeth on its edges. On the front were twin legs which were larger than the ones on the sides & larger claws sticking out of each. The upper body stood upright, measuring a height of about 45 to 50 meters. Its face had a horizontal mouth with sharp teeth, with a curved, pointed tusk on each side. Rough, colored spikes adorn down its back & sides all the way from head to toe. A pair of sinister red-purple eyes scanned the horizon as its large yellow, pointed horn on top of its head lets out an eerie glow, matching part of the pre-dawn of the North Pole. Surrounded by its tough exo-skeleton like all insects possess, the North Pole chill doesn't even faze it.

The memory of this creature is long, & it suddenly recalls as to how it had arrived in this vast, frozen wasteland. A bellowing roar of pure anger & disapproval echoes the area, & it begins crossing across the ice & snow & heads directly for the water after a long trek. With a very cold splash, it makes its way out into the open sea, traveling at a leisurely pace.

Its name is Battra, & though he hungers & thirsts for vengeance, he has been given a new course in his mission - one that urges him to follow the second star on his right.

Diving beneath the waves, Battra keeps on his destination.

Infant Island:

Within a wide cavern on a warm day with a glaring sun, an enormous egg rests on a large rock podium that overlooks the entire interior. This egg has remained on this very spot for many months, not moving an inch since it was laid. It measured close to somewhere between 80 to 90 meters in length, & its coloring had lines of baby blue & yellow paired with white splotches in spots. This egg lay in complete solitude, with nothing or nobody to disturb its slumber.

Until now.

A slight rumbling in the cave emerges as the egg ever so slowly shakes for a few seconds just before a small crack on the side turns visible. It soon spider-webs its way across the surface, chipping away until a large black horizontal mouth pokes its way through, sending off a loud cry that echoes the cavern. More of the egg begins to break away, falling in pieces when the face of a giant moth larva begins crawling out on its underbelly. A second giant larva pokes its head out from its birthing egg & cries out as its brethren fully exposes itself into the world. It has a length of between 90 to 100 meters, & its outer exo-skeleton has a dark brownish hue. Its long segmented body ended in a pointed tail, & small front legs jutted out from underneath the head. A pair of small but highly keen blue eyes shone in the darkness of the cavern. Its companion joins it shortly after escaping the egg they were born in, letting out a shrill cry in slight alarm.

Both of them sense that something in the world was wrong.

Very wrong.

Unfortunately, both larva were too weak at the moment to do much of anything, having spent their first bit of energy getting out of the egg. To go rushing off now would be suicidal, as their instincts come into full gear despite their low vitality. The larva make high-pitched chirps to one another as if in conversation, & after a brief discussion, they choose to remain in the cavern to give them time to gather enough strength to set on out into the world & deal with the sudden disturbance they've felt.

Once their vitality is restored, they will set out.

For now, however, they must rest.

Pixie Hollow, spring, two weeks later:

Like they did with summer, autumn & winter, Moll & Lora assisted the fairies in bringing spring to the mainland. Despite the absence of wings on their back, the Elias more than proved to be valuable assets to Pixie Hollow, using their own skills & power of telekineses to lift & place things in their proper position without a single hitch. Even Fairy herself lent a helping hand (or in her case, wings) to get everything set for winter's end & spring's beginning. Once again, Tinker Bell's launchers & quill guns came in handy as they had to repel a few attacks by hawks & a snake or two, compelling to swallow a water fairy or two.

And once again Vidia tried to steal one of Tink's inventions, only to meet with an utter, humiliating defeat by Blaze & company!

Setting down on the ground, Fairy chirps as Moll & Lora get off her back as Tinker Bell, Terence & the others gather around them, exchanging hugs of gratitude for helping to set up yet another lookout post in Pine Tree Grove.

"Thanks again for your assistance, ladies!", said Iridessa. "This task would've taken us a lot longer if you hadn't pitched in!"

"I'll say!", said Myka. "Even with no wings, you two do more work in an hour than most fairies who can fly in a whole day!"

"Oh, it's nothing, really!", Lora says. "We're just glad to offer our expertise!"

"It's the absolute least we can do for inviting Lora & myself to your home as you did", said Moll. "It'd be no different if the roles were reversed."

"You know, I always wondered what your own civilization was like", Prilla says. "Was it really similar to ours?"

Moll & Lora were speechless, as they didn't know what to say to their friends about their now-extinct race. They look at each other, then back to the group with smiles.

"In almost every fashion!", they say.

The fairies grin with glee at one another.

That's when Rosetta gets an idea in her head, & faces the Elias.

"Tell me something, ladies", she begins. "Have you girls ever flown?"

Moll & Lora stare at Rosetta & then at each other in puzzlement.

"What are you talking about, Rosetta?", Moll says. "Lora & I fly all the time on Fairy. Why would you even ask us if…"

"That's not really what Rosetta meant, ladies", Terence said as he & the other fairies get the garden fairy's meaning.

"Then what did she mean?", asked Lora.

"She meant really flown…without Fairy", Silvermist says, smiling.

"And how can we accomplish that?", asked Moll.

"It's easy, ladies", said Tinker Bell. "All you need is a little faith…"

"Trust…", adds Fawn.

"And…", Terence concludes, holding out his hands in a cup which holds glowing pixie dust. Taking in a breath, Terence blows it all onto the Elias, & it covers them both from head to toe.

Three minutes later:

Moll & Lora were giggling with excitement & glee as, shining with pixie dust, they flew over Pine Tree Grove hand in hand. It was a little tricky for them at first, having never flown without their faithful friend Fairy before, but with guidance from Terence & the group, they soon took to flying in the sky like any bird in flight or a fish to water. Neither Elias have ever had the experience of flying under one's own power as far as Moll & Lora can remember, & they were having the time of their lives!

Exiting Pine Tree Grove, they headed next for Sunflower Meadow, where the light fairies Iridessa works with wave in greetings as they fly by.

"Unbelievable, Moll!", Lora says excitedly. "We're flying on our own, & all it took for us was to think of happy thoughts! And here we are!"

"And here we are, Lora!", Moll said, just as excited. "Truth be told, I never believed in such a thing before we arrived here! This truly is a magical land!"

"This is just the beginning, girls! Follow us!", Tinker Bell says, taking the Elias all across Pixie Hollow with Iridessa, Fawn, Silvermist, Terence, Myka, Prilla & Fairy all flying parallel with her. From their vantage point, Moll & Lora can see places like Needlepoint Meadow, the Mermaid Lagoon, Lilypad Pond, Buttercup Canyon, & Havendish Stream. Every sight was more breathtaking for Moll & Lora than the last, never realizing just how much one small island could hold tons of wonderful areas, & then some.

Next up is Tinker's Nook, where Tinker Bell's group is making new gadgets to improve life in Pixie Hollow. Clank & Bobble were in the group, & they hear Tink calling their names even from a distance. The zany duo wave back as they fly past.

"How nice, Bobble!", said Clank. "Tinker Bell & her friends come by to say hello!"

"Yes, & Moll & Lora flying on their own!", Bobble adds, as he & Clank resume their work for several moments before the realization hits them like a ton of sticks.

"Moll & Lora flying on their own?", they shout at each other before turning skyward. The sight of the Elias soaring through the air without Fairy was too much for them to bear, & Clank faints to the ground with a thud, while Bobble's water drop lenses in his goggles burst, exposing his near-sighted eyes before he, too, faints & joins Clank.

Guffaws from the other tinkers all over Tinker's Nook.

The group heads for the pixie dust tree itself, & just below, Fairy Mary & Queen Clarion were going over some details. Hearing giggling in close proximity, they both look up to find a most glamorous sight: their guests Moll & Lora flying without the aide of their butterfly Fairy as Tinker Bell & company lead them across Pixie Hollow. Passing by, they all call down to Fairy Mary & Queen Clarion, who wave & grin widely.

"I was wondering when they'd get around to it!", Fairy Mary & Queen Clarion say to each other gleefully, knowing it was only a matter of time before their guests gave flying by pixie dust a try. Both ladies let out a heartfelt laugh with one another before continuing with their chores.

Once they pass the pixie dust tree, it was Moll & Lora themselves who lead the group, & both choose to head further up in altitude until they got a good look at Pixie Hollow from high up. They were given a bird's eye view of the place when they were first brought here after saving Tink & company from Biollante, but haven't done so much since then. Now, however, they are reminded of how beautiful & wondrous it is from their vantage point.

"No matter how many times I see it, Pixie Hollow always takes my breath away!", said Silvermist.

"You speak for every fairy who lives here, Sil…up to & including Vidia!", said Iridessa.

"Did I hear somebody call my name?"

The fairies & Elias turn to the sound of the voice & see the aforementioned fairy flying straight towards them, arriving in the wink of an eye.

"Vidia!", Terence, sounding surprised to see her.

"Hello, Vidia! How's your rear?", Tinker Bell asks with a slight smirk, recalling the times the fast-flying fairy tried to steal her launcher & quill gun.

Vidia's response was a simple 'hmph!' before speaking her mind, staring at the Elias.

"So, you two finally decided to try flying on your own with pixie dust, eh?"

"Well, why not, Vidia?", Prilla says. "After all, they've been staying with us for just over six months now, we figured it was time. 'When in Rome', as the humans would say."

"And they've been having the time of their lives with it!", said Fawn. "Right, ladies?"

"Like we're living for the very first time!", Lora says with a smile as Moll nods.

"In any case, Vidia, Lora & I are glad you're here!", Moll said.

"You are?", Vidia asks with a hint of surprise.

"You are?", the others say with a lot of surprise.

"That's right", Moll went on. "We'd like to offer something of value to you."

"Darlings, no offense to either of you, but I don't think you have anything that would be of value to moi!", Vidia says with sarcasm before turning to leave, but the Elias say something to stop her dead in her tracks.

"How about a race?", they say together.

Vidia turns around slowly, eyeing the Elias suspiciously.

"A race, you say?", she asks.

"Between you & us both", Moll says. "And no pixie dust either - Lora & I will race you on Fairy, nothing more."

At first, Vidia was speechless: their guests wish to have a race against her of all fairies, & not use any pixie dust? She couldn't tell if they were either very brave or very foolish to make a challenge to her & not use what gives the fairies their magic. But Vidia can tell that the Elias were serious in their request, & it wasn't any skin off Vidia's nose if that's what they wanted.

The vicious smile Vidia was known for returns to her face.

"All right, darlings", she says slyly. "You both got yourself a race. Meet me at the pixie dust tree in five minutes."

With that, Vidia was gone again, leaving the other fairies as speechless as she was before.

"Uh, ladies…you sure you know what you're doing?", Rosetta asked. "Vidia really is the fastest fairy in all of Pixie Hollow. Her reputation for it is no exaggeration."

"She'll literally leave you in the dust", Iridessa says.

"Even if that's true, it'll be just us offering our all to everyone", Lora says. "We swore to be such gracious hosts to you, & that includes Vidia despite her less-than-appealing reputation."

"Trust us…nobody's going to get hurt", Moll adds, reassuring them. Without another word, the Elias soared down to Pixie Hollow with no one at their side, having gotten the hang of flying on their own.

Tinker Bell & company were skeptical (& somewhat nervous) about the whole thing, but it was the Elias' choice to make, not theirs.

Not wanting to miss the event, they started back home themselves.

Vidia was already set to take off for excitement by the time Moll, Lora & the other fairies arrived at the pixie dust tree. With a quick wave of his hands, Terence expunged the pixie dust he blew onto the Elias, leaving them as normal as any human being & unable to fly. Fairy rushes up to them, & they board on her back before meeting in parallel with Vidia.

"Got that? First one to the other side of Pixie Hollow at the shore is the winner!", Vidia explains.

"Got it!", Moll & Lora said, holding tightly to Fairy.

"Another thing: don't think I'll be going easy on you just because you're our guests! I'm giving my all in this race like always - I expect you both to do the same!"

"We expected no less from you, Vidia!", Moll said. "And don't worry - Lora & I are tougher than you might think!"

"Well then, here's your chance to back your words up! All set?"

"All set!"

"Then, when I say go…GO!"

Like shots fired from a gun, Vidia & Fairy with her two passengers took off, leaving a startled group of fairies behind as winds rustle up leaves & blow them all over.

With the wind blowing fiercely in their faces, Vidia & the Elias streak across the landscape of Pixie Hollow, startling many of the fairies & animals they come in contact with as they feel the strong rush of air breeze past them, sometimes knocking over whatever they might be carrying in their hands at the time. Streaking around Tinker's Nook, the trio race across places like Sunflower Meadow, Lilypad Pond, & most other places they've passed previously. Through it all, Fairy keeps pace with Vidia, making her slightly nervous.

Unbelievable!, she thought. That little whippersnapper never left my side since this race began! She's better than I gave her credit for! I'd better come up with something to make this a bit more difficult, or else it'll be me who loses this bout!

Opportunity knocks as they approach Pine Tree Grove, giving Vidia the perfect chance to put this race in her favor. She leads the Elias into the forest itself, & in doing so, obstacles such as tree branches are placed in their view, making their trek more difficult. But it doesn't deter Fairy too much any more than it does Vidia: she weaves, dodges & swoops over, under & around whatever happens to be in her path. Moll & Lora thought it was a ruse to slow them down, but they kept up with her despite the devious trick. They said they can take what she dishes out, & they plan to adhere to it.

Seeing Fairy guide the Elias through all obstacles without too much difficulty, Vidia was now starting to slightly panic.

My god!, she thought. Even after all that, Fairy still keeps up with me! The finish line is fast approaching, & I'm getting dangerously low on options!

Through the forest, Vidia & the Elias can see the finish line even through the heavy foliage as they spot patches of blue water among golden sands. Within only a few seconds, they will have reached their goal.

This is it!, Vidia, Moll & Lora all thought as the end comes within grabbing distance. But just when they get to the end of the forest, something long & sticky lashes out & strikes Fairy on her underside, causing her to tumble through the air & lose her twin passengers. Taken unawares by what attacked Fairy, Moll & Lora soared through the air at a fast speed, passing the forest & heading straight for the water of the open ocean.

Unable to stop themselves, the Elias made a splash in the water, & their worlds went dark.

Neither Moll nor Lora could tell how long they'd been out for before opening their eyes & find themselves lying on the sandy beach. Sitting up, they find Tinker Bell, Iridessa, Rosetta, Fawn, Silvermist, Terence, Prilla, Myka, Vidia & Beck surrounding them.

"Are you two all right?", asked Terence. "Vidia says that was quite a hit you took."

"Do you recall what happened?", asked Silvermist.

It was a bit of a fuzz in their heads, but the Elias do remember the incident.

"Yes. We were racing with Vidia, when something hit Fairy & tossed us off of her!", Moll said.

"Where is Fairy?", Lora added.

"She's right here, girls!", Beck called out, standing next to Fairy & a green frog. "The frog is named Strongjump. He was in the area you & Vidia were racing in, & when he spotted Fairy, he just…"

"Strongjump attacked her?", Lora asked. "Why?"

"Please don't be mad, ladies", Fawn pleaded. "Strongjump was only doing what any frog would do when they see an insect in their sights. He was just following his nature, nothing more. I merely forgot that neither you girls nor Fairy never met him before. We're so sorry."

"No need to be, Fawn", Moll assures her. "It's not his fault. Was he the one who pulled us out of the water?"

"Yes", Beck answered. "When I saw what happened, I flew in to explain that Fairy was a friend of ours & told him to rescue you both."

"I would've went & done it myself, only fairies & water, well…we really don't go too well together", Vidia said with a pinch of compassion.

"What Vidia means is that our wings absorb water whenever they get wet", Rosetta says. "If any of us were to land in a pond or lake, our wings would get heavy & drag us under."

"Meaning that you'd drown", Lora concludes as they nod.

"And that's why fairies never go swimming", Iridessa says. "Out of all the fairies in Pixie Hollow, only Rani can do that because her wings are gone. Aside from you two, of course."

"Of course", Moll & Lora say, smiling as Tinker Bell helped them up. The Elias turn to Vidia.

"Sorry our race got unexpectedly interrupted, Vidia", Moll said.

"Maybe we can call it a draw?", Lora wonders.

"Don't let it get under your skin, girls", Vidia replied with her known smile. "This was the most exciting race I've had in a long time since…well, I guess I can't remember the last time I raced this good with anyone. Go figure. Still…let me know if you two wish to race again, okay?"

Vidia heads off into the forest in silence without a backwards glance.

It may have been their imagination, but Tinker Bell & company thought they saw a patch of admiration for Pixie Hollow's two guests.

Wow! Now that was a race, if ever I've been in one!, Vidia thought. Those two Elias really are something else! I think I'm beginning to like them! I mean, really like those two!

Even Vidia can't deny her feelings for Moll & Lora, though she'd be hard-pressed to admit it to anyone.

Continuing on, Vidia flies away with what may be a smile of affection on her face.

CHAPTER V

The deep sea, miles off Pixie Hollow:

Captain Hook's pirate ship sailed smoothly in the late afternoon sun, its light reflecting off the sails used to push it through the drink with ease. He stands proud on the deck of his vessel in his dashing magenta-red pirate's coat, black boots, maroon pants, pink undershirt, white scruff tie & large lavender hat with large white feather on top that covered his long jet black hair. A thin pointed mustache matched the personality of this most dangerous man to ever sailed the seven seas in search of buried treasure.

But this man wasn't searching for any money, jewels or anything of the kind. No, Captain James Hook was in search of something more valuable to him than any amount of wealth one could imagine. It was revenge: cold, calculating vengeance against a certain boy in lime green tights & cap, with brown boots, hair & eyes who can fly, & has a dagger attached to his belt. He was named Peter Pan, the one responsible for losing Captain Hook's left hand & feeding it to a crocodile. Since then, his hatred for his sworn enemy was as cold as the metal hook he now wears in place of his missing hand. His right-hand man, Mr. Smee, stood right beside him. Smee was a burly midget of a man, with a blue-striped t-shirt, blue pants, brown sandals, & red cap on his head. A white trimmed beard, big red nose & small spectacles over his eyes decorated his face, & he held a map in his hands which he observes.

As they sailed, Hook's mind was going a mile a minute.

He's close!, he thought bitterly. Somehow, I can practically smell him! He's in this vicinity somewhere, & when I find him, I'll make him regret with every drop of his blood what he did to me! Nobody makes a fool of Captain James Hook & gets away with it! Nobody!

"Mr. Smee! Are we on the right course?", he demanded his pint-sized henchman.

"Uh, yes Captain Hook!", Smee said in a blubbering voice. "I've made the calculations of the course you wished for us to make myself & checked them over - twice! We're heading in the right direction, sir!"

Hook snatches Smee by his shirt with his hook & brings him to eye level.

"I most certainly hope we are, Mr. Smee - for your sake, that is!", he sneered.

Smee gulped in trepidation.

He then caught something from the corner of his eye, & turned towards it.

"Captain, out there!", Smee says, pointing out to sea. Hook turns to where his henchman was pointing & sees what he was referring to: at about more than 100 yards out was a wake in the water that was rapidly approaching the pirate vessel. Roughly putting Smee down, Captain Hook peeked through his long looking glass & saw an object that just broke the surface. It seemed like a fin of sorts, but Hook couldn't be sure.

A shark, no doubt!, he thought. Or maybe even a whale!

It didn't matter to Hook: he was more than angry enough to cause some damage to anyone or anything that came his way, & this poor sea creature happened to stumble in his path for him to take his anger out on.

A little target preliminary practice before the main event!, he thought with a sinister grin.

"Mr. Smee, prepare the cannons if you please!", he ordered.

"Aye aye, Captain…!", Smee started to say until the sea broke away where the wake had been in a spray of white foam. Both Captain Hook & Mr. Smee's jaws dropped & their eyes bulged out of their skulls when they saw what erupted from beneath the water: it was a beast which resembled a gypsy moth caterpillar that had a pair of tusks on the sides of its mouth, dark red-purple eyes & a large curved horn on top of its head. The thing roared with a hideous sound that was heard even from inside the ship.

"Captain, a sea monster!", Mr. Smee cried.

"I've got eyes, you idiot!", Hook growled, klonking Smee in the head with his right fist. "Get all hands on deck, Mr. Smee! Now!"

"Yes sir!", Smee says, raising his voice & running all across the deck. "All hands on deck! Everybody on deck! All hands on deck! Everybody on deck!"

As Smee shouted the warning, Hook's men all came running out on the deck, tripping over each other & some getting their clothes on in a rush. They froze when they saw the sea creature in the water, quickly closing in on their vessel.

"Well, blow me down!", one pirate said. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Aye! A bloomin' sea monster!", the others cried.

"That's right, men! And we're going to bring it down! Man the cannons!", Hook cried.

Hook's men rushed to the cannons, cleaning & loading them as quick as they could to get them ready for firing. They do so in record time, & fuses were already lit for the first barrage of cannonballs to be launched. With the moment of truth at hand, Captain Hook grinned widely.

Okay, so it isn't Peter Pan, but at least I get to kill something!, he thought with pride. And this unfortunate beast just happened to cross my path at the wrong time!

With thunderous booms, the cannons fired their first load at great speed. The cannonballs slam into Battra with powerful force, but they didn't even slow him down a notch. More cannon fire slammed into the creature's tough exo-skeleton, creating loud pings like the tolling of large bells. Battra was struck in the face & chest by these heavy-duty balls of steel, but his progress had not been hindered any more than the last barrage.

Captain Hook was shell-shocked at the ineffectiveness of the cannons, even when round after round was being fired.

"It's not stopping it, Captain! What shall we do?", Smee nervously asks.

"Keep firing! Use your guns & rifles in par with the cannons, you dogs!", Hook barked.

The men did as told, & leveled their firearms & blazed away. Soon, bullets & cannonballs were smacking into Battra's hide at high velocity, but the effect was no different than before.

While Battra wasn't hurt by round after round of ammunition hitting him, he was getting more than a little annoyed from it. The large horn on his head lit up & fired a powerful yellow beam of energy that struck the sails & masts, causing them to explode in a fiery holocaust. A shower of burning debris rained down upon Hook & his crew as the men ran every which way, avoiding the falling pieces.

Grabbing Smee, Hook looks him straight in the eye.

"Mr. Smee, this is no ordinary sea monster!", Hook says with fear in his voice. "This thing is a demon from way down under!"

"So, what'll we do, Captain?", Smee says.

"Retreeeeat!", Hook yelled out, dropping Smee as men scrambled to the lifeboats at the Captain's order - one they're happy to oblige with!

But Battra wasn't finished with Hook yet: from his eyes, a pair of purple prism beams were fired which strike Hook's ship dead center, blasting pieces into the sea & blowing the vessel in half. Captain Hook, Mr. Smee & the rest of the men were thrown into the drink by the blast as pieces of flaming debris splashed into the water, some getting awfully close to the men. Battra slams his bulk into what remained of Hook's ship, shattering pieces like they were mere plywood & breaks with ease. Unfettered with the destruction he caused, Battra resumed his course with following the second star on his right.

Hearing Battra's boisterous roar, Mr. Smee & Captain Hook reach for the only lifeboat which wasn't destroyed by the creature. The former was the first to get inside as Captain Hook places his tired chin on the rear.

"So…back to port, Captain?", Mr. Smee asked his boss.

That's when Captain Hook hears something that makes his mustache go on end & his eyes bulge. It was a tick-tock sound, one he was all too familiar with: this is the sound of the clock in which the beast that ate his left hand after Peter Pan cut it off & fed it to had swallowed. Daring to turn around, Hook came literally face-to-snout with a large man-eating crocodile, who smiled & opened its toothy maw, intending to swallow the rest of the hand he began with. With a cry of a frightened child, Hook managed to escape the crocodile's mouth a split-second before they slammed shut, biting only empty air.

"Back to port, Mr. Smee!", Hook shouts, grabbing the rear of the lifeboat & propelling it with his legs, acting as its motor & carrying Smee in the front with it. The crocodile was in hot pursuit, snapping its jaws shut with near-misses of Hook's rear. At a great speed, they pass the other pirates, who find the situation highly amusing despite their predicament & guffaw loudly as they stay afloat on pieces of debris.

"Look at 'em go!", one pirate said. "Running with his tail between his legs!"

"You mean to say that he's our captain? He ought to change his name to Chicken Hook!", said another pirate, making everyone laugh louder. One pirate stopped laughing when he turned to see a disturbance behind him. He tries getting the attention of the other pirates, but they were too busy laughing to notice him.

"Hey fellas!", he shouts at the top of his lungs, & this time they do notice his cry. When they turn, they're all faced with a nightmare not dissimilar to Hook's own: staring at the pirates were a family of great white sharks with teeth that shined in the late afternoon glare, grinning in anticipation. Immediately their guffawing ceases, & they do what comes naturally in a fix like this.

Like their captain himself, the pirates scream like frightened children & run across the water at top speed, the man-eating sharks following right behind them.

"Hey Captain! Wait for us!", they cry out, going in the same direction Hook was pushing Smee in the lifeboat in, with Tick Tock (the name for the crocodile) still trailing them, snapping his jaws constantly.

With any luck, they should all reach port in a few days.

Unless of course they end up as croc chow and/or shark bait!

Pixie Hollow, evening, one week later:

Fairy-Tale Glen was, as usual, packed to capacity with fairies of numerous talents, but on this particular night, they weren't going in to hear a long-ago tale of any kind. No, this time the place usually saved for telling tales of astonishment (& at times frights) is being transformed into a place of fairies to try their hand at singing and/or dancing. Queen Clarion felt that just because a fairy's talent is not in music like some are, it didn't mean that he/she can't sing or dance. This sort of event is the perfect thing for them to really show off what talent they possessed - with their voice/dance steps.

But whether it was for fairy tales or song & dance, Fairy Mary still never misses a night in this spot, & was more or less the first to arrive.

The stage was loaded with musical instruments of all kinds, ranging from violins & guitars to trumpets & trumbones to drums of all shapes & sizes. There was even two grand pianos in which the tinker fairies & a fairy named Strad, an instrument master who specializes in fixing & fine-tuning instruments to perfection, have been working on for many months. Both were created by strong bamboo sticks & metal chords Tinker Bell found on the shores where lost things all basically turn up from the mainland. However, they perform slightly differently from one another: one of the pianos was a regular-working instrument, while the other one has been modified to sound like that of a church organ but with more pizzazz. Music fairy Trill, a brown-haired, green-eyed fairy dressed in an orange & magenta leaf dress, sat at the regular-sounding piano & got ready for the first musical number. While she usually played her favorite instrument, the panpipes, she marveled at the thought to try new & different instruments & broaden her own horizons. After all, what's a music fairy if he/she only played one particular instrument?

With Cleff as lead music conductor & stick in hand , the music fairies get ready to perform their first number called 'Cast Your Fate To The Wind', a soft-paced instrumental number that will involve dancing fairies moving & swaying to the music.

Queen Clarion, the Ministers of the seasons, Tinker Bell, & even the Elias all sat down to await the evening's festivities. Even Vidia came in, being in the back & staying out of sight from everyone else. She wondered as to why she came: could it be that Moll & Lora were here too? The fast-flying fairy had taken quite a shine to them since their race last week, & now she's here at an event she never appears in.

Could that be it?, she pondered on the thought. I wonder…

Luckily, nobody seemed to notice her, which was fine by Vidia. They didn't have time to anyway: the fireflies that illuminate the room dimmed their lights until only the stage was lit & shone on the music players & dancers themselves. Tapping his stick, Cleff conducts the number as soft, melodious music gets played from piano, drums & bass guitar. Trill hits the piano keys as the main sound as the dancing fairies move in a rhythmic fashion, being only a few inches off the ground, turning & swaying. Everyone watched with amazing grace as the dancing fairies moved with elegance to its beautiful tone. When Trill finished with a soft finale, all hands clapped as the dancing fairies took a gracious bow.

As does Cleff, making a new introduction.

"And that was called 'Cast Your Fate To The Wind'. Next up is another number, one that will be performed by Trill solo on the piano. This she calls 'Last Date'. Trill?"

The music fairy nods & gives her fingers a little flex before putting them to work again on the instrument keys. Like the other tune, this one gets played softly only more so, & the dancing fairies move to its rhythm & lend a little backup vocal in spots. Everyone listening was more or less mesmerized by its beauty in the melody like the previous song. When she finished, a round of applause filled the room before Cleff addressed the crowd & the dance fairies step aside.

"Thank you one & all! And now, I would like to welcome Cadence up to the stage for her little numbers."

More clapping ensued as Cadence, a dark-skinned fairy in purple & green, takes the stage & introduces herself.

"Good evening, everyone! I'm Cadence, & this next number is something I'd like to call 'Yellow Bird'", she says. "Like the last two songs, it's an instrumental, & I wish to dedicate this to all of the animal fairies who take good care of our fine-feathered friends when they need it most."

Fawn & Beck smile at & give each other a hug.

Getting to a row of bells held firm by strings, Cadence picks up a pair of tiny mallets with a rubber ball at their ends & begins softly striking them after a guitar's soft start. Just like the previous number played, this tune had a beautiful melody & a heart-melting rhythm that made everyone's soul go aflutter. There were even more than a few tears of joy being shed by those who were deeply moved by the song's enchanting sound, most especially from Fawn & Beck.

Loud applause filled the room as Cadence took a bow in appreciation.

"Remind me to do something special for Cadence first chance we get!", Fawn told Beck, who nods proudly.

But Cadence wasn't done yet.

"Much obliged to you all!", she says. "Now I switch gears & perform my next number to a nice swinging tune I call 'Percolator', & it goes something like this."

Mallets in hand, Cadence heads over to a tinker fairy-made xylophone & begins hitting the keys with them. For the first few seconds, it becomes soft but turns hard & gets moving as guitars give it more life. The crowd moved their feet & bodies slightly to its fast-paced tone as Cadence pounds key after key of joy, & at the end, she slows it down little by little until she stops her tune completely, & the audience gives her a second round of applause & she bows in gratitude before stepping off the stage.

The clapping ceased as Cleff speaks again.

"Thank you everyone, & especially Cadence! And now we'd wish to present to you our next entry in tonight's festivities, a song called 'Calcutta'. The dancing fairies will take to the stage once more, as Trill will now change over to the organ."

Cleff pauses long enough for the aforementioned fairies to perform their duties before he continues.

"Are we set?"

They nod with smiles.

"Then here we go!"

At Cleff's signal, guitars, tambourines & Trill on the organ all play & create a fast-paced musical piece as the dancing fairies move at a different rhythm than the first two instrumental numbers. This time they move in a more freestyle dance, going in a rapid speed & singing 'la, la, la, la, la, la, la' when it warrants it. Trill's organ palying is once again the backbone of it, & in the end the dancing fairies clap in harmony before going 'la, la, la, la, la, la, la' combined with an organ finish. Through it all, those in the audience were moving slightly in their seats to this fast-paced tune.

More applause stormed the room as all took their bows & cleared the stage. In their place stood Iridessa, Fira & their light fairies with the former two taking center stage.

"Good evening, one & all! I'm Iridessa, & this is Fira", she begins. "We're light fairies, & we can be found mostly in Sunflower Meadow, collecting light to shine upon the mainland. For tonight, we've all conducted & came up with this little number entitled 'The Old Lamplighter'. It goes something like this."

Reading the musical notes handed to him, Cleff starts his orchestra in a slow-going tempo as Iridessa & Fira sing softly in unison, with the other light fairies joining in in assigned spots:

He made the night a little brighter

Wherever he would go

The old lamplighter

Of long, long ago

His snowy hair was so much whiter

Beneath the candle glow

The old lamplighter

Of long, long ago

You'd hear the patter of his feet

As he came toddling down the street

His smile would cheer a lonely heart you see

If there were sweethearts in the park

He'd pass a lamp & leave it dark

Remembering the days that used to be

For he recalled when things were new

He loved someone who loved him too

Who walks with him alone in memory

He made the night a little brighter

Wherever he would go

The old lamplighter

Of long, long ago

Now if you look up in the sky

You'll understand the reason why

The little stars at night are all aglow

He turns them on when night is here

He turns them off when dawn is near

The little man we left so long ago

He made the night a little brighter

Wherever he would go

The old lamplighter

Of long, long ago

Iridessa, Fira & the other light fairies were applauded as they bowed & exited the stage as the former two flew over towards Silvermist & the other water fairies.

"Ladies, that was simply beautiful!", Rani said with tears flowing from her eyes. In one of her many pockets, she takes out a leaf-kerchief as she has a habit of crying…a lot.

"I second that!", Silvermist says. "Your voice shines as bright as your own leaf bucket!"

"Thanks girls!", Iridessa & Fira say, taking their seats next to their friends.

"What's next?", Fira wondered.

"I believe it's time for Rosetta's little number!", said a garden fairy named Lily from her spot.

True enough, the garden fairy Rosetta takes center stage, dressed in an elegant sparkling purple dress that seems to glitter with every move she made. 'Ooohs' & 'Ahhhhs' filled the room as Rosetta addresses her 'adoring public'.

"Greetings, one & all!", she stated. "I'm Rosetta, a garden fairy, & tonight I present to you a catchy little tune which just about fits me to a 'T'. This I call 'A Sweet Old-Fashioned Girl'."

Rosetta starts to sing as the number plays in both a mellow & fast-paced rhythm as she dances in a somewhat sultry style:

Scoobley-doo-bee-doo

Be-doo-bee-doo-bee-doo-bee-doo

Wouldn't anybody care to meet a sweet old-fashioned girl?

Scoobley-dah-doo-bee-dum

Doesn't anybody care about a sweet old-fashioned pearl?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

Who's a frantic little bopper in some sloppy socks

Just a crazy rock n' rollin, little Goldilocks

Wouldn't anybody care to meet a sweet old-fashioned girl?

Doesn't anybody care to hear some sweet old-fashioned talk?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

Wouldn't anybody like to take a nice old-fashioned walk?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

Take a walk around the corner where the cats all stop

Where you'll dig the tasty cake & then you'll dance that bop

Wouldn't anybody like to take a nice old-fashioned walk?

Scooby-doo, a-scooby-doo, we can bop on a bicycle built for two

Scooby-die, a-scooby-die, you'll get your kicks if you'll give us a try

Wouldn't anybody care to meet a sweet old-fashioned miss?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

Wouldn't anybody like to kiss a sweet old-fashioned kiss?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

You'll just flip your little wig because we'll bet you some

That you'll really dig the flavor of our bubble gum

Wouldn't anybody care to meet a sweet old-fashioned girl?

A-scooby-doo, a-scooby-doo, we went out to that house where the lights are blue

A-scooby-die, a-scooby-die, though we went waltzing in, we went boppin' goodbye

Wouldn't anybody care to meet a sweet old-fashioned girl?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

Doesn't anybody care about a sweet old-fashioned pearl?

Scoobley-doo-bee-dum

Who's a frantic little bopper in some sloppy socks

Just a crazy rock n' rollin' little Goldilocks

Wouldn't anybody care to meet a sweet old-fashioned

Scoobly-doo-bee-doo-bee-doo-bee-doo…BOP!

Loud cheers & applause punctuated Rosetta's glamorous singing & dancing, bowing & batting her eyelashes playfully to the crowd before blowing a kiss & exiting. That's when the stage goes dark as fairies arrange for the next performance while Cleff speaks.

"Quite a number that one was, eh?", he jokes. "Miss Rosetta sure has charm in more than just her gardening, I'll tell you what!" Laughter from the crowd erupts, totally agreeing with him. "Next up, we have a duo of songs as done from a highly talented duo, who have asked to remain anonymous until the time was right." Cleff looks to see dancing fairies lined up on the left & right of the stage, as the center remains dark & reveals two fairies in silhouette. They give Cleff a thumbs-up, telling him that all is ready.

"And here we go! A number the duo call 'Herb Tea For Two'."

Soft music commences as the prelude begin singing in rhythm to it:

Oh what delight to be given the right

To be carefree & gay once again

No longer slinking, respectably drinking

Like civilized ladies & men

(The center stage now lights up, revealing Clank & Bobble, standing side-by-side with a table which has a drum, glass, whistle & other zany objects placed on it. Clank picks up singing.)

No longer need we miiiiiiss

A charming scene like thiiiiiiis

(At the end of the next line, the song goes from soft to loud & boisterous after Bobble shouts out happily, with him making noises at the appropriate times.)

In some secluded rendezvous (whoopee!, whistle, bang)

That overlooks the avenue (horn noises)

With someone sharing a delightful chat (yickety yickety)

Of this & that with herb tea for two (clink clink)

As we enjoy delicious etiquette (mmmmmm!)

To some exquisite chansonette (fiddle sound)

Two hands are sure to slyly meet beneath

The serviette with herb tea for two (clink clink)

My head may go reeling (slide whistle x2)

But my heart will be obedient (drumbeat sound x2)

With intoxicating kisses

For the principal ingredient (pop, fizz, laugh)

Most any afternoon at five (ting ting ting ting)

We'll be so glad we're both alive (inhale, ahhhhh)

Then maybe fortune will complete her plan

That all began with herb tea for two (clink crash)

(A hilarious musical interlude now occurs as Clank & Bobble add hiccups & other strange noises as well as hilarious dancing to the mix. Everyone, from Queen Clarion, Tinker Bell, & even the Elias laugh hysterically at their comedic antics, which even resulted in more than a few falling off their seat. Soon, the melody changes to soft again as Clank, Bobble, & the chorus finish up.)

Most any afternoon at five (Monday to Sunday at five)

We'll be so glad we're both alive (we'll be so glad we're alive)

Then maybe fortune will complete her plan (oooh-we-ooh)

That all began with herb tea for two (hic) two (hic hic) two-we-ooh (hic)

A blaring of trumpets marks the end of their novelty song, & fairies both clap & giggle simultaneously in cheer. The fairies who sang backup clear the stage, leaving Clank & Bobble as the former now addresses the crowd.

"Thank you, everybody!", he praised. "And now, Bobble & I have a second little number that's just as fun as the one you just heard! It's titled 'Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh'…"

"'A Letter from Camp'!", they say in unison. Cleff signals the musicians, & mellow but playful music begins, fitting the mood as Clank & Bobble start together after a short prelude:

(During the course of the tune, giggles erupt in spots.)

Hello Muddah…Hello Fadduh

Here I am at…Camp Granada

Camp is very…entertaining

And they say we'll have some fun if it stops raining

I went hiking…with Joe Spivey

He developed…poison ivy

You remember…Leonard Skinner

He got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner

All the counselors…hate the waiters

And the lake has…alligators

And the head coach…wants no sissies

So he reads to us from something calles Ulysses

Now I don't want…this to scare ya

But my bunkmate…has malaria

You remember…Jeffrey Hardy

They're about to organize a searching party

Taaake meee home, oh Muddah, Fadduh

Taaake meee home, I hate Granada

Dooon't leeeave me out in the forest where

I might…get eaten by a bear

Taaake meee home, I promise I will not…make…noise

Or mess the house with oootherrr boys

Oh please don't make me stay

I've been here one…whole…daaay

(The crowd lets out a heartfelt laugh at their last statement for several moments before Clank & Bobble resume their goofy story.)

Dearest Fadduh…darling Muddah

How's my precious…little Bruddah?

Let me come home…if you miss me

I would even let Aunt Bertha hug & kiss me

Wait a minute…it stopped hailing

Guys are swimming…guys are sailing

Playing dodge ball…gee that's better

Muddah, Fadduh, kindly disregard this letter!

In their last line, Clank & Bobble each tossed a leaf as the chorus played finishing music & the crowd laughed, cheered & clapped at the duo's silly antics. That included Moll & Lora, for neither can remember the last thime they've laughed so hard. Even Vidia from the very rear had seemed amused, if not anonymously.

Huh! Like those two don't goof off enough while they're tinkering, let alone performing up on stage!, she thought, shaking her head with a slight smile.

That's when Queen Clarion herself steps up on stage, followed by the four Ministers of the seasons, & she addresses the crowd.

"Good evening to one & all. I'm going to be perfectly honest with you…I simply relish & adore hearing everyone singing, even if it isn't your natural talent when you first arrived here at Pixie Hollow. The styles you come up with, the way you sing your ever-loving hearts out, & the fact that you can sing & allow us to hear it sends my soul soaring with pride. I just cannot thank you enough with all my heart, & as a special treat, I myself have a song I wish to share to all of you in highest gratitude. This one I call, appropriately enough, 'Thank You for the Music'."

She turns to Cleff, who nods & raises his stick to prepare his orchestra.

Trill begins on the piano, & the rest follow in a soothing sound as Queen Clarion starts to sing, with the four Ministers of the seasons adding backup vocals:

I'm nothing special, in fact I'm a bit of a bore

If I tell a joke, you've probably heard it before

But I have a talent, a wonderful thing

'Cause everyone listens when I start to sing

I'm so grateful & proud

All I want is to sing it out loud

So I say

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk

Mm-hmm, she says I began to sing long before I could talk

And I've often wondered, how did it all start?

Who found out that nothing can capture a heart

Like a melody can?

Well, whoever it was, I'm a fan

So I say

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honesty

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

I've been so lucky, I am the girl with golden hair

I wanna sing it out to everybody

What a joy, what a life, what a chaaaance!

Thank you for the music, the songs I'm singing

Thanks for all the joy they're bringing

Who can live without it, I ask in all honestly

What would life be?

Without a song or a dance what are we?

So I say thank you for the music

For giving it to me

So I say thank you for the music

For giving iiiiit…to meeeeee

Trill finishes the song on the piano just before the crowd erupts in boisterous applause as Queen Clarion & the four Ministers of the seasons all take a gracious bow to the audience. The queen speaks when all is silent again.

"Like the song states, I do thank you all for the music. And honestly: what would life be without song or dance to make our lives bright & gay when we need it most?" Queen Clarion then remembers something, & she turns to the Elias sitting somewhere in the second row. "Oh my, I've nearly forgotten! Moll, Lora, in all the time you've been with us, nobody's ever heard either of you sing! Surely there must be a song or two you can share with us?"

Moll & Lora face each other & then the crowd. What they see are fairies urging them on stage, gesturing with their hands & saying things like 'Go on, don't be shy', 'We'd love to hear you two sing!', & 'Give it a shot!'. Even Fairy Mary urged them both with a cheery 'Go ahead, dearies!' remark. Seeing all the encouragement (and a warm smile from Queen Clarion & the four Ministers), the Elias give in.

"I suppose we ought to, Lora", said Moll.

"I suppose so too, Moll", Lora replied. "I would hate for any of them to think of either of us as being ungracious hosts."

Nodding, the Elias rose from their seats & made their way to the stage, getting applause & cheers from everyone. Queen Clarion greets them with a warm hug before she & the Ministers step off, giving them the spotlight as Moll makes a little speech.

"Good evening to all our fairy friends. Let me first say that Lora & I are highly enjoying your generous hospitality here in Pixie Hollow towards us. It has been an absolute pleasure to be a part of your wondrous culture, & to offer our assistance to one & all when needed. And now, we'd like to sing you one of two songs that has been a part of our culture since the beginning of our race. It's more or less an ode to our friend & guardian, Mothra."

"Oh Cleff", Lora says, facing him. "We won't require your orchestra being played during our songs. All of you will be able to hear the melodies within your heads…and your hearts."

Cleff looked puzzled upon hearing Lora's request, but did as asked anyway.

Sitting Indian style, Moll & Lora faced the audience & began their melodious song:

Mosura ya, Mosura

Dongan kasakuyan

Indo muu

Rusuto uiraadoa

Hanba hanbamuyan

Randa banunradan

Tounjukanraa

Kasaku yaanmu

Mosura ya, Mosura

Dongan kasakuyan

Indo muu

Rusuto uiraadoa

Hanba hanbamuyan

Randa banunradan

Tounjukanraa

Kasaky yaanmu

The Elias sing the same verse two more times with grace & elegance, moving their hands to its rhythm. As they sing, the fairies listen intently to the song, having never heard anything of the kind in all their lives, in or beyond Pixie Hollow. Listening to the words, they can hear a sweet melody in their heads & hearts as Lora explained. It, too, was unlike anything they've ever listened to or felt before, & it gives each & every one of them a warm feeling inside…something which even their own pixie dust would have trouble trying to compare to.

When their song ends, so does the feeling they all shared within themselves.

But they'll never forget it for as long as they live, which will be an undoubtedly long time.

"My word, that was…different", Fairy Mary says, astonished.

"But so beautiful!", Rosetta said. "Ladies, you say you had two songs for us? We'd love to hear the other one!"

Cheers of encouragement erupted, & Moll & Lora were convinced to press on with their request.

Nodding, the crowd silented as the Elias begin their second of two songs, this one having a more upbeat tempo than the previous tune:

Ia ie hao ra

Uha e ka Mosura ha

Ia ie hao ma

Roha e na Mosura ha

Kiri e wa jina ha

Almost immediately after the Elias started singing their second song, all the fairies in the room began feeling swell from deep inside them. It felt as if something was waking up inside of them that had been asleep for a god-awfully long time, & chooses now to become active. Having no idea what it could be, the fairies (including Queen Clarion & the four Ministers) start chatting up in surprise, causing Moll & Lora to cease singing at 1/3 of their song. The Elias stare at each other in puzzlement, wondering what could cause them to stir themselves up so nervously. Even after they stopped singing, the fairies continued to chat among themselves about the feeling they all experienced.

Feeling ashamed to have helped caused this minor disturbance, Moll & Lora stood up & politely excused themselves before exiting the theatre as everyone looked on.

"What…What happened just now?", a confused Silvermist asks.

"I…I don't know", was all that Rani could say.

Moll? Lora?, Tinker Bell thought with worry for them both.

Whatever they were all thinking, it was clear to all that this concert was over.

Infant Island:

Finally having more than enough energy after three weeks of rest, the two Mothra larva chirp & screech in conversation. The disturbance they felt then was now much stronger than before, & they discussed the matter on which of them would go & face it, since their parent had died in battle more than half a year ago. It was finally decided that the one who had hatched first would be the one to take on the task, despite objections from its companion. But it stopped when its sibling wouldn't hear any more of it. Defeated, the second larva gave in, but not without offering it its fondest wishes to be safe.

Grateful for its sibling's compassion, the first Mothra larva started spinning silk upon itself & eventually was covered from head to toe in a hardened cocoon.

It would now only be a matter of time.

Cuddling right next to its entrapped sibling, the other Mothra larva lays & waits for the inevitable transformation.

Pixie Hollow, three days later:

The fairies resumed their daily chores all across the island, but no one could forget what occurred at the Song & Dance concert a few nights ago during the second song in which Moll & Lora sung. On top of that, nobody's seen the Elias themselves since then, having been harder to find than Clank's cotton earplugs. Becoming worried about them both, Tinker Bell, Silvermist, Iridessa, Rosetta, Terence & Fawn have all went around the island & asked fairies they've come across if they'd seen their honored guests.

Unfortunately, they haven't.

But Tink & company weren't ones to throw in the towel so easily: switching tactics, they called upon two of their most trusted allies to help in the search.

Cheese & Blaze!

Acting like professional bloodhounds, the duo soon pick up on Moll & Lora's trail, taking Tink & friends over near the sandy beach. So as not to frighten off their friends if they are in the vicinity, Tinker Bell & Terence went to go on alone. Neither were disappointed: Moll & Lora were sitting on a rock only about thirty to forty feet from the beach, with Fairy five feet away. Their backs were turned on the approaching fairies, staring at the ground with saddened faces.

"Do you want to talk about it, Moll?", Lora asks.

"I wouldn't know what to say, Lora", Moll replied. "Did you see the looks on their faces when we…"

"How could I not? They seemed scared when we started singing our second song to them."

"And it's because of us", Moll said, looking at Lora. "How could we do that to them, Lora? They took us into their home with open arms, & look at what we did. Being here for six months made us almost forget that our culture is not the same as theirs, aside from the fact that we're similar in size. Truth be told, I don't know if we even belong here anymore."

"Of course you do!"

Moll & Lora turn around to see Tinker Bell & company floating in the air right behind them. None of them had a face of fear or gloom, but that of a smiling fairy.

"Tinker Bell…", Lora started to say as their friends gather to them.

"Listen", Iridessa says. "Our cultures may have a slight difference or two, but that doesn't make either of you any less one of us. When we took you here to Pixie Hollow, you felt just like family as anyone here! Every day we hear from others, even from Queen Clarion herself, how wonderful it is to have you both & Fairy into our lives!"

The Elias were stunned by the news.

"They…they said that?", Lora asked.

"You bet!", said Terence. "Do you know just how happy you've made everyone here?"

"Happier than a pig rolling & frolicking in the mud!", Fawn said, getting nods from the rest. "Don't forger: Fairy Mary said the same thing to you two once not long ago."

"So, what do you say, girls? Will you head back with us?", Silvermist asks. "Everyone misses seeing you, & they're awfully worried to boot."

"But…but what about what happened at the concert?", Moll wondered. "We frightened you all with one of our songs, and…"

"Sweeties", Rosetta chimes in. "You didn't scare anyone that night. In fact, it felt quite the opposite: when you sang that tune to us, we felt so…I don't know, alive! It was like that song was so full of life, it felt as if it actually gave it!"

The Elias stared at one another in amazement: while that song & its counterpart were more or less reserved for Mothra herself, they never knew that it made the fairies of Pixie Hollow in a happy, glorious state. It made them happy, & their bright smile returns.

"Now that's more like it!", Tinker Bell says, duplicating their grin. "Now what say we all head back to the tearoom? Dulcie's got some tasty treats with your names on them!"

"Lead the way, Tinker Bell!", Lora says, & they all share a giggle.

From out of nowhere, Blaze (who secretly went off on his own for a bit) rejoins the group & begins to buzz & flutter frantically like the devil was after him, pointing towards the ocean with a look of shock on his face.

"What's gotten into him all of a sudden, Tink?", Iridessa wondered.

"I'm no animal fairy, 'Dessa, but I think Blaze wants to show us something…something really urgent!", Tink said.

"I guess we'd better go & check it out!", Terence says.

Nodding, the group follow Blaze with Moll & Lora getting back on Fairy. Making their way through the edge of the forest, they come across the beach & its sandy shores. Almost in an instant they reach the shoreline, they spot a dark silhouette hundreds of feet away from the island.

Even at a distance, they could see it was a huge creature with a pair of sinister red-purple eyes & a large curved horn on the top of its head. A pair of curved tusks were at the sides of a deadly horizontal mouth, filled with sharp teeth.

"Oh my stars", Rosetta said in a whisper of horror, her eyes as wide as anyone's.

"No", Moll & Lora say in the same manner, disbelieving their own eyes. But no matter how much they wish to deny it, the hard proof was right there before them even at a distance.

The horrible truth was at hand.

Battra has arrived at Pixie Hollow!

CHAPTER VI

Once the fairies & Elias snapped out of their state of shock, Iridessa, Terence & Rosetta flew back to where Myka & the other scout fairies were at Pine Tree Grove. Explaining the dire situation, they blew their warning horns that soon echoed throughout the forest & reached the pixie dust tree. Soon all of Pixie Hollow were put on high alert as every fairy kept a close eye out for the trouble that has suddenly arrived at their shores. Upon hearing the blaring horns, Queen Clarion & the four Ministers of the seasons demanded to know what was going on. When Myka & Terence explained the predicament, the queen & four Ministers ordered the fairies to all take shelter as quick as they can. Fairies of all talents were rushing to get their fellow fairy to safety, even assisting in doing the same with all the animals, though most were doing that on their own. Even the hawks, who prey on the fairies, were taking shelter against the oncoming threat to their peaceful island.

Back at the beach, Tinker Bell, Silvermist, Fawn, Blaze, Cheese & the Elias all watched as Battra headed for Pixie Hollow, gaining distance with every passing second. Now the creature was only about a hundred yards from reaching shore, & the size of the beast dwarfed the fairies & Elias. Even if they were human-sized, they'd still be that way to him.

"Battra!", Moll & Lora said with dread.

The others turned to them.

"Battra?", Fawn repeated. The Elias nodded.

Rosetta, Terence & Iridessa returned, bringing Myka, Prilla, Beck, Lily, Clank, Bobble, Vidia, Fairy Mary, Queen Clarion & the four Ministers of the seasons. Upon the sight of Battra, they all gasped with horror at the oncoming terror heading their way. Bobble's dewdrop lenses pop as he & Fairy Mary pass out, while Clank's jaw literally drops.

"Where did that thing come from?", Vidia cried.

"I wish we knew, Vidia!", Rosetta says. "But this is what we were warning you about!"

"Good heavens, Terence! When you & the others told us of a 'dire emergency', you really weren't pulling our wings!", Myka said.

"I only wish we had been, Myka!", Terence replied back.

Battra unleashes a blaring roar that stings the ears of those on the beach.

"So what can we do?", Prilla asks.

"'Do'?", Vidia says. "Prilla, we're fairies! There's no way we can even begin to stop a creature that big!"

"We helped put an end to Biollante, remember?", Tinker Bell points out. "And he was much bigger than Battra is!"

"Yes but, at least he had a weakness to exploit! I don't see any on this monster!"

"Then we'll just have to find it! Everything has an Achilles heal to it! We just need to know where to look, that's all!"

Vidia rolled her eyes & exhaled but said nothing else on the matter.

"Moll, Lora, since you two seem to know what to call him, is there a weak point on Battra we can use to either defeat him or get him away from our home?", Silvermist asks, facing them.

The Elias simply faced each other in doubt.

"Please, ladies!", Iridessa begged. "We don't want to give this thing the chance to make it to shore! Who knows whatkind of damage he'll do!"

"That's just the thing, everyone!", Moll said. "Battra is…"

A cry from above cut off Moll's statement. Everyone turned & looked up to see a new arrival to Pixie Hollow, but unlike before, it was a very welcome sight to Tinker Bell, Iridessa, Silvermist, Rosetta, Fawn, Myka, Terence, Vidia & the Elias.

"Mothra!", they cried.

Even Battra turned to see the giant butterfly arrive as she dives downward to get Battra's attention by plowing into him, hitting his side that knocks him over to one side as he submerges, kicking in the water & churning it around him as he roars in annoyance. His splash reaches the shoreline, & the fairies, Elias, Cheese & Blaze get back to avoid getting washed away as Fairy Mary & Bobble recover enough to get to drier ground with the rest. The latter fairy puts in new dewdrop lenses in his wooden goggles to assess the situation.

They almost pop again as he sees a new player enter the field.

"Easy, you two!", Tinker Bell says. "That's Mothra! She's the one that Moll & Lora were telling us about back at Fairy Camp last year!"

"That's her?", Fairy Mary asks, gazing. "Dear lord!"

"Is she the new one that hatched from the egg you also told us about, ladies?", Bobble ask the Elias.

"The very same!", Moll & Lora say in unison.

"New one or not, it's good to have her back!", said Fawn.

"And she came just in the nick of time!", Beck added, getting nods from everyone.

They all watched as Battra righted himself up again in the water & fired a beam of yellow energy from his horn at Mothra, followed by his purple prism beams from his eyes. Mothra just barely manages to avoid getting struck by either beams, flying to one side. His focus now on his airborne enemy, Battra continues firing both his beams at the giant butterfly as she leads him away from Pixie Hollow's shores, going out to about two hundred yards. Mothra fires her own beams from her antennae, striking Battra on either side of him but on the water, not on the beast himself. Battra roars angrily as he gets pummeled by his foe as Mothra slams her weight into him & drags him farther out to sea, away from the fairies' home & creating a huge wave like a champion surfer. Now they were over four hundred yards from Pixie hollow, which was more than enough distance. Mothra releases Battra from her grip & he tumbles into the water, going end over end. Getting right-side up, Battra unleashes his beams at Mothra again, but has no more success at striking her than before. Realizing the futility of his current predicament, Battra sees he needs to get the fight on Mothra's terms.

In the sky.

Vibrant colors seem to explode from Battra as the large gypsy moth creature begins a metamorphosis: rising out of the water, his entire form takes shape & converts it from a larva to a butterfly with a wingspan that's more or less equal to Mothra's own at 110 meters, with a body length of 36 meters. But there were differences between them: unlike Mothra, Battra's wings had a dark shade of colors, ranging from black, red & yellow. The same colors ran alongside his rough-edged back, & his abdomen had a large pincer at the end. Six legs rested underneath his body, & they seemed to be stronger & sturdier than Mothra's. The face stayed the same for the most part, but the tusks alongside the mouth & horn on top of his head were both much smaller, & the latter appendage could no longer fire a yellow beam as he could in his larval form.

But he can still fire his purple prism beams from his eyes, & he displays this at his foe as Mothra makes another run towards him, dodging to the right. Now airborne, Battra flies straight for his enemy in an attempt to smash headlong into her. For the most part, Mothra avoids the head-on collision, but still gets grazed on top by Battra's claws. Mothra screeches in pain as she makes a turn in the air, with Battra doing the same. The latter fires his prism beams again, but get dodged once more as Mothra goes left this time but not before firing her antennae beams. Battra copies his foe's movements & avoids the beams as easily as she has. Both giant butterflies turn in the air & face each other, but now Mothra stops & chirps & screeches to Battra rather than attack him directly. Amazingly, Battra stops himself & actually listens to his enemy, staying at a good distance of 80 yards apart.

Even more amazingly, Battra answers back in a series of low growls.

It seemed to the fairies & Elias that they are having a conversation of some kind!

"Fawn, Beck, can you understand what they're 'saying'?", asked Prilla.

The two animal fairies strained to listen, but had no luck in translating their language & shake their heads.

"It's hard to, Prilla", Beck answered. "They're not like ordinary butterflies, & it isn't just because of their enormous size either."

Before anyone can turn to the Elias for an answer, Battra launches his prism eye beams at Mothra again, ending their 'talks'. The female butterfly barely dodges in time, & she starts flying out to sea, in hopes that Battra will follow her & forget about Pixie Hollow.

She was not disappointed: hot on her tail, Battra pursues his hated foe & goes where she does, firing prism beams as some strike her person occasionally. They pick up speed, & in a few short moments, they were gone from sight.

"My stars!", Fairy Mary said. "We've had some close calls before, but this one clearly takes the cake!"

"We shouldn't relax yet!", Lora says. "Battra could come back at any time if Mothra does not defeat him, & we ought to get you fairies prepared in case the worst-case scenario happens!"

"Before we do that, there's something we really need to know", said Terence, getting the Elias' attention. "Mothra's a very powerful creature like we saw when she battled Biollante, but in this fight, it seemed to me like she was pulling her punches. I even saw her deliberately miss Battra with her antennae beams. And trying to talk to her instead of fighting…"

"Yeah, what gives with that?", Rosetta asked. "Is Mothra afraid of him for some reason, or does she believe he's too powerful for her to handle?"

"I sense something about those two myself, I must say", said the Minister of Winter, facing Moll & Lora. "Ladies, is there something about their rivalry that we're not getting?"

Though her voice was firm, it was also soft, & they all waited for the Elias' answer. Not wanting to end up betraying their trust, Lora spoke first.

"We suppose that does deserve an explanation, Minister of Winter. But this is something that all of Pixie Hollow ought to know of. You'll arrange a gathering right away, of course?"

"Of course, child", said the Minister of Autumn, turning to Queen Clarion, who nods & picks up where he leaves off.

"I'll have everyone gather at Springtime Square", she says. "Give us about twenty minutes to have us meet in that area."

The Elias nod, & Queen Clarion, the four Ministers & Fairy Mary head back. The other fairies stare at Moll & Lora with deep sympathy on their faces.

"You girls gonna be okay?", Clank asked.

Neither Elias could answer the tinker fairy's question.

Springtime Square, twenty-two minutes later:

Queen Clarion had just about every fairy in Pixie Hollow gather in the area in record time, & used the spare time to explain what occurred at the beach out in the ocean with both Mothra & Battra before they fled out into the unknown. While they breathed a collective sigh of relief that the menace of Battra was gone, trepidation still lingered within them, believing that the terror of Battra could still come back as Lora said before.

Riding on Fairy, Moll & Lora set down next to Queen Clarion, the four Ministers & Fairy Mary as the Elias begin to give the explanation they promised them with every pair of pointed ears listening to each of their words.

"Fairies of Pixie Hollow", Lora began. "We first want you to know that while this is a most difficult time for you all, we wish to say that we will remain by your side until this crisis is over & dealt with. Next, judging from what Queen Clarion has recited to you, Mothra & Battra weren't always at odds with each other. In fact, they were once the very best of allies & friends."

That statement made everyone in the large audience gasp with surprise & shock, with a small chorus of murmurs going with it. Even the queen & the Ministers were stunned by this bit of news, & the former holds up a hand to quiet the crowd.

"Excuse me, but…Mothra & Battra? Were once friends? I gotta say I find that very hard to swallow!", Vidia says but without her usual sarcasm.

"So do I!", Rosetta said. "What exactly happened to cause those two butterflies to go from best friends to bitter enemies?"

It was Moll who begins to explain.

"Vidia, Rosetta, everyone, your confusion in the matter is completely understandable. Lora & myself also find it difficult to believe quite often. But what we're about to tell you is the truth. It was at a time many, many years ago during a battle in Japan at the foot of Mount Fuji. A race of humans called the Seatopians who lived deep underground have risen from the surface to declare war on the human race. With them, they brought up a large, round metal machine which was to be used upon the surface. Not wanting to give them a chance to unleash what was inside, Mothra & Battra flew in to intercept the Seatopians & drive them back under. But they had a giant ally of their own: it was a monster they called Megalon. Megalon was a two-legged beetle or roach, standing 55 meters tall with multifaceted eyes. His weapons include a mouth that can spit napalm bombs that explode plumes of fire, a star-shaped horn on top of his head that can fire beams of electric voltage, & a pair of drills in place of hands that can come together to form a single spinning drill he can use to burrow beneath the ground at amazing speeds. Megalon was instructed by the Seatopian king to keep Mothra & Battra at bay while they set up the object they unearthed from their realm. Working together, Mothra & Battra fought Megalon in a very fierce battle that lasted for over an hour. But no matter how fiercely & bravely they fought, neither was a match for the Seatopians' guardian creature. Finally, the Seatopians were getting ready to use their weapon on the people of the surface. In desperation, Mothra & Battra made a last-ditch effort to thwart their plans: rushing at high speed, both butterflies slammed into Megalon & the momentum drove him back straight into the weapon the Seatopians were about to activate. As all three monsters collided with it, a dark red mist began filling out. Mothra caught a whiff of it & backed away, but Battra & Megalon were completely engulfed by it. A few moments later, they re-emerged, changing things forever: with a ferocity he never had, Battra attacked Megalon like a wild animal, unleashing his prism eye beams which had gotten stronger than before, pummeling the monster, the Seatopians and their weapon. A large explosion soon occurred that consumed all three. When the smoke cleared, neither the Seatopians nor Megalon were to be seen, & all that was left of their weapon had lay in ruins."

"Was it that same red mist that made Battra violent even now?", asked Fawn.

"Yes", Lora says, picking up the story. "Before Mothra could comtemplate what happened to her longtime friend & ally, Battra attacked her with the same animalistic fury he unleashed on the Seatopians & Megalon. Mothra tried to reason with him before it got out of hand, but to no avail: unlike Mothra, Battra absorbed far too much of the red mist & it clouded his judgement, thus twisting his ethics & turning him into the same kind of evil he battled alongside his former friend & ally. A savage fight between them ensued, & Mothra had no choice but to defend herself against someone who is more or less her equal. It lasted almost twice as long as their fight with Megalon, but in the end they battled up at the North Pole, & Mothra forced Battra down & buried him under tons of ice & snow. Up until now, Battra had never been seen or heard from again."

Soft murmurs from the crowd filled the area.

"What a sad story", said Silvermist. "One of the worst things that can happen to anyone is having to go against a longtime friend. That hurts - even for a giant butterfly."

Many fairies nodded to that.

"Ladies, did those Seatopians plan on using that red mist on the humans to unleash their hidden rage on each other?", asked the Minister of Spring.

"Quite possibly", Moll said. "Had they succeeded, the Seatopians could go against mankind & conquer them easily, receiving little to no opposition from the humans, considering they would've been too busy fighting one another to the death."

"It seems that victory came at a terrible price, my dears", said the Minister of Summer. "A catastrophe of unknown proportions was averted, but it seemed another one took its place."

"That's one way to put it, I'm afraid", said Lora.

"So now the big question is, where do we go from here?", Clank asked. "And what do we do if Battra does come back?"

Queen Clarion addresses the crowd, stepping before the Elias.

"First thing we do, Clank, is to remain calm. We must not let this terrible occurrence make us panic. For the time being, until we get confirmation that Battra has been dealt with, I want all of us to be alert & on 24-hour duty, effective immediately. That also goes for myself & the four Ministers of the seasons. If anyone should see Battra or anything out of the ordinary, I want you to report it at once. Understand?"

A loud chorus of 'Yes' erupted throughout the crowd.

"Go then, my fairies, & may Mother Dove watch over you & answer your prayers."

As one, groups of fairies took off for the skies & head off in different directions. Soon, the Elias, Tinker Bell & company & Queen Clarion herself were left.

"It looks as if Pixie Hollow is under martial law", said Iridessa in a solemn tone.

"Only for now, 'Dessa", said Fawn, trying to put her at ease. "But Queen Clarion is right: we need to remain vigilant during this time of crisis."

"But does that mean we hold off on our daily duties until it's all over?", Rosetta asks.

"Oh no, dearie", Fairy Mary said. "We'll continue our usual work while we keep a bird's eye view for any trouble. Speaking of which…"

She turns to Clank, Bobble & Tinker Bell, two of whom get the message.

"You both go on ahead", Tinker Bell said to her two fellow tinkers. "I'll…I'll see you both later."

Without another word, the three tinkers took to the skies.

"Is something wrong, Tinker Bell?", Queen Clarion asked.

"Not with me, anyway", she replied, looking at the Elias. "Moll, Lora, are you both okay? You seemed troubled. Is it because of Battra's sudden reappearance that's gotten you somewhat jittery?"

Silvermist, Iridessa, Rosetta, Fawn, Vidia & Queen Clarion stare at the Elias with deep concern. The stand up & address the fairies.

"Everyone, please listen", Moll starts to say. "Lora & I must apologize for Battra's arrival to your home, & also for the unlikely but still possible chance that he might return. We'd like for you to please understand that we never intended this to happen, & if we have endangered your peaceful sanctuary & lives, we ask for you to forgive us."

They bow their heads in sorrow until Tinker Bell gently lifts them up with her hand & looks them in the eye with a smile.

"Moll, Lora, Battra's arrival here at Pixie Hollow is no more your fault than that song you sang which gave us that unusual but warm feeling a few nights ago", she says with the warmest of compassion. "Whether Battra reappears here or not, we'll get through this together. Okay?"

Like before, the Elias stare at the warm, compassionate faces of the fairies, including that of Vidia. They were speechless: they've met very decent people in their long lives, but these beings literally outshine them all, being totally understanding. It made them warm inside, more so than in any other situation they've been in, despite the current crisis with Battra.

"We…we don't exactly know what to say", Lora says unsurely.

"How about…faith…", Rosetta said, thrusting out her hand.

"Trust…", Tinker Bell, Silvermist, Iridessa, Fawn & Vidia say in unison, doing the same.

They stare at the Elias with smiles, awaiting them to finish their well-known catch phrase.

The Elias smile at each other & complete the cheer, placing both their hands in the pile.

"And pixie dust!", Moll & Lora say together. Queen Clarion shines inside with glee, seeing her beloved fairies in such grace.

Breaking it off, Vidia turns serious & faces the queen.

"Queen Clarion, permit me to take watch at the beach where Battra first arrived", she asks. "If by chance he does come back at that very same spot…"

"An excellent suggestion, Vidia", Queen Clarion agreed. "That will be your sector to keep watch at until further notice. Remember, you see anything you shouldn't…"

"I report it ASAP! Got it!", Vidia says, taking off like a shot to perform her duties.

"Let's all get to our assigned posts too", Iridessa suggested. "We'll take the day shift while the other fairies of our natural talent perform their regular duties & switch when nighttime comes."

"Good idea, 'Dessa", Fawn said, getting nods from the rest.

"Lora & I will stay by Queen Clarion's side, if she has no objections to that", Moll said.

"None whatsoever", she replied proudly. "We'll remain at the pixie dust tree & perform guard duty there. Glad to have you aboard."

With nods & smiles, everyone took off for the sky.

Mother Dove, please protect us from this horrible occurrence, Queen Clarion thought with more than a little dread in her soul.

She then heads off for her private chambers with the Elias right behind her on Fairy.

Please be well, Mothra, Moll & Lora thought, following the queen.

Over the skies of Greenland, evening:

Mothra has led Battra away from Pixie Hollow & over to Greenland at a secluded spot devoid of any kind of life below them. Only a large acre of snow & ice could be seen for miles where they are, making it a perfect battle ground for both butterflies. The two lepidopterans had spat prism & antennae beams at one another among their other weapons, hoping to weaken each other before delivering the final blow. But they were too aware of the other's abilities & avoided them without too much difficulty. Mothra & Battra were too evenly matched, & the former tried once more to see if she can bring her one-time friend & ally back to his senses in a series of chirps & screeches.

Her answer from Battra was a rebuke: he fires a volley of his prism beams from his eyes & launches them madly, shooting them in every which way he can, some hitting the ground & kicking up clouds of snow & chunks of ice. Skillful as she is, Mothra still could not dodge every beam shot her way, & she gets clipped by one in the underside of her thorax. She screeches in pain, giving Battra the opening he waited for: reeling from the pain, Mothra gets grabbed in the neck by Battra's rear pincer as he passes her by & drags her across the sky. Try as she might, the female lepidopteron could not get loose from the pincer's grip until Battra takes her over to a large hill & throws her forward with his abdomen. Being upside down, Mothra was helpless as the momentum of Battra's throw has her in a tight grip. She slams into the face of the hill with such force that it shakes it, throwing snow & ice everywhere. Mothra then lands on the ground on her stomach with an equally hard thud that cracks the ground beneath her open & she tumbles in. Battra presses his advantage by firing his prism beams at the hill's face & causing an avalanche which buries Mothra but good.

Originally, it was Mothra's idea to put Battra on ice like she did last time.

Now the tables have turned as her plan terribly backfires.

Waiting until his enemy is gone from sight, Battra unleashes a roar of victory that could also mean a 'Let's see how you like it!' gesture.

Satisfied with his triumph, Battra heads back the way he came, remembering everything.

Pixie Hollow, the next morning:

For the first day of being on watch for any disturbance, everything went well. Battra was nowhere to be seen for almost 24 hours straight in or near the island's boundaries, & fairies who weren't on guard duty labored on their natural tasks, performing like they usually would. But to most, it didn't make them feel any less at ease since Battra showed himself at their shores. They all had the high fear that Battra could at any time reappear & cause more havoc to their home, especially now since Battra has the power of flight like Mothra herself does.

And if Mothra failed to stop him & he does return, then what?

That disturbing thought ran through every Pixie Hollow fairy, up to & including Queen Clarion & the four Ministers of the seasons, making their whole bodies shiver with a cold that has nothing to do with winter's chill.

That also went for Vidia, as she keeps a sharp, keen eye out for anything that doesn't go with Pixie Hollow's lifestyle. She's glad she chose to patrol the beach where they saw Battra arrive the previous day: it gave her the chance to be alone with her thoughts & feelings, & they weren't very pleasant at the moment. Not that she was thinking nasty things about her fellow fairies as she usually does. No, she just didn't want anybody to see how scared she is right now: she'd probably never get over it if the others saw how frightened & uneasy she is on this whole thing.

It was a sign of weakness for Vidia, more so than shedding tears in front of anyone, & she wasn't about to have that come to play.

On top of it all, she wonders how Mothra is faring against her one-time ally & friend.

I hope Mothra's being successful in her fight with Battra, she thought. If the latter came back to Pixie Hollow & Mothra doesn't, we'll be in it deep. Worse yet, we fairies wouldn't even begin to know how to bring him down if that were the case. What can we do against something capable of wiping out another monster like Biollante & that Megalon beast?

Lost in thought, Vidia continued watching the area, letting nothing go unnoticed.

Havendish Stream:

In a secluded spot, Rani sat near the water's edge all by herself. Like everyone else on the island, she was nervous, scared, & worried. Because of her lack of wings, Rani couldn't attend the meeting Queen Clarion arranged at Springtime Square, & Brother Dove - who basically carries her around Pixie Hollow, acting as her wings - was unable to bring her there due to a hurt wing he received in a fight with one of the hawks. Luckily, fellow water fairies Silvermist, Tally, Spritzi & Humidia filled her in on what happened, from the battle between Mothra & Battra to what occurred many years ago that caused the latter butterfly to go rogue & to Queen Clarion's state of emergency for all of Pixie Hollow. Frightened but determined, Rani told her friends that she'd keep watch in her personal area for any disturbances.

The thought of their peaceful & tranquil home to be suddenly besieged by giant monsters made the wingless water fairy cry fresh tears, as Rani had a habit to cry quite often. She wipes her tears away with one of her many leaf-kerchiefs in her pockets.

Suddenly, she hears a slight rustling in the bush & Rani turns towards the sound, getting to her feet. She sobers up in a flash & stays wary of her situation, fighting the trepidation in her that threatens to overwhelm her from head to toe. Rani now thinks that maybe being by herself in this crisis isn't such a good idea after all.

From where the rustling occurred, a small butterfly emerges from the bushes & Rani lets out a breath she had held, hugely relieved. She even permits herseld a smile at the irony of being scared of a butterfly from her home when there are two giant ones out in the world somewhere, battling each other.

I guess I'm getting a little too jumpy!, she thought with amusement.

Then she heard another rustling & turns to it.

Rani gets frozen with fear, & her eyes go wide: what comes out of the bushes this time isn't a little butterfly.

It rushes up at Rani before she could even scream.

The beach:

Seeing nothing from her vantage point, Vidia starts to move to another spot when she hears a rustling from the grass & bushes. Always sharp on alert, Vidia braces herself for anything that comes her way.

"Who's there?", she demanded. "Tinker Bell? Is that you? Fawn? Rosetta? Come on, you guys! This isn't the time to be playing any practical jokes!"

But something was amiss: even though Fawn loves playing jokes on others, she wouldn't go so far as to do so in a state of emergency. Neither would Tinker Bell or the other fairies who were closest to her, as they know better.

Then who…?, Vidia thought before she caught a glimpse of someone walking towards her as she emerged from the grass/bushes & onto the beach, crawling on her hands & knees. She was a fairy in a torn baby blue leaf dress, blonde hair & no wings on her back.

Vidia's eyes go wide as she now recognizes this fairy - the only one without wings, aside from the Elias girls themselves.

Rani!, she thought, rushing up to her. Getting a closer look at her, Vidia can see the torn dress she wears, along with a bright red mark on the right side of Rani's face. A few black-&-blue marks were on her legs & arms.

Oh god! Somebody or something beat her…and bad!, Vidia thought with dread. Even if she was selfish at times, there's no way in all the world or in Pixie Hollow that Vidia would go & do this to anyone, let alone stand in seeing a fellow fairy beaten like this.

"Rani! Rani, it's Vidia!", she cried, giving her a slight shake. "Can you hear me?"

"Vidia…", Rani replied in a weak voice.

"Yes, it's me! How'd you get these bruises? Who or what did this to you?"

Gathering her strength, Rani spoke.

"I was…attacked by…the one that…Moll & Lora call…"

"Yes?", Vidia prompted her.

"It was…Belvera!", Rani finished, putting more dread in the fast-flying fairy's soul.

"Belvera? You mean she's still alive?", she asked the wingless fairy, who nods.

For Vidia, it was impossible: last summer, Belvera & her pet Garu-Garu flew straight for the monster Biollante, who was on the verge of exploding after Tinker Bell smashed the green orb that was the plant monster's life essence. And Myka & her group found absolutely no trace of either of them.

It was impossible for her to believe, but Rani's bruises & torn dress were proof of what she was saying, & no one else on Pixie Hollow would even think of doing this to her.

They love her too much, especially since it was Rani who sacrificed her wings to save their home once.

"And now…she's here…in Pixie Hollow!", Rani kept saying, albeit weakly. "You must…warn the queen…and everyone else!"

"Leave that to me, Rani! First, I'm taking you to my home where'll you'll be safe in case Belvera comes back!", Vidia says, taking Rani in her arms & flying off as they leave the beach behind.

Vidia makes it to her sour-plum tree house in five to ten minutes, carrying Rani in her arms the whole way & never stopping once. Using her wind power, she makes her front door open & swoops within. Landing, she takes Rani to her bed & gently places her down on it, pulling the covers over her to her chest.

"There you go!", Vidia said. "Now Rani…whatever happens, I want you to stay here in my bed & don't get out for any reason until I get one of the healing fairies to take a good look at you! Understand?"

Rani nods, but issues a warning.

"Please hurry…there's no telling…where Belvera…could be now!"

"You just lie here in bed & let us worry about her!", Vidia said, heading for the door. "If Belvera's close by, we'll find her - and soon!"

With that, Vidia exits her house in a snap, closing the door behind her. Waiting a few more seconds to make sure she was gone, Rani sits up in Vidia's bed & smiles. But this smile wasn't a happy, pleasant one: it was one of malice!

"Oh, don't worry, Vidia! Belvera's close by, all right - closer than you think!", Rani says before her features morph & distort all over. Her blue dress & blonde hair convert to black, & her hair becomes shorter than before, being now only the length of her shoulders. Her red lips & dark eyes reveal a malevolence that not even Vidia herself could hope to match.

It was none other than Belvera, the older sibling of Moll & Lora.

"Gullible fool!", Belvera sneers, allowing herself an evil chuckle. Kicking off the sheets to Vidia's bed, she heads over to the house's window to see a large hawk right outside, flapping its wings in anticipation. Like Belvera had, this hawk morphs & changes its shape to reveal a nasty black dragon-like creature with a white underbelly. This creature growls softly with eagerness & a malice that it needs to expunge from itself.

"Yes, Garu-Garu!", Belvera says in a soothing tone, sensing the restlessness within him. "I do believe it's time to end all the silly charades! Phase one has been complete! And now, on to phase two! You know what must be done, yes?"

Garu-Garu lets out a soft growl with a quick nod. Using his purple beam, he shoots at the window & melts the wooden frame as Belvera steps out from it & onto her henchman's back.

"Good boy! Let's fly!", Belvera said, giving Garu-Garu a slight kick on his side & he takes off into the forests of Pixie Hollow.

Belvera's wicked grin grows.

The pixie dust tree:

Vidia reached the tree in record time. Once she arrived, she saw Queen Clarion, the four Ministers of the seasons & the Elias waiting for her. She explains her situation with Rani just as fast, & it hits them like a ton of sticks, especially to Moll & Lora.

"So it's true? Belvera's still alive?", Moll says in shock.

"Every word of it, Moll!", Vidia said. "Rani's tears & bruises are all the proof one needs to confirm my words! It was barbaric, what she did to her! Even I would never stoop that low!"

"That sure sounds like Belvera, all right!", Lora says angrily. "Only she would go & do a horrible thing to such an innocent being like Rani!"

"Please be calm, Lora", Queen Clarion says soothingly, placing her hands on her shoulders before turning to Vidia. "Where is Rani now, Vidia?"

"I took her to my house, Queen Clarion!", she replied. "I told her to remain there until I can bring back one of the healing fairies to nurse her back to health!"

Queen Clarion nods.

"Good work on your part, Vidia!", she says. "I'll have Clara head over to your home to go nurse Rani while I get everyone else to step up on their watch patrols! The first one who's to see Belvera is to contact me or any of the…"

An explosion rocks the ground that is even felt from within the pixie dust tree itself. A chorus of blaring horns echoes the land as fairies from all over rush out of their posts to see what the trouble was. Looking out of the window, Queen Clarion & company can see a stream of thick black smoke rising from Sunflower Meadow even from a distance.

"That's Sunflower Meadow, isn't it?", the Minister of Summer asked. "But how did…?"

"That's no ordinary explosion, Minister!", Moll said. "This is a deliberate attack! And that can only mean…"

"Belvera!", Queen Clarion said. "Vidia, as much as it pains me, we must wait to check on Rani until the fires from that explosion are extinguished before they burn down too much of our home! Quickly, everyone - there's not a moment to lose!"

Nodding, the fairies & Elias take to the air with the latter two boarding on Fairy & head straight for the raging fires in Sunflower Meadow. Racing there in record time, the fairies grab acorn shell after acorn shell of water brought to them & throw every drop onto the blaze before it can spread to other parts of the island. Fairies work faster & faster to extinguish the fire, which got rather fierce at times, but they still press on despite the overwhelming heat & humidity the blaze presented. It was like being inside Dulcie's oven, but they did not yield regardless. Even Queen Clarion, the Elias & the four Ministers pitched in to save the area, using some of their magic to put it out & getting an acorn bucket & throwing water.

Even for the higher-ups, it was grueling work but they stuck to their chore as much as any other fairy.

"When this is over, we're going to have to ask Tink if she can help come up with a simpler way to put out blazes like this!", Clank said, pouring his latest buckets of water onto the fire.

"I hear ya, Clank!", Bobble agreed, throwing his own water onto the inferno. "She'd invent something to extinguish this kind of hazard in no time, I betcha!"

"Skeaking of which…where in the blazes is Tinker Bell anyway?", Fairy Mary asked with no pun intended.

Neither Clank or Bobble could answer her question.

Or anyone else, for that matter.

Between Tinker's Nook & the pixie dust tree:

Belvera stealthily but swiftly made her way through the forest on her own, looking every which way. She could've easily had Garu-Garu fly her all the way to her destination with ease, but she needed him to cause another fire just in case the fairies put the one burning in Sunflower Meadow too soon for her tastes. And she'll need to keep them distracted from her - should they suddenly converge on her, she'll be vastly outnumbered, & even she doubts she'll be able to fend off every fairy in Pixie Hollow.

So on this one task, she needs to go solo.

It shouldn't be too long now!, Belvera thought, continuing on her trek. If I read correctly, her area would be only several more paces to the west! And if there are any kinds of sentries laying about, I'll be able to take care of them without too much trouble! Nothing & nobody is going to stop me in getting what I came for in this godawful place of cheerfulness! Once I get my hands on it, I'll…

"Ooof!", Belvera barks orally as she gets struck from behind & lands face first in the dirt.

"Well Belvera, you seem pretty lively…for a dead woman!", said an angry voice behind her, one that sounded familiar. Turning, she looks to see Tinker Bell standing over her with an irate look on her face & her hands at her sides. The sight of her made Belvera grit her teeth.

"You!", she barks, rising from the ground. "I remember you…you're the one who smashed my green sphere & caused Biollante to self-destruct!"

"And I'd gladly do it again, if the opportunity presented itself!", Tinker Bell snapped back, balling her hands into fists. "You got some gall setting foot here at our home! Why exactly are you here, Belvera, & how'd you even find this place?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?", Belvera says slyly, unsheathing her sword & rushing forth at Tinker Bell. The tinker fairy barely avoids being beheaded by diving towards the right, putting distance between them. "I'll slice you up into little bits, missie!", Belvera went on. "And this time, even your little hammer won't be enough to save you!"

Tinker Bell smirked.

"Who says I have my little tinker's hammer with me?", she says, reaching behind her back. Like an ace gunslinger, Tinker Bell grabbed her two quill guns & brought them forward, firing one of them immediately. A volley of sharp quills raced towards Belvera, who ducked in the nick of time to avoid getting hit by multiple points. All the quills hit was a tree from behind, but Tink fired her second quill gun almost as quickly as she did the first, & Belvera again barely manages to dodge them by leaping over the barrage with amazing speed. Being instantly out of ammo on both guns, Tink blames herself for not making them automatic. She'd have to remember to remedy that situation in the future.

If she has a future!

Like a skilled samurai or ninja, Belvera swung her sword at Tinker Bell, slicing her twin guns in half as the pieces rolled to one side. Before she can escape, Tinker Bell gets a solid boot to her solar plexus from Belvera that sends her hard against a tree. In an eye blink, the older & unfriendly Elias points her sword at Tinker Bell's face, staring down on her with a sneer.

"Nice try, missie, but you're simply no match for one who's been around for countless millennia!", she says with an evil smile, her weapon being only half an inch from Tink's face. "So…any last words, little miss fairy?"

Tinker Bell's face turns its famous shade of red as she looks at her foe angrily.

"Just one!", she says before shouting out at the top of her lungs. "CHEEEEEEEEESE!"

Belvera has a confused look on her face.

"What kind of a last word is that?", she pondered.

Now it was Tink who has an evil smile on her face.

"Oh, you'll see, Belvera!", she says slyly.

"Huh?"

A rustling in the bushes captures Belvera's attention, & she turns towards it as the noise gets louder by the second. Like a striking snake, a blue-furred mouse bursts out of the bushes & slams right into Belvera, knocking her sword out of her hand as she gets thrown back several inches away from Tinker Bell, who gets to her feet & alongside her savior, who stands like an angry dog defending its master. Belvera's sword lands only an inch from her face, the blade deep in the dirt.

"Now Belvera, you have two choices!", Tink said as Cheese stands ready to attack if need be. "One, you can leave Pixie Hollow peacefully & never come back, or two, we'll take you far out to sea & drop you into the water, where'll you drown! Make your choice, Belvera…I won't ask you again!"

"How about a third option?", Belvera said, rising up & grabbing her sword. "You fairies allow me to get what I came here for, & I won't burn or level this place down to the gr - owww!"

Belvera yelps in pain as something literally burns her rear, & she hops up & down using her hands to pat her smoking rear & even scraping it on the ground. From behind, Blaze quietly sneaked up on the rogue Elias & used his bottom to slightly scorch hers. Finding the situation quite funny, Blaze lets out a buzzing laugh as Tinker Bell & Cheese joins him in one.

The humor died down just as suddenly as it began: striking like lightning, Belvera grabs Blaze by the back of his neck & places her sword right underneath his chin, the blade just barely touching his skin. A look of utter trepidation comes across Blaze's features that match that of Cheese & Tink themselves, knowing that can never stop Belvera in time from doing the unthinkable to their good friend.

"So, you find that funny, do you, you little whippersnapper?", Belvera snapped angrily, a look of solid contempt on her face. "You think you'll still find it funny when I ram my sword right into your skull?"

For once in his life, Blaze - an utterly brave firefly despite his size - was truly afraid, as he stares at death in the face.

And Tinker Bell & Cheese can't do a thing to save him!

Fortunately, they don't have to.

"Hey Belvera!"

The rogue Elias & the others look up to see a large object heading straight down from the sky: it was tinker fairy Clank, who goes into freefall & lands on top of a surprised Belvera. Clank lands onto her with a thud, pinning her to the ground on her stomach with his great mass, saving Blaze from a gruesome demise as he rejoins Tink, Cheese, & new arrivals Bobble & Fairy Mary.

"Why don't ya go pick on someone your own size?", Clank said angrily, his hands into fists. No matter how hard she tried or struggled, even she was no match for Clank's burly weight as he kept her pinned to the ground, especially since she lost her sword in the scuffle.

"Thanks for 'dropping in' when you did, Clank!", Tinker Bell said with a slight giggle. "I take it the fire's under control?"

"It was a rough job, Miss Bell, but still nothing we couldn't handle! I guess now we know the reason why you weren't there with us!", Bobble says, staring down at the helpless Elias.

"I figured that the fire was merely a distraction to keep us off Belvera's trail!", Tinker Bell said. "Luckily, that ruse didn't work so well with me!"

"Yes, too bad for her!", Fairy Mary said, scowling at their prisoner.

"Ugh! Get off me, you overweight oaf!", Belvera yelled frantically.

"Make me!", Clank snapped, placing his beefy arms across his chest. "You're staying right here until Queen Clarion arrives so she can decide your fate!"

Although pinned, Belvera refuses to go quietly.

Not a chance, tubby!, she thought with bitterness.

"Have it your way, then!", she barks. Using the last of her breath, Belvera lets out a sharp whistling sound. In almost no time, Garu-Garu arrived & spat a barrage of purple beams from his mouth, forcing Clank off of his master & nearly hitting him, Fairy Mary, Bobble, Tinker Bell, Cheese & Blaze, all of whom dive for cover, having no defense against the creature's primary weapon. Garu-Garu keeps up his assault on the fairies until they get a good distance away, giving Belvera time to retrieve her sword & jump onto his back.

Giving a slight kick to his side, Garu-Garu takes off for the air with his passenger.

They were gone in a flash, but Tinker Bell & company know where they're headed.

The pixie dust tree:

Garu-Garu took Belvera to the tree where the fairies get their magic from in under two minutes. Considering what occurred before, Belvera had no doubt that the general population has been informed of her whereabouts. Therefore, she had to work fast & retrieve what she came to Pixie Hollow for; she didn't want to stay in the place any longer than she needed to, as she had nothing but total abhorrence for it.

Her sword at the ready, Belvera made her way through the tree with stealth & swiftness as she peered around every corner to be sure she wasn't being followed by anyone or anything that might already be in the vicinity. So far, she hasn't met any interference, & as she makes her way to Queen Clarion's chambers, she rapidly jabs the lock on her door with her sword & opens it. Within was a room any princess or queen would be living in: a glamorous bed, dressers, & a small room undoubtedly for showering. But none of this interested Belvera any more than the pixie dust itself did: she was here for something more valuable, & she eyed all the priceless treasures, ranging from cups of various shapes to boxes with different design patterns adorned on them.

Belvera was interested in only one of these.

It's in here somewhere! I know it is!, she thought frantically.

Scanning the room with sharp vision, she finally comes across a box which was gold in color, & had a small metal lock latched on the front of it. Upon seeing this, Belvera went out & snatched it from the shelf it rested on. She knew it had to be the one she was looking for: it was the only box out of the rest that had a lock on it. What she seeked must be inside; why else would it be locked up tight, & not the others?

Clever on your part, Queen Clarion, but not clever enough!, Belvera thought, pleased with her catch. Another clue as to why it was the right one is because Belvera can feel a sense of great energy coursing through it, even through the box.

It was all she needed to be convinced that she found exactly what she sought.

Overly pleased, Belvera stuffed the box in her pouch that was slung over her shoulder & headed back the same way she came, being as cautious as before now that she found her prize. When she reached the open chamber from wence she entered from, she was met with a very unwelcome surprise.

Queen Clarion, the four Ministers, Moll, Lora, Fairy Mary, Terence & Tinker Bell were all standing in her way, the latter three each holding twin, fully-loaded quill guns aimed right at her.

"Hello there, Belvera! What kept you?", Terence said, teasing her.

"Belvera, as queen of Pixie Hollow, I demand that you give up before you go & make it a lot worse for yourself!", Queen Clarion said sternly.

"Huh! Like that's going to work with me, 'your highness'!", Belvera teased in a menacing tone, turning to Tinker Bell & her two gun-wielding friends. "You'd better put those guns down, darlings! You couldn't hit me with them before, & I doubt you'll be any more successful now!"

"Huh! Like that's going to work with us, 'darling'!", Fairy Mary recited back towards her in the same tone. "I'm a close personal friend to the queen, & I positively despise those who set foot in her home & disgrace it as you've done! Now, unless you want to know what porcupine quills feel like embedded deep into your flesh…"

"Missy, I'm only going to say this once more!", Belvera spat, raising her sword. "Put those guns down before you taste my blade! I won't go easy on any of you like I did last time!"

"Neither will I!", shouted someone from outside. Like a rocket, Vidia came streaking in a window & rammed into Belvera, crashing her into a wall. The rogue Elias kept her sword in her hand the whole time, amazingly.

"Round two, Belvera!", Vidia growls as she throws her to the floor in contempt. Belvera gets to her feet as Moll & Lora begin to step forward, & Tinker Bell, Terence & Fairy Mary aim their quill guns at her. But a quick notion from Queen Clarion & a gentle shake of her head halts them in their tracks. It told them 'let Vidia handle this', & while they weren't too crazy about the idea considering how dangerous Belvera is, they still did as she requested.

Standing down & lowering their weapons, Tinker Bell & company stayed where they are.

Belvera & Vidia stare at each other with high contempt.

"So…you did survive that blast last year!", Vidia growled, her hands into fists.

"I always survive, dearie!", Belvera shot back. "You all should've made sure I was dead when Biollante blew up!"

"None of us know how you survived, Belvera, & none of us even care! But you mark my words: when I get through with you, you're going to wish you had died when Biollante did!"

"My words exactly! Bring it, wench!"

Gritting their teeth, both ladies charged each other.

Pine Tree Grove:

Satisfied with how things went at Sunflower Meadow, Myka & the other scout fairies all returned to their posts to resume their duties, even though the threat of Belvera was still present. A word from Queen Clarion stated that she herself will locate & deal with Belvera, along with a couple other fairies & the Elias by her side. She also reminded everyone to be watchful for Mothra in case she came back after battling Battra.

Anxious as they were to find Belvera themselves, no one disobeyed Queen Clarion, & had resumed watch at their posts.

Her binoculars at her eyes, Myka kept a keen lookout at the skies while her other scout fairies did so on the ground below them. She was just as eager to know about Mothra's fight with her one-time friend-turned-enemy as anyone else, scout fairy or not. Myka also wondered like the rest of Pixie Hollow did what they would do if it was Battra that came back & not Mothra: like Clank said the other day, what could they do if that was the case? If Battra can lay waste to a monster like Megalon, Pixie Hollow & all its inhabitants would have no chance; they'd literally be no more a threat to him than bugs to humans, & get squashed like them.

Come on, Myka! Gat a grip on yourself!, she told herself, fighting her own conscious to brush away such a terrible scenario. She continued scanning the horizon for any possible sign.

Then she does spot something, & strains to get a better view. Even though it's a dark blur on what appears to be storm clouds above, Myka can see the flapping of giant wings. At that instant, her hopes soar like a cotton balloon sprinkled with pixie dust.

Mothra?, she thought happily.

But as the image came more into focus the closer it got, Myka's heart started to sink, & her dread was on the rise.

Coming to Pixie Hollow isn't Mothra!

Picking up her horn, Myka blew into it as loud as she could.

The pixie dust tree:

The fight between Belvera & Vidia reached a boiling point. In their fierce scuffle, both ladies punched, kicked & swung swords as their bodies showed bruises & tears in their clothing. Belvera lands an elbow into Vidia's shoulder, & she retaliates by landing a right fist in her face with such strength that the rogue Elias actually sees stars in her vision. This causes her to stagger back & give herself space, her sword raised.

I can't even remember if I was ever in a brutal fight with someone like her!, Vidia thought, her breath coming in heavy pants. She's sure a lot more vicious than she looks, & it isn't because she's the older sister to Moll & Lora either!

Unbelievable!, Belvera thought, also panting heavily. She's about the toughest individual I've ever gone up against! She's taken all my best hits & still kept coming! She's not like the other namby-pambies of this place, that's for sure!

"See, Belvera? I'm not as soft as the other fairies are in this place!", Vidia said. "Now…are you ready to throw in the towel, or are you going to be even more of a fool & get pummeled again?"

"Vidia, the day I surrender to losers like you & your other fairies is the day when that place from below freezes over!", Belvera spat. In a blind rage, she thrusts forward & swings her blade at Vidia's head. The fast-flying fairy only had a split-second to get out of its range; the only thing it manages to cut was a small strand of Vidia's hair, but she still felt the breeze when it whizzed by. Surprised, frightened gasps from the crowd filled the room.

Whoa! That almost scalped me!, Vidia thought dreadfully. I'd better end this before this witch gets lucky, because that was too close for my tastes!

"Die!", Belvera shouted, raising her sword above her head before she thrusts it downward, intenting on cutting her adversary in half. Vidia dodges to one side just as the blade came down, & it hits only the floor. In that moment, Vidia raises her right fist & slams it straight into Belvera's face with such force that the rogue Elias staggers backwards & tumbles to the floor. In the flight, the black pouch comes off her shoulder & the box gets spilled on the floor.

As soon as she saw what it was, Queen Clarion gasped in fright.

"What the…?", Vidia wondered aloud, noticing the box as well. "What are you doing with that box, Belvera? Did you steal that from our queen? Answer me!"

"Vidia!", Queen Clarion cried. "Quick! Grab that box before Belvera does!"

Dashing for the box, Vidia gets within reach of it, but Belvera puts a well-placed foot to her chin & knocks her back towards the crowd. Moll & Lora catch Vidia before she hits the floor, but Belvera gets the box & retrieves her sword. She points it at the others menacingly.

"Back off!", she spat. "The first one who comes near me gets this thrusted right into their heart!"

That's when Tinker Bell, Fairy Mary & Terence re-aim their quill guns.

"I think maybe you've forgotten that we have the quill guns, Belvera!", Terence said steely. "Now, perhaps you'd want to return that box to the queen, nice & easy?"

"I don't think so, pretty boy!", Belvera snapped.

"This isn't a game, dearie!", Fairy Mary said. "You have three seconds to do as Terence says before we all open fire!"

"And this time, we'll be sure that our shots hit their mark!", Tinker Bell snapped angrily. "One…two…"

At that moment, horns from all over were blaring across Pixie Hollow. Even as they listened to the alarm, Tinker Bell & her friends kept their eyes glued on Belvera, who simply stood there with a grin on her face.

He's returned!, she thought happily, lowering her sword.

"I'm afraid you have bigger problems than me right now, darlings - with an emphasis on the 'bigger' part!", she said orally, laughing wickedly. That was when another noise cut through the air, one that chilled the blood of Queen Clarion & everyone else. It was an animalistic roar which was too familiar to them.

"Oh no!", the queen said in barely above a whisper. Belvera used the confusion to make a quick getaway, heading for the window & jumping out of it before anyone could stop her. Right below was Garu-Garu, waiting in the wings as she lands safely on his back & takes to the air, her package in tow.

Vidia was about to go after her when Queen Clarion stopped her.

"No, Vidia! Belvera's right - she's not our main concern for right now!", she said. "We need to help everyone get to shelter before…"

A thunderous boom shook the tree in the middle of the queen's sentence, knocking them all off their feet. In the distance, Battra was hitting the island with multiple prism eye beams in every which way, striking the ground with such force that each hit was like a bomb went off. All the animals & fairies were scrambling & running/flying off for cover as large clumps of dirt, rocks & trees were being tossed around like garbage in the wind. All across Pixie Hollow, the island got blasted by Battra's prism beams with deadly force as land after land was getting bashed & pummeled mercilessly by the monster's assault: Pine Tree Grove, Sunflower Meadow, Flower Garden, Lilypad Pond were all but a few of the places getting a horrible makeover from Battra's attacks, transforming a beautiful paradise into a barren wasteland in moments.

And without Mothra, Pixie Hollow has no guardian to help put an end to the chaos.

Scrambling together, Fawn, Silvermist, Iridessa, Rosetta, Prilla, Beck, Myka & Lily were getting others to safety, avoiding the debris of rocks, dirt, water & ruined trees raining down all over them.

"What do we do?", Rosetta shouted, clearly afraid. "There's chaos everywhere!"

"Stay with us, Rosetta!", Fawn said firmly but softly. "We need you! Please don't fall apart on us now!"

Frightened as she was, the garden fairy nodded.

"Look!", Iridessa shouted, pointing towards Battra. "Is Battra heading where I think he's heading?"

The other fairies saw where Battra was flying towards. He was on his way to Tinker's Nook, followed by…

That's when it dawned upon them, & their bodies froze temporarily with fear.

"I think you're right, Iridessa!", Silvermist said. "Besides Tinker's Nook, Battra's heading straight for…"

"The pixie dust tree!", they all shouted. As one, they race towards the tree that gives them their magic, going as fast as they can & wishing that they were all fast-flying fairies like Vidia is.

Queen Clarion!, Silvermist cried out.

The four Ministers!, Iridessa cried out.

Moll! Lora!, Rosetta cried out.

Clank! Bobble!, Fawn cried out.

TINKER BELL!, they all cried out in their minds.

Their thoughts urged them to fly even faster.

The pixie dust tree:

Like most of Pixie Hollow, Tinker's Nook, Springtime Square, & all places in between were all but ravaged by Battra as he savagely reduces such wondrous areas into hideous landfills of wrecked houses & other structures, covering them in debris of all kinds. Now, he has his eyes on the most cherished prize of all.

The pixie dust tree itself.

At the ground below, Queen Clarion, the four Ministers, Fairy Mary, Fairy Gary, Terence, Tinker Bell, Blaze, Cheese, Vidia & the Elias were getting everyone to the nearest shelters they could get to on such short notice. They all began shortly after they heard Battra's roar & his hard bombardment of their land. Left & right, fairies & animals were being sent to areas away from Battra's path, even if they felt that there was no place they could go to escape the monster's fury.

It didn't mean they stopped trying.

One moment, they were listening to the sounds of fairies & animals running for cover.

Now they were hearing Battra's roar that blocked out everything else as they all looked up at a most horrible sight: it was Battra himself, & he was looming right over the area, staring down at the pixie dust tree. His huge form made the dark sky even more so, & every heartbeat was thumping & palpitating like mad as every living thing stood frozen at the horror that was now looming over them. Silvermist & her group arrive just in time to see the unthinkable occur right before their eyes.

Oh please no! Not the tree! Not the tree!, Prilla thought & pleaded with the utmost dread.

Unfortunately for the mainland-visiting fairy, her prayers went unanswered: Battra lets out a roar that echoes the area, followed by a blast of his prism beams that strike not the tree, but the ground next to it. The blast shakes the ground with enough force to cause a fissure to open up & heads straight for the pixie dust tree. Even Queen Clarion & company flee out of its path as the fissure opens up enough to make the tree shake & then start falling down as if it had been cut by a lumberjack with an axe. All Queen Clarion & everyone else can do is watch as the tree that held their precious pixie dust & where other fairies arrive in Pixie Hollow after the first laugh of a babies' cry tumbles & crashes with a loud thud that was audible everywhere. It landed half-buried in the fissure which caused its timber, & during their escape Queen Clarion gets hit by a branch that strikes her in the back, sending her crashing to the ground.

Barely coherent, the queen of Pixie Hollow can hardly hear the four Ministers & others calling her name as they, Fairy Mary, Fairy Gary & the Elias struggle to get her back on her feet. Battra unleashed another boisterous roar as the monstrous butterfly hovers in mid-air as Belvera reappears on Garu-Garu, laughing maniacally. They all stare at the older sibling of Moll & Lora with disdain & hatred.

"So…the land thought to be just a fairy tale is all but a vast wasteland!", she scoffs with an evil smile. "That's merely the beginning: with what I'm now in possession of", she continues, patting the pouch by her side, "I'll be able to use it to spread this kind of destruction all across the mainland!" Belvera stares at a specific fairy in the group. "Oh, by the way, Vidia…thanks for all your help!"

"What are you talking about, Belvera?", Vidia shouted up at her, fists clenched. "I would never help a devious witch such as yourself!"

"Oh, but you already have…darling!", Belvera scoffs, snapping her fingers. In that instant, her features & outfit morph into that of a very familiar face. An inhale of shock came from Vidia's mouth, & her eyes went wide: Belvera was disguised as Rani!

Great Mother Dove!, Vidia thought. The Rani I helped into my home…was actually Belvera herself? She was right in front of me that whole time?

Another snap of her fingers, & 'Rani' morphed back into Belvera again, laughing out loud as she & Garu-Garu take off & follow Battra as they prepare to leave what remained of Pixie Hollow.

"Oh no you don't, Belvera! You're not going to get away from me that…!", Vidia barked as she prepares to take off after her, but was stopped short by a voice.

"Vidia!", Prilla said. Vidia turned to see her, Silvermist, Iridessa, Rosetta, Fawn, Beck, Lily, Myka, Clank, Bobble & Tinker Bell all staring at her with expressions that looked like they'd seen a ghost.

Vidia opened her mouth to speak, but again she was beaten to the punch.

"Just tell me one thing, Vidia!", Iridessa said. "Is what Belvera said just now the truth?"

"Listen guys, I know how this looks, but…", Vidia began.

"Well, is it?", Myka asked forcefully, tears flowing in her eyes like most everyone else.

All Vidia could do was lower her head in shame, giving them their answer.

"How could you, Vidia?", Rosetta snapped. "How could you go & allow someone as vile & despicable as Belvera into our home like that?"

"Do you even realize what it is you've done to us, Vidia?", Clank says.

Taking in a breath & fighting the lump in her throat, Vidia started to speak.

"It's not like that, guys! I never did it deliberately, you gotta believe me! I…I can explain everything!"

"I'm sure you can, Vidia!", Queen Clarion said from behind her as the fast-flying fairy turns to face her. The queen was being held up by a thick branch from the fallen pixie dust tree, with the four Ministers, Fairy Mary, Fairy Gary, Terence & the Elias by her side. With the one exception of Moll & Lora, none of them looked very happy to see her - at all.

"And I'm sure you will!", Queen Clarion said with a ferocity she hardly shows, her eyes staring sharp quills down at her.

"Start talking, dearie!", Fairy Mary said in an equally icy tone.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, Vidia begins explaining her situation.

CHAPTER VII

The ruins of Pixie Hollow, twenty minutes later:

Fairies & animals from all over were laboring feverishly everywhere to try & restore their beloved land to its former glory, impossible as it may seem in its current condition. Numerous feelings & thoughts raced in their minds as they worked: anger, sadness, despair, helplessness, & betrayal. Every living thing that passed by didn't take even a single glance at the one who helped to cause all the destruction to Pixie Hollow.

Vidia.

Her heart burning with betrayal, the fast-flying fairy sat on the ground with her knees to her face, burying it. She was just as unable to look at anyone as they are to her; they were barely able to tolerate her stubborness & inflated pride because she was the fastest fairy in all of Pixie Hollow. But now, their anger towards her was immesurable, & only their labor on the island was keeping them from ganging up on & pummeling her.

And Vidia wouldn't blame them if they had: rough around the edges as she is, she would never have done anything to have Pixie Hollow ruined. It was as much her home as it was any other fairy's, & she would defend it with her very life.

She didn't do too good of a job. For all her velocity, Vidia was just as helpless as the other fairies against Battra.

Worse yet, she helped cause Pixie Hollow's destruction, even if it wasn't intentional.

Of all the fairies in the land, only Tinker Bell, Iridessa, Silvermist, Rosetta, Fawn, Clank, Bobble, Beck, Myka, Terence, Lily, Fira, Blaze, Cheese & the Elias could stand to look at her. True, they were just as angry & hurt as the rest, but they were strangely sympathetic towards her.

"It's been twenty minutes now", Lily said in a low voice. "How long does it take for the higher-ups to make a decision, particularly this one?"

"Lily, you're speaking as if you want Vidia gone from here!", Bobble said.

"Wouldn't you, Bobble?", Iridessa said. "When's the last time you allowed for a giant menacing butterfly to destroy all that we hold dear?"

Bobble had no answer to give the light fairy.

"Come on, you guys, knock it off!", said Terence, getting in between. "This decision will just take as long as it has to. I'm sure they're carefully going over every little detail as thoroughly as possible before making it final."

"And that we have, Terence", Queen Clarion said, carefully walking towards Vidia with her stick as she & the rest stand in attention. That also went for Moll & Lora as the latter Elias began to speak, walking to her. Accompanying her were the four Ministers, Fairy Mary & Fairy Gary.

"Queen Clarion…", Lora started until Moll intervened.

"Lora, no", she said, getting in front of her. "It's not our place to question their queen's choice."

"It's quite all right, Moll. I'd like to hear what your sibling has to say to me", Queen Clarion says in a gentle tone. Nodding, Moll stands aside. "Please go ahead, Lora."

"Thank you", Lora says, bowing in respect. "Your Highness, in my most professional and personal opinion, I believe it would be wrong for Vidia to be punished for what's happened." Her statement caused eyebrows to be raised & slight murmurs from the others. Queen Clarion gently raised a hand to silence them as Lora continued. "Our older sister Belvera is a devious person, & there's nothing she won'tdo to achieve her goals. She'll lie, cheat, deceive, steal & even kill if it gets her what she wants. Posing as Rani to get her here is further proof of what I'm saying. When one really thinks about it, Vidia is just as much a victim to her treachery as anyone else is. Now I know it doesn't excuse what's happened to your home, but I still don't believe that Vidia should take the fall for it. But again, that's just my opinion."

Lora again bows in respect to Queen Clarion & steps aside to rejoin Moll.

"Lora", Queen Clarion says with compassion. "You have a most gracious heart. Moll has mentioned it to me many times since you've arrived here, & I humbly thank you for sharing your thoughts & feelings to me. But I'm afraid I've already made my choice for Vidia's fate."

Bowing her head slightly, the queen & company walk towards Vidia until they were at a fairy's length of her. The fast-flying fairy looks at the queen, worried & scared at the same time.

"Vidia", Queen Clarion said with no trace of compassion in her tone. "You have allowed an enemy of not just Moll & Lora into our home, but of us as well. However, she was brought here under false pretenses posing as our beloved Rani, to which you had no knowledge of. That, I suppose, can be overlooked, as that mostly harmless act could've easily happened to any one of us."

Vidia breathed a sigh of relief & was about to speak, but the queen raised her hand & cut her off as she went on, sturdier this time.

"Nevertheless, the results of that deception were anything but harmless, & now our dear home that has been around for countless periods of time is in utter ruins! And that, dear Vidia, cannot be overlooked!"

"Queen Clarion, I did everything I could to stop Belvera!", Vidia said, putting in her own defense. "Please believe me, if I had known that Belvera was posing as Rani back then when I found her, I would've tied her up & sent her straight to you & avoid all this!"

"But it wasn't avoided, was it? Vidia, look at our home! Even though you were deceived, we can't act like this didn't happen! Have you any idea just how long it will take for us to bring Pixie Hollow back to its former glory? Months! Years, even! And that's if we're lucky! This will also affect the mainland itself, as the balance of nature is now disrupted & will be for a good long time! You do know that, don't you?"

Vidia was about to say something when Queen Clarion shook her head in disappointment & dismay. She lets the fast-flying fairy know the bottom line.

"Vidia, you have brought great ruin & misery to our home that is most unfathomable! I truly am very sorry to have to do this, but you leave me with no alternative! As queen & ruler of Pixie Hollow…it is with a heavy heart that I hereby exile you from our realm!"

Astonished gasps & wide eyes come from all fairies in the vicinity, even from those who were more or less expecting something like this.

Even though she probably knows the answer already, Vidia still asks.

"For how long?"

"Forever, I'm afraid", Queen Clarion punctuated. "You have exactly one hour to gather your personal belongings from your home - if it hasn't been destroyed or too far buried! I also suggest you hurry: you do not want to remain here when your deadline is up!"

"Queen Clarion…", Vidia says, trying once more to appeal to her good side. She may as well be talking to a tree, as the queen was indifferent to her pleas.

"That's final, Vidia! You are no longer a resident of Pixie Hollow, let alone welcome here! This discussion is now over!"

Turning around, Queen Clarion walks back towards the four Ministers, using her stick for support. Out of them, only Fairy Gary & Mary walk up to her.

"Better do as she says, lass", Fairy Gary said with sympathy. "Word has it that it isn't healthy to be on the queen's bad side, however seldom she shows it."

"And believe you me, I've seen that side to her, & it gave me the willies!", Fairy Mary said with a little less compassion.

Vidia lets out a defeated sigh.

"As you wish", she softly says, turning around slowly & flying off nearly as slow, her head hung down as she avoids eye contact with everyone. Slowly but surely she picked up speed on her own without even knowing it, & before long, Vidia was gone from sight.

"Vidia", Tinker Bell said barely above a whisper. She heard another fairy talking.

"Well, it's about time!", said a male fairy as he was helping another remove a thick branch. "I always knew she was trouble from the day she arrived, always thinking she's better than us just because she can fly faster! Goodbye, & good riddance to her!" He & his companion turned towards Tinker Bell, & her face turned bright red in anger, silencing him but good. Tink didn't care how selfish & unfriendly Vidia was: in her book, no fairy ever deserves such a punishment to be exiled from Pixie Hollow, regardless of what atrocity they committed.

Her red face scared him into silence, & they both went back to work, avoiding eye contact.

"Come on, Tink. Let it go", said Fawn, calming her down. Eventually, she did as her face became normal again.

"I'm all right, Fawn", Tink assures her. "I just don't like anyone speaking about Vidia like that, regardless of what's happened."

"We know, Tink", said Rosetta. "But we can't worry about her right now. We have bigger problems to tend to."

"Yes we do, Rosetta", Queen Clarion said, approaching the group with the four Ministers, Fairy Mary, Fairy Gary & the Elias. "We need to pursue Belvera as soon as possible."

"Wait a minute!", the Minister of Winter said. "You're not thinking of going after her, are you, my queen?"

"In your condition?", said the Minister of Spring. "My queen, you can't even stand, let alone fly! Your wings are a mess from that branch that struck you!"

"They're right, my queen!", said the Minister of Autumn. "You're going to need at least a few weeks to get better!"

"We don't have a few weeks, Minister of Autumn!", Queen Clarion stated. "None of you have any idea of what Belvera has taken from my chambers! She must be stopped before she can unleash its contents from within!"

"Whatever do you mean, my queen?", the Minister of Summer asked. "What's inside that chest Belvera took that could be so dangerous?"

"I'm afraid I haven't the time to go into details now!" Queen Clarion turns to Tinker Bell. "I need to know, Tinker Bell - do you still have that large balloon you used during the Autumn Revelry?"

Tink immediately grasped where Queen Clarion was going.

"If it's not destroyed or too badly buried or damaged, I can get it up & running in no time, Queen Clarion!", she said. "But to do that, I'll need everyone's help!"

"You can count on us, Miss Bell!", Clank said as he, Bobble & the others stood by her side. That also included the Elias, who nod. Tinker Bell returned the gesture.

"Excellent! Get started right away!", Queen Clarion said as Tinker Bell bowed. Her friends at her side, she leads the way with Blaze & Cheese joining the group.

The queen turns towards the four Ministers, Fairy Mary & Fairy Gary.

"Everyone, I need you all to remain here & see to it that things run smoothly in getting our home restored as best as you can", she stated. "Will you do that?"

"Do you even have to ask?", Fairy Mary says. "Leave it to us, but I ask that you be careful to wherever it is you're going, my queen!"

"Always, Fairy Mary. Thank you", she finishes before turning to Moll & Lora. "Ladies, can I trouble you two for a lift upon your friend Fairy?"

With a little smile, the Elias nod proudly.

The ruins of Pine Tree Grove:

After a quick stop at Tink's house & then at what remained of the cotton fields, Tinker Bell & company gathered as much cotton as they possibly could for the balloon they hope was okay for traveling in. Once they gathered an ample amount, they headed to Pine Tree Grove where Tinker Bell placed her balloon after the adventure of traveling north of Never Land to find the enchanted Mirror of Incanta. When they arrived, they saw the balloon blown away into a grove of broken trees when Battra invaded, but fortunately Tink can see it was still flyable.

All it needed was a bit of repair.

With Tinker Bell acting as foreman, the balloon's main basket got the repair it needed in practically nothing flat, with added improvements such as a steerable rudder & small wings on each side for stability, along with making the basket bigger than before to accommodate more passengers into it. Using only the strongest vines, they had stuffed the interior with the cotton & amazingly filled it to the brim. Everyone was impressed by what they achieved, taking a good hard look at the new cotton balloon.

"Not bad if we do say so ourselves!", Clank praised.

"And we do, Clank dear boy!", Bobble said, giving his companion a high-five.

"Wow! And I thought your balloon was impressive before, Tink!", Iridessa says.

"Well, thanks to all your help, we've made it new & improved!", Tinker Bell said. "And ready to set sail & fly! All we need is to wait for Queen Clarion to arrive, & we'll be off!"

"Wait no more, Tinker Bell!", Queen Clarion says as everyone turns to find her riding on Fairy's back with Moll & Lora in front & back to keep her from falling off. On the queen's left shoulder, a satchel hung. She looks at the balloon & was just as impressed as the rest.

"Nice work, all of you!", she praised. "This will most assuredly get us to the mainland in good time!"

Fairy lands softly, allowing the queen to step off, using her stick for balance.

"Thank you, ladies. And you as well, Fairy", Queen Clarion praised as Fairy chirped happily. Moll & Lora couldn't surpress a smile.

"All set to go, Queen Clarion!", Tinker Bell announced, placing six of her launchers & quill guns with ammunition into the basket. "Just some pixie dust for the stern & the balloon itself, & we'll be on our way! All aboard, everyone! Terence…"

"Gotcha, Tink!", Terence said, flying up to the top & sprinkling some golden pixie dust as everyone except Moll & Lora boarded the basket. As soon as the pixie dust landed on the cotton, the balloon started rising off the ground & reached an altitude of a hundred feet before Terence boarded himself & sprinkled some more dust on the tip of the stern. Once he does, the balloon basically rocketed forward at a high speed, giving it a jolt that nearly knocked some of the fairies off their feet.

"And off we go!", he said as Moll & Lora race alongside the balloon with Fairy, matching its speed.

"Good work, Terence!", Queen Clarion praised, placing a hand on her satchel. "And just in case we need more, Fairy Gary was kind enough to give me some extra pixie dust!"

So, I guess even Fairy Gary isn't above bending the rules when it warrants it!, Terence said to himself, remembering when he did the same with Tinker Bell to help her find the Mirror of Incanta. He smiled at both thoughts.

"So where do we go from here, my queen?", asked Myka. "Belvera could be anywhere on the mainland, & we shouldn't use the extra pixie dust just to keep the balloon afloat looking for her either!"

"There could be one place that Belvera might head for", Queen Clarion said. "But you are correct that we should use the extra pixie dust sparingly. We're not going to know when we'll really need it."

Suddenly, an idea enters Tinker Bell's mind, & she faces their ruler & queen.

"Queen Clarion, I happen to know of somebody who can help us!", she said.

Iridessa, Silvermist, Terence, Rosetta, Fawn, Clank & Bobble all stare at her.

"Tinker Bell, are you talking about who we think you're talking about?", Clank began to say before Tink cuts him off.

"I do! If anyone can help us on the mainland in finding Belvera without having to use too much pixie dust for the balloon, it's him!"

The seven fairies were pretty much reluctant to approve of Tinker Bell's plan at first. But time was short, so they didn't really have much choice.

"I guess there's no other alternative, is there?", Silvermist said, turning to the queen. "Queen Clarion, Tinker Bell does know of someone who can lend a hand to us. So do most of us here, I have to confess."

The queen's decision was immediate, & she faces Tinker Bell.

"Tinker Bell, take us to him!", she ordered.

"Right away, my queen!", Tinker Bell said, facing the Elias. "Follow us, ladies!"

Moll & Lora nod as Terence puts a pinch more pixie dust at the stern, giving the balloon a bit more speed. It was going so fast that even Blaze had to hold on to keep from falling out while Fawn handled the rudder at the rear.

Across the ocean they soared.

Their next stop: the mainland.

Greenland:

The avalanche of snow & ice that buried Mothra in began to glow a faint yellow. It didn't stay that way: every moment it got brighter & brighter until it became almost as bright as the life-giving sun itself. With a blast that would've taken down several city blocks, chunks of snow & ice get blown apart as Mothra emerges from the crevice Battra placed her in to be her grave. But the giant lepidopteron was far from finished, & she had some unfinished business to attend to.

And things will be different this time.

She will not try to reason with Battra.

She will not try to negotiate with him.

Instead, she will defeat him, as he made his choice many years ago after their battle with the creature called Megalon. If he went down that path & stays with it, then she'll retaliate in kind.

Brushing the snow & ice off her wings & letting out a chirp, Mothra starts heading for her destination.

At a cottage house in mainland England, the countryside:

It was evening, & the last of the sun's rays were slowly but surely sinking into the west. Only about a couple more minutes were visible until the darkness takes over. At his workplace, Dr. Martin Griffiths took advantage of the last few minutes of Mothre Nature's light to review his notes before he had to revert to using the candles. Always a man interested in finding the truth, his personality had once alienated him from his only child: his daughter Lizzy. Unlike her father, Lizzy believes in fairies & the work they do for the mainland all over the world. Her sort of thinking pushed them both apart until the day Tinker Bell came into their lives, proving that not everything lies in pure hard facts, but fiction. Since then, he's had more of an open mind about the world he lives in with his daughter, & it was this that helped to bring them close once more. He even had the pleasure of having a picnic that summer with the very things he had once refused to put his faith or believe in.

While children have seen glimpses of the fairies from Pixie Hollow from time to time (all due to Prilla's constant visits), Dr. Martin Griffiths was the first adult to his knowledge to have actually seen them for real, & has kept their presence strictly confidential from everyone, which included the scientific community at the London Museum.

That's one piece of science fact those old coats won't get!, Dr. Griffiths thought with glee, pondering the memory.

Dressed in his gray tweed jacket & pants, white undershirt, dark tie & shoes, he studies his latest findings when he hears a knock on his door.

Who could that be?, he thought, confused. I'm not expecting anyone on this day.

Getting up from his chair, Dr. Griffiths walks to his front door & opens it up to find…

Absolutely no one.

Martin looks left & right to the same result.

What the…? Is this some kind of a joke?, he thought, clearly not amused. He was about to close the door when he hears a slight chirp, & his gaze goes down to his feet.

His eyes go wide.

Lizzy was in her room having an imaginary tea party with her dolls & stuffed animals when she hears her father calling up to her.

"Lizzy! Come downstairs! Quick!", he yelled, clearly excited about something.

"Coming, Father!", Lizzy replied. Dressed in a green spring dress - one that looked more or less identical to Tinker Bell's own - she headed down the stairs & arrived at the front door where her father was at. When she peered down, Lizzy saw a most welcome sight, & her heart swelled with pride.

"Tinker Bell!", she cried with joy, stepping up to her. As she got closer to the door, she saw that her little friend wasn't alone: fourteen other fairies (two of them without wings), a blue-furred mouse, firefly & butterfly were accompanying her. The two wingless fairies were riding on the butterfly's back.

"And you've brought friends! How wonderful!", she cried, smiling with her father.

"Hello Lizzy! It's good to see you again!", Tinker Bell said, & this time neither Griffiths heard the tinkling of bells when she spoke. They heard her as clear as a car's windshield that had just been washed.

"Father! Did you hear…?", Lizzy began.

"I certainly did, Elizabeth!", Martin said, astonished. "I thought you only hear the sound of bells when you fairies talk to humans!"

"That's usually the case, Dr. Griffiths", Moll said as Fairy rose to eye level with father & daughter. "We have a telepathy that enables us to translate their words to you. As long as we're close by, you can hear what they say. We two are known as the Elias. I'm Moll, & this is Lora."

"And this cute little one is called Fairy", Lora said, patting their ride. Fairy chirps softly in response. "Like us, she's very happy to have met you & your dad, Lizzy!"

"Astonishing!", Dr. Griffiths says, smiling. "Well then, unexpected or not, it's good to see you all again! You picked quite a day for a friendly visit to us!"

"Forgive us, Dr. Griffiths, Elizabeth", said the tallest fairy in the group, wearing a golden dress. "But we're here on urgent business. I am Queen Clarion, ruler of Pixie Hollow."

"Queen Clarion?", both Griffiths say in unison, as Lizzy gently picks her up in her hands.

"You're their leader?", Lizzy asks.

"Yes child, that I am", Queen Clarion says. "We're all here at Tinker Bell's insistence because we require your help in a serious matter. Will you & your father help us, Lizzy?"

"Of course we will, Queen Clarion! Anything!", Lizzy answered without hesitation.

"How can we assist you, Your Highness?", Dr. Griffiths asks.

"It's best if we came inside, & I'll explain everything to you", Queen Clarion says.

"Please make yourselves at home on the kitchen table", Dr. Griffiths says, gesturing to it.

With a nod, they all entered the Griffiths residence, & the queen began telling them of their situation.

Eight minutes later:

Setting Queen Clarion gently down on the table, Lizzy & her father sat in chairs as the other fairies, Blaze, Cheese & the Elias made themselves comfortable, standing next to their queen. Martin Griffiths offered them some leftover cake from their fridge, with some warm tea to wash it down in both greetings & to help them regain their strength after a long journey. As they feasted, Mr. Twitches, the family cat, wandered in & caught the fairies' & Cheese's scents. Hissing mad, she attempted to get at them, but Fairy put the brakes to that by firing her twin beams from her antennae, giving the cat a clear warning to 'Back off, or else!'.

Having no defense against Fairy's beams, Mr. Twitches retreated into the next room & hid under a chair in fear.

Grateful for the food, Queen Clarion told the Griffiths of their current situation, with Moll & Lora chipping in tidbits here & there.

Some of which father & daughter were pleased to hear, but the latter parts horrified them.

"My word!", Dr. Griffiths said in shock. "You mean to say that your entire home, Pixie Hollow, is all but destroyed? I…I don't believe it!"

"Neither can I!", Lizzy said, clearly upset by the news & on the verge of crying. "Surely this has to be a mistake! It just can't be true! Please say it isn't true!"

Dr. Griffiths pulled her daughter closer to comfort her.

"Lizzy, we don't want to believe it either", Tinker Bell told her. "But I'm afraid everything our queen & the Elias have told you is true."

The melancholy faces on the other fairies & even on Blaze, Cheese & the Elias confirm Tink's statement. This made Lizzy bury her head in her father's shoulder as she let out a sob. A moment later, Martin wipes away her tears with a napkin, asking her to be strong for her friends.

Lizzy nods.

"Will all the other fairies be all right, Queen Clarion?", she asks hopefully.

"Yes Lizzy. Right now, they're working hard to restore our home", the queen said, putting her at ease. Then Queen Clarion gets serious. "But now is the time to tell you all of what Belvera has stolen from me, & why we must hurry to get it back."

Everyone faces her as the ruler of Pixie Hollow stared to explain her dilemma.

"What you need to know happened a very long time ago, before just about any of you even came to Pixie Hollow. It was at the time I was slated to become our home's new queen. Sadly, at that point in time, I wasn't ready to take on the heavy burden of that laborious chore. I was fresh, new to Pixie Hollow, & I wanted to explore not only my home, but that of the mainland as well. Carefree, I traveled all across what you call the United Kingdom, including what is known as London. I watched with glee as kids of all ages ran around & played with each other & their own parents, fooling around like they hadn't a care in the whole world. I felt as carefree as any of them, wishing I could join them in their festivities. But soon afterwards, in an area called Cliffe, I ran into a bunch of humans that wore these dark robes who stayed at an old one-story house that looked to be on the verge of collapsing. It was dark out with no moon above, & these humans sat only twenty feet from their home. Their leader addressed them in ceremony, & I quietly snuck up on them. What I heard their leader say chilled me to the bone: he & his men planned to cause a catastrophe to the people all over the United Kingdom, using a dark purple orb the leader held in his hands. It was about the size of a large grapefruit, & holding it above his head, he & his men chanted a spell in unison. It was in another language, so I couldn't understand what was being said. But there was one word they kept saying over & over during the course of their ranting: they kept saying 'Megaguirus'. All along their chant, that was the one word which I heard repeatedly. Having no clue as to who or what this Megaguirus was, & thinking of all those innocent children & their parents, I couldn't allow them to continue: even as purple lightning flashed out of the orb & headed skyward, I went into their house &, seeing a lit lantern, pushed it off the shelf where it hit the floor & shattered, causing a fire to erupt all over. Almost immediately, the robed humans cease their rambling as I'd hoped & fought frantically to extinguish the blaze. But it still didn't stop what they planned: high up in the sky, I witnessed a red rift open up wide & saw a most horrible sight!"

"Queen Clarion, did you actually see this 'Megaguirus' you described?", asked Martin.

"Only very little of it, Dr. Griffiths", she went on. "Even from the ground, I could see a pair of the most sinister red eyes & a mouth full of sharp teeth peeking through. But the most unpleasant thing about Megaguirus was the terrible noise it made: a screech that sounded like a thousand or more hawks crying out at once. Desperate, I used my pixie dust to help shrink the orb to my size & took hold of it. Having no idea how to use the orb, I merely wished with all my willpower to close the portal & trap Megaguirus in it before it could get loose into the world. To my surprise & relief, it was working, & before long the portal closed, entrapping Megaguirus on the other side. Fortunately, the robed humans were too busy dealing with the blazing fire to even notice me or what occurred. By the time they had finally put the flames out, I was long gone from the area."

Queen Clarion paused to take a sip of tea before continuing.

"But my evening wasn't quite finished yet: on my way home, I had an unexpected run-in with Belvera, who demanded that I hand over the orb to her. I, of course, refused to do so, & thus we battled for over an hour before I was able to fend her off with my power. Not wanting to tempt fate any more that night, I returned to Pixie Hollow & from there I was all but willing to accept my responsibilities to my home & become its queen & ruler. Considering how dangerous the orb is, I stashed it into one of my many treasure chests & locked it tightly. I believed that if I kept the orb with me, it could never be used by anyone like Belvera for their own agenda. Now I see just how wrong I was, & now Belvera has that very thing in her possession."

"Queen Clarion, you met our older sister that time & you never told us?", an astonished Moll asked. "Why?"

"Because like you & everyone else, I believed Belvera to be dead when Biollante blew up last summer. I had no idea she survived until her unpleasant arrival in Pixie Hollow. Up until then, I didn't think it'd matter. For that, I apologize."

"Please don't worry about it, Queen Clarion", Lora said. "You did have a good reason to keep it from us. But that isn't what's important now: we need to find Belvera!" She turns to the Griffiths. "Dr. Griffiths, Lizzy, can you take us to where she is?"

"Nothing I'd like better, young lady!", Martin said. "The only problem is, where do we even begin to search for your older sibling?"

Queen Clarion's answer was immediate.

"It's quite possible that she may have headed right for the Cliffe area, where those humans tried to bring Megaguirus into our world before all those years ago!"

"But why would she go there, my queen?", asked Beck. "It's too obvious a place, & she probably knows we're on our way trying to stop her! We could be walking right into a trap!"

"Beck, if Belvera succeeds in getting Megaguirus here, the whole world will become a big trap!", said Silvermist. "Right now, it's our best & only lead!"

"Silvermist is right! We should best be going there immediately!", Tinker Bell said, facing Queen Clarion, who nods in agreement. Tink turns to Lizzy. "Lizzy, do you still have that fairy box you made?"

"The same one I caught you in? Yes! Wait here - I'll be right back with it!", she said, running upstairs while she spoke. When she returned, the box she once caught Tinker Bell in was in her hands, albeit slightly different. She placed it on the table & opened the door. "I made it a little bigger just in case you ever returned to us & brought your friends with you!"

Tink & the other fairies couldn't help but smile. That also went for the Elias & her father.

That's what I love about you most, Lizzy…you're so generous!, Tink thought happily.

"Quick, everyone - get in!", Lizzy said. At the queen's word, they all went inside the box-turned-fairy home except for Tink, who told them she'd be right back herself & went outside to their balloon to get the launchers & quill guns with ammo before returning. Supplies in hand, she joined her friends. Only Fairy & Cheese declined to enter, mainly because they were both too big to fit within. It suited them fine: they'd simply follow them on wing/foot.

"Everyone's all aboard & ready to go, Father!", Lizzy said, saluting her dad before picking up the fairy house in her hands.

"Splendid, Elizabeth! Let's get in the car!", Martin says, taking Cheese in his own hands & both father & daughter raced outside to their automobile. Fairy took to the air & followed them.

Unbeknown to all, Vidia was watching them from a safe distance as father & daughter had entered their car, placing the fairy house in the back seat with Lizzy accompanying it. To get to the mainland, Vidia sneaked a ride on their balloon by stealthily hanging onto the underside of it & getting herself out of sight before they arrived at the Griffiths' residence. From outside, she heard every word spoken & processed it all in her head.

Like the others, she didn't like too much what was said.

Megaguirus? Already I don't like the way that sounded, especially how Queen Clarion described those eyes & teeth!, Vidia thought with dread. I'd better keep on their trail & see where this all leads! If this Megaguirus is as bad as she described it, we're all in big trouble!

Vidia waited until Dr. Griffiths started his car before he & Fairy went into the front, with the former at the steering wheel & the latter on the seat beside him. Like her talent, Vidia rushed over to the car & went underneath it, going so fast that no one would be able to spot her even if one looked her way: being the fastest fairy really did have its privileges!

As soon as Vidia got to a safe & secure spot beneath the automobile, the car took off at an amazing speed for something that looked too old & past its prime. It was a jittery ride for Vidia, but through it all, she held on fast & tight. Like the others, she had a mission to fulfil, & nothing was going to stop her from it.

Not even an enraged Battra.

The Cliffe area, an hour later:

A full moon was shining bright over a cloudless sky, & moonlight beamed on the land below, bathing it in a luscious glow. Battra rested himself across the vast land as Belvera stood on the ground hundreds of yards away, an old parchment held out flat before her. Walking all over it, she memorized every foreign word & phrase in her mind. Garu-Garu lay on the ground a foot away, watching his master & guarding the box Belvera took from Queen Clarion's private chambers.

Grinning her widest, she turns to her faithful pet.

"This is it, Garu-Garu!", she says happily. "I recognized this chant from long ago when those humans tried to summon Megaguirus before! Only this time, I'll succeed where they failed! And once she's part of our merry little band, nothing can stop us - not Mothra, not those fairies or my sisters, nobody!"

Overly anxious, Belvera grabs the box & sits Indian style with the parchment laid out right before her. Using her sword, she pries open the lock & takes out the orb with her hands. It was still the same size when Queen Clarion used her magic to shrink it down. For Belvera, it was no matter: she saw how the orb still worked after being shrunk, so she wasn't worried about its functioning capabilities. Holding the orb up over her head, Belvera began the chant she had been reading in that same strange language. Almost immediately, the orb started to glow an eerie shade of violet. Then a trio of purple beams raced skywards to an altitude of a thousand feet in the are before a patch of red opens up. At first, it became only the size of a door in width. But in no time, it stretched further & further out until it became a staggering 100 meters in length & 30-35 meters in height. Belvera kept the vortex open as a hideous screech, sounding like fingernails on a chalkboard, echoed throughout the land. It was a sound that even Queen Clarion could hear from her current position as Dr. Griffiths & Lizzy can see the red vortex split open at over 200 feet away. Their car stops as they stare at the occurrence taking place before them.

Hearing it now gave Queen Clarion the chills even after all this time.

"Is that the sound you first heard all those years ago, my queen?", asked a worried Prilla.

"Yes, Prilla! That's precisely it!", Queen Clarion said, her trepidation clear in her voice.

Along with their queen, the fairies all exited Lizzy's fairy house to get a good look at what went on outside. That also went for Moll & Lora, as Fairy allows them to board.

"Father, look!", Lizzy cried, pointing at the vortex.

"Good heavens!", Dr. Griffiths says in a low voice. What the Griffiths, the fairies & Elias were staring at was something from out of a child's worst nightmare: a pair of hideous red eyes & a mouth filled with white sharp teeth became visible through the crimson haze of the vortex. Next came the rest of the creature that horrendous face was attached to: slowly but surely, a large monster made its way out of the vortex to appear to the world in all its glory. The thing was but a large dragonfly-like beast with a dark purple shade to its skin tone, & a body length of 50 meters from head to tail. Its wingspan extended to a length of 85-90 meters, & had large curved spikes protruding from its back which looked razor-sharp, as did the wings themselves. Three pairs of legs adorned the underside of its thorax, & a pair of large pincers were placed in front like those from a crab. Its tail had smaller spikes protruding from the sides & top, & it ended with a large point, not dissimilar to that of a scorpion's. The head was shaped like a diamond's, & the thing let out its ear-piercing screech as if appraising its release from its prison for many millennia.

The chill that struck Queen Clarion also hit the rest, including Cheese, Blaze & Fairy.

"Is that thing…Megaguirus?", Lizzy asked Queen Clarion, who nods.

"The very same, Lizzy!", she said. "We're too late! Belvera has unleashed Megaguirus onto the mainland!"

All eyes in the car were glued to Megaguirus, as she gets company as Battra joins up with her, & the duo seem as if they're chatting with each other. Not long after that, Belvera rises up on Garu-Garu & both airborne creatures take notice of her. Flashing her bright white teeth, the rogue Elias makes a statement to her two partners in chaos.

"Megaguirus! Battra! The time has now come to bring a new kind of order to this world - one that will have us as its rulers! First, the humans who inhabit this planet have caused it great harm over the centuries & need to be stopped before they destroy it completely! Once they've been given a sample of your destructive power, we shall give them one of two choices: they can either become our servants & do what we command, or your food as we expunge them off the face of the Earth! And the perfect place to begin our new regime shall be right over…there!"

Belvera points towards the nearest city, which has a large clock tower that is visible from where they are, if barely. The two winged horrors turn & face the major metropolitan area, & both let out a screech of approval as Belvera urges them onwards, thrusting her sword before her.

The hearts of the Griffiths, the fairies, Blaze, Cheese & Elias get as heavy as a stone upon hearing Belvera's plan. That also goes for Vidia, who watches & listens to the rogue Elias' words from underneath the car. She suddenly felt so heavy that she had trouble staying in her hiding spot.

Great Mother Dove! What have I done?, Vidia thought uneasily. What did I help that vile witch Belvera to unleash onto the mainland, not to mention the humans themselves? I really am to blame for all of this! I can't stand it any longer! Exiled or not, I've got to do something to stop all this!

But Vidia was suddenly struck with high doubt, & she felt heavier than before.

But what can I do? We're just fairies! How can I possibly hope to undo all the damage that I helped to…wait a minute! There was something about Moll & Lora's story that seemed to have struck a nerve with everyone! What was it again? Come on, Vidia…think about it!

That's when it hits her, & she didn't feel as heavy as she did seconds ago.

Now I remember! If I play all my cards right, there just might be a way to bring this terror to an end! All I need are some supplies…and a whole lot of luck!

Without another word silently or orally, Vidia took off like a shot fired from a gun & raced across the land in almost a blur, flying faster than she's ever flown before & leaving her friends behind.

At that moment, Megaguirus & Battra also take off for Belvera's desired first stop, giving out a screech that echoed the area. The rogue Elias follow behind shortly after, gracefully anxious for what was to come.

"Oh no! Father, are they heading directly for…?", Lizzy says, fearing the answer.

"I'm afraid so, Elizabeth!", Dr. Griffiths says. "Those two are making a beeline for…the city of London!"

"Then that's where we're going too!", Tinker Bell said sternly, getting strange looks from mostly everyone else.

"Tink, what can we do?", Iridessa says, skeptically. "How in the world are we going to put a stop to those creatures?"

"Yeah, Miss Bell, be reasonable!", Bobble said. "Even the humans are dwarfed by Battra & his new partner in chaos!" Bobble looks towards the two Griffiths, who stare at him with quizzical faces. "No offense", he says to them with a sheepish grin.

"None taken", Martin said politely, smiling a bit.

"It still doesn't mean that we sit & do nothing!", Lizzy said, getting their attention. "Listen, fairies! Here's a scientific fact: even the smallest of living creatures can bring down the largest & deadliest of predators! For instance, a bee can sting a bear on the nose, causing it excruciating pain! All we need to do is sting Megaguirus & Battra where it really hurts them, & they'll tumble like a house of cards! Are you in?"

Dr. Martin Griffiths couldn't be more proud of her young daughter: even though she had always believed in fairies like all other children, she still didn't ignore the facts of the real world in which she lives in. There was no reason for the worlds of humans & fairies to not intermingle with one another, & now it'll take both kinds to help deal with what's been placed upon their plates in front of them.

Whatever else, they'll do it together.

"We certainly are, Elizabeth Griffiths!", Queen Clarion says, getting nods from the rest as their confidence received a boost from the girl's words, including Blaze, Cheese & Fairy.

"Full speed ahead, Dr. Griffiths, & don't spare the horsepower!", Tinker Bell said.

"Yes ma'am! Hold tight back there, everyone!", Martin said, pressing down hard upon the accelerator. Dirt & grass kick up in the rear as the car raced for London, following Megaguirus, Battra & Belvera to England's capital city. They don't know what they'll do when they get there or how to bring the monsters down yet, but with a little faith, trust & pixie dust, they'll find it one way or another.

They have to.

The ruins of Pixie Hollow:

Traveling to Pixie Hollow was the easy part: it took her only about forty-five minutes, going at full throttle. And now the hard part begins: she needs to get to the pixie dust tree, gather extra dust in the large satchel she kindly 'borrowed' from another fairy under his nose, get an essential device or two, & then rocket back to the mainland, all without being seen by anyone considering she was now a fugitive & outlaw from the very place she could once call home.

But risky as it was, Vidia has to do this or the guilt will eat her up like a human struck with cancer.

Keeping an eye out in all directions, Vidia swiftly but carefully made her way towards the pixie dust tree, hiding occasionally to stay out of sight of any stragglers or passers-by. Peering from behind a branch, she saw Fairy Gary talking to two other dust-keeper fairies, two of which Vidia couldn't remember their names. It didn't matter: she's here to gather vital ingredients, not recall who's called what. Normally, Vidia would simply just fly up, chat quickly with who's in the vicinity, & somehow take what she wanted without too much trouble.

These, however, were not normal circumstances, so Vidia had to stoop down to the level of a snake & slither up anonymously.

Luckily, she was quite good at doing that, too.

Even more fortunate, Fairy Gary & the other two dust-keepers were parting ways & made it clear, thus easier for Vidia to fly up to where the pixie dust lay at. Even crashed to the ground, the tree still held an ample amount of the dust that gives fairies their magic, & wasting no time, Vidia started using the acorn shell to gather up as much dust as she can & pour it into her satchel.

I'd better do this as quickly as I can!, Vidia thought. This tree is always bristling with life, & I'd better be gone before anybody spots me here!

Unfortunately, someone has spotted Vidia, & a burly hand grabs her shoulder from behind & turns her around to meet her face-to-face, as both she & her abductor gasp in surprise.

"Vidia?", Fairy Gary says, releasing her shoulder.

"Fairy Gary!", Vidia says, her satchel in one hand & acorn shell in the other.

"What are you doing here, child?", Fairy Gary says in a low but frantic tone. "You're not supposed to be at this tree, let alone this island! Have you already forgotten that you've been exiled from our home?"

"No, Fairy Gary, I haven't!", Vidia says in the same manner. "But that isn't important right now! Listen: you know that chest Belvera took from Queen Clarion's private chambers?"

"What about it?"

"It held a purple orb inside that unleashed a giant dragonfly creature called Megaguirus! And right now, even as we speak, it's running loose on the mainland, causing untold destruction! That's why I'm here, Fairy Gary - to help put an end to it, & I know how! But in order for me to do that, I need this extra pixie dust!"

Fairy Gary lets out a heavy sigh.

"Vidia, I can understand that you want to atone for what you've done", he says softly before he hardens a little. "But whatever your reasons, I still can't allow you to take off with that pixie dust you're stealing." He walks up to her & takes away the near-filled satchel & pours back the dust, his back to her. Vidia couldn't believe it: here she was, trying to compensate for her atrocities, & the head dust-keeper fairy won't allow it. And after all the time & trouble she went through to sneak back & obtain what she vitally needed to help set things right.

"I'm sorry about this, Fairy Gary", Vidia said with a sigh.

"Don't be sorry, Vidia: be scarce!", Fairy Gary says, pouring the dust back without turning to her. "I'd hate to see just what would happen if the Ministers should suddenly catch you here. I doubt they'll show any leniency towards you here for going against the queen's…ungh!"

Before Fairy Gary could finish his statement, Vidia raises the acorn shell over her head & hits him in the back of his with all her might. The head dust-keeper goes down hard & releases the satchel as Vidia retrieves it & begins refilling it, using the shell in rapid succession.

For what she did, she took positively no satisfaction in.

I really hated doing that to him!, she thought, feeling guilty for it. But I can't let it stop me from what needs to be done! I've got to make up for what occurred, no matter what the personal cost to myself! I'd better hurry: Fairy Gary won't be out for too long, & he's not the head dust-keeper just because of the tight ship that he runs!

And for that reason, Vidia filled the satchel to the brim with pixie dust in no time. Sealing it tight, she them heads off into the ruins with speed & stealth until she heads for what remained of Tinker's Nook. Even though there was debris & twisted branches everywhere, she still recalls where the next place she needs to go is located at.

Tinker Bell's house. Despite being buried under debris, she can clearly see that it was still accessible through an open window.

Keeping the lowest of profiles, Vidia sneaks her way inside & frantically searches her house in every nook & cranny for what she hopes to find. The house was on a slant, & everything had slid down to one side, creating a pile of lost things, tools & other things Vidia wouldn't touch otherwise. But she knows it's here somewhere: she can feel it in her gut, & she'll search the house to its foundation to find it if she has to, & she'll go through a whole plethora of angry fireflies to do it.

I know it's here somewhere…it's got to be!, she thought hurriedly. My whole plan depends upon my finding it! Come on, Tink…where are you keeping it? Just give me a sign!

Something catches her eye that could tell her she didn't have to, aside from the fact that Blaze & his buddies were absent.

A large chest resting on the far side…and its lock was broken!

Vidia swept across to it & opened the lid. When she peered inside, a smile of triumph grew on her face.

Ah, good ol' Tinker Bell…always prepared with a spare!, Vidia thought happily, grabbing her prize & slinging it over her shoulder along with her satchel of pixie dust. Now she just needed one final piece of equipment before heading back to the mainland.

She can't even begin to guess at the chaos that she knows is going on over there at this very moment.

Vidia hopes to find her final piece in time.

CHAPTER VIII

London, England:

Even before Megaguirus & Battra made it to the city, people had started evacuating their homes & ran out onto the streets, fleeing the city in a panic. Cars & other vehicles jammed the streets, & horses that pulled buggies went into a frenzy, sensing the two monsters' approach & jumping up in fear before taking off in a hurry, wanting to be anywhere but London. Those on the streets barely had time to avoid getting trampled by the wild animals.

On their way over to London, Megaguirus & Battra caused high destruction to areas such as Tilbury, West Thurrock, Belvedere, & some of Greenwich before striking the heart of the city. One of the very first structures they destroyed was the Westminster & Tower Bridges over the Thames River, with Battra blowing the former to pieces with his prism beams & Megaguirus using her own brute force to destroy the latter, smashing it with her tail as pieces of it splashed into the river below, the people barely having time to get off both structures before collapsing.

Realizing they wouldn't get there in time in Dr. Griffiths' car, Queen Clarion gave Tinker Bell, Iridessa, Silvermist, Rosetta, Fawn, Beck, Prilla, Myka, Fira, Lily, Terence, Clank & Bobble all an extra dose of pixie dust before sending them ahead to help the humans in any way they can. The Elias & Blaze went after them, also after receiving a dose of pixie dust. When they got there, Battra & Megaguirus continued ravaging & razing London, bringing down houses & structures from areas like Lambeth, Southwark, Waterloo, Soho & Westminster. Rubble & wrecked vehicles went flying everywhere, spraying fleeing humans. Luckily, the fairies flew by & intercepted the rubble, using their pixie dust to make sure it hits no living things, animals or humans as they more or less deflected them away. They did so swiftly & discreetly, never staying in one place for long.

In conjunction with their pixie dust, the fairies also used their natural talents to aide the people in their escape: Iridessa & Fira used light to shine blown-out lampposts that still stayed lit even when debris kept raining down; Fawn & Beck used their animal-talking ability to calm panicked animals & helped them to flee London in a quick but orderly fashion, so as not to go & place people underfoot; Silvermist used her water talent to make a wave here & there to push away those who thought that jumping into the Thames was a good idea at the time to escape the two flying horrors pillaging it, the debris missing them by inches; Tinker Bell, Terence & Blaze used their dust to help put out raging fires before they could spread, getting an extra hand or two from Rosetta & others. Even Moll & Lora use their borrowed pixie dust along with their own natural telekinesis to assist people to safety, pushing aside debris & creating any alternate escape routes for them to evacuate with.

Even over the sounds of frightened people fleeing & structures being destroyed, the roars of Battra & Megaguirus are as audible as a car horn, their reign of destruction resuming amid all the panic, confusion & life-saving.

Just as Terence had done with Tinker Bell's balloon, Queen Clarion sprinkled some pixie dust upon Dr. Griffiths' automobile at the hood. As before, the vehicle traveled twice-three times as fast as Martin steered with the wheel as Lizzy & Cheese held onto each other for dear life. For the most part, it was Queen Clarion who was doing the driving, rushing the vehicle across the landscape & heading into a city that became mostly deserted by the time they had arrived at the city limits. At that time, Megaguirus made a literal crash landing atop one of London's most famous landmarks: the Palace of Westminster, with Big Ben on the far corner. With her great form, Megaguirus toppled the city greatest structure & best-known clock tower to rubble, using her wings, legs & tail to bring it all down in mere moments. Highly satisfied with her handiwork, Megaguirus unleashes a screeching roar that no pair of ears can ignore. Equally satisfied is Belvera, as she surveys the carnage riding atop Garu-Garu, who seems pleased in his own way & lets out a roar of his own.

"Yes, Garu-Garu, it is quite lovely, isn't it?", Belvera says, laughing as she pats her flying pet on his head. The little creature notices the fairies & Elias flying around, trying to undo fires & rescue as many lives as they can. He growls, eager to engage them, but Belvera spots them too, & has her pet stay where he is.

"Ignore them, Garu-Garu", she went on. "Even they can't prevent our new regime from happening! Let them save as many of those filthy people as they like - it will simply mean more slaves and/or tidbits for us! And in the end, they too will fall & bow to our newfound power! So relax - this is just the beginning!"

Belvera laughs maniacally again, drunk over what her new strength has given her as Battra continues flying over the ruined city, gliding over it like a hawk in search of a mouse. His roar can be no less ignored than Megaguirus' own.

In a deserted area right outside the city, Dr. Griffiths, Lizzy, Cheese & Queen Clarion can do nothing but sit & watch the destruction from afar. While Lizzy said they'd try to find a way to bring down the two flying terrors, she & the others now have doubts, witnessing their power.

"It's horrible, Father!", Lizzy says in a low voice. "I've never seen London in such a state before!"

"Not since the Great Fire of 1666 has anyone in London witnessed such a catastrophe of epic proportion, Elizabeth!", Dr. Griffiths said grimly. "Or even the virulent outbreak in the mid-14th Century!"

Queen Clarion heard every word from Dr. Griffiths' mouth; she had no idea that the human world had such eerie epidemics which occurred in their land, compared to the peaceful realm of Pixie Hollow. It made her feel guilty in a sense, knowing that humans have to deal with such atrocities like that while she & her fairies live in perfect harmony, with making the seasons change for the mainland being their only concern. Up until now, they never had to share any kind of malevolence done to their home before Battra came & demolished everything they held dear.

It made Queen Clarion, & no doubt the other fairies, never to take their peaceful & tranquil way of life for granted. Like the mainland itself, an attack can come at anytime to threaten it all.

She no doubt believed that's the way Dr. Griffiths & Lizzy are feeling even now.

Vidia watched the carnage from her vantage point when she arrived a few minutes ago. She was totally speechless when she viewed the scenes of destruction all over London caused by Mothra's former friend & ally, & by a horrible creature she herself unceremoniously had a hand in unleashing into the world. She felt her heart get crushed by an invisible hand: she knew there would be mass destruction when she came back, but Vidia never thought it would be this bad.

But it was.

Everywhere she turned was buildings & houses wrecked into useless rubble, & vehicles smashed into unrecognizable metal & debris.

And you had a hand in all of this, if not indirectly!, a voice said in her head. Even being surrounded by a shield of pixie dust, it did nothing to help lighten her mood as the urge to cry was swelling up inside her. But she would not allow herself to shed tears at this time - not when there was still a job to do.

Vidia waited for an opening to act. If she can find even the slimmest one, she would take it upon herself to atone for what's occurring, in spite of the dangerous risks it will have.

For Vidia, any risk is worth taking if it means making amends.

In the clear, moonlit night sky, Battra flew across London & made a quick turn for another pass, ready to cause more destruction. It was Vidia's big chance; if she could somehow intercept & get him to stop just long enough for her to do what she has in mind, then there's still hope.

Come on, Vidia, buck up!, she told herself. You won't get a better chance than this, so this is now or never! GO!

Armed with a spare launcher & quill gun from Tink's home & a metal megaphone which hung from her shoulder & belt, Vidia raced up into the sky - to meet Battra face-to-face!

Leaving trails of pixie dust behind, Tinker Bell & the other fairies & Elias return to Martin, Lizzy, Cheese & Queen Clarion as the four exit their car. Clearly, they were exhausted from their ordeal but still not completely out of it yet.

"How did you all fare?", Queen Clarion asked.

"It was rough, my queen, but we all did our best to make sure no lives were lost!", Terence said.

"But the city is in complete ruins!", Fira said. "It'll take months for the humans to rebuild it all, if not longer!"

"It's better than the alternative, young lady", Dr. Griffiths said. "Buildings & houses can always be replaced. Lives cannot."

"Dr. Griffiths is correct", said Lily. "Rescuing the lives of the people of London was our first & highest priority above anything else."

Queen Clarion, Martin, Lizzy & even Cheese all nodded as the latter snuggled up to Tinker Bell, who placed her arms around him for a small hug, followed immediately by Blaze.

"Excellent work, all of you!", said their queen. "And now that all the humans from the city have been helped in getting out safely, we can now concentrate on dealing with…"

"Battra!", Clank & Bobble say, pointing towards the large dark butterfly. The creature makes a turn to head back to London when Myka, her sharp eagle-eyes always on alert, spots something else flying in the vicinity & makes its way up to Battra. What's more, she spots a trail of pixie dust as it gets closer to him.

Myka couldn't believe it: a fairy was making his/her way towards Battra himself!

Peering through her binoculars, Myka's eyes went wide when she saw who it was.

"Queen Clarion! One of us is making her way towards Battra!", she says.

"What? Who is it, Myka?", the queen asked desperately.

"It…it's Vidia!"

"Vidia?", they all shout in shock, staring at the sky. Even though they don't have Myka's vision, they can still all see the fast-flying fairy getting closer to Battra. Frightened for her safety, Terence started to take off after her, but Clank & Bobble grab his arms & stop him in mid-air.

"Let go! What does Vidia think she's doing? Is she insane?", Terence says, struggling to get free.

"Terence, no!", said Clank. "You can't go after Vidia now! It's suicide!"

"And what she's doing isn't?"

"Clank's right, dear boy!", Bobble said. "First off, we'd never get to her in time! And even if we try to, we might all end up getting killed with Vidia if Battra decides to roast her with those eye beams of his! Whatever she has planned, we have to sit this one out!"

"But…!"

"Terence, please!", Tinker Bell says, flying in front of him. "Clank & Bobble are right! It pains me to say it, but we can't doanything at the moment!"

"So we just stay here & do nothing?"

"For right now, Terence…yes", Queen Clarion says gently but firmly.

Terence hated it, but he stopped struggling as Clank & Bobble released him, knowing they were all correct. All watched as Vidia made her way in front of Battra, who heads straight for her. Vidia was still very nervous about getting in front of a creature that can squash her without it even noticing, but she was determined to do what she needs to; for her there was no turning back.

Battra was now only a hundred feet from her, but incredibly, he stops in mid-flight. Tiny she may be in his eyes, Battra can still see her as clearly as he can Megaguirus, who lays atop the ruins of the Palace of Westminster & Big Ben. He lets out a soft roar at the small creature with wings, who stares at him & was dwarfed & astonished by his appearance at the same time.

This is it!, Vidia thought, getting the launcher into position but not before checking her ammo first. The leaf ball was still in place, & she shut the lid. All right, Tink - let's see just how good this contraption of yours really is!

Aiming the weapon right at Battra's face through the crosshairs on the side, Vidia presses the trigger. The leaf ball comes flying out of the weapon like a bullet from a gun & streaks right for Battra, who looks at the oncoming projectile like he does with Vidia herself with curiosity. He does nothing to stop its progress towards him, & ten seconds later the leaf ball both hits & explodes on Battra's face, right above his mouth & between his eyes. A huge plume of golden pixie dust engulfs & covers the beast's entire face. Battra lets out a curious roar as the pixie dust sparkles all around him, wondering of its pourpose. Vidia found it a little ironic: before, she was planning to use one of Tink's launchers to play pranks on her fellow fairies. But now, all those unpleasant thoughts were purged from her mind, as she uses it to (hopefully) awaken a creature from its long nightmare.

Excellent! Phase one is complete! Now for phase two!, Vidia thought hopefully, placing the launcher back on her shoulder & taking off the megaphone from her waist. Putting it to her lips, she began to speak into it at Battra, her voice amplified loud enough for him to hear.

"Battra, please listen to me!", Vidia shouts. "All this senseless destruction you're causing, it isn't you! You're acting under the influence of a red mist that's been poisoning you for many years! It's clouding your judgement & forcing you to act irrationally! That's NOT YOU! You've got to FIGHT it, Battra! Don't let that mist take control of you anymore! Look deep inside you: look within yourself, & you'll see I'm telling you the truth! You can take back control of yourself, but only if you fight this poison that's eating inside you! Fight the poison dwelling within you & remember, Battra! REMEMBER WHO YOU REALLY ARE!"

From the ground, Tinker Bell & company heard every word Vidia was shouting at Battra. They were very impressed: Vidia has a reputation of being the most devious, selfish, & simply downright mean & self-centered fairy from Pixie Hollow, but here she was trying to get a winged beast to become its rightful nature again with the help of a cloud of pixie dust. They had to admit that if any one of them were responsible for their home's destruction & exiled for it, they'd go to extreme measures to correct it, even if it meant putting one's self face-to-face with a monster that can level an entire city without breaking a sweat.

I just knew there was a good person inside you, Vidia!, Tinker Bell thought, praying for her success. But on the corner of her eyes, Tink spots something thst chilled her body from head to toe, & she lets out a bone-chilling 'Oh no!'.

Everyone else turned to where Tink was looking at, & they get the same chill she was now struck with, their eyes going wide.

As one, fairy, Elias & human started shouting at Vidia frantically to get her attention, all praying she notices what's heading her way & rush to safety in time. In the air, Vidia was about to say more to Battra until she heard the others from down below shouting to her. Because their voices weren't amplified like hers was, Vidia couldn't make out what they were trying to tell her. All she could hear was frantic shouts & just a slight mentioning of her name that sounded like a mumbling from her vantage point.

Straining with her ears, Vidia tries to make out what they were saying.

What's Tink & the others trying to tell me? I can't make it out too good from up here! But they sound rather upset, or maybe even trying to warn me about…something?

Vidia's thoughts were interrupted when the moonlight over her abruptly went dark. She looks up to see the disturbance, & her heart started beating too fast for her to take.

Megaguirus was right above her!

Despite what her brain was commanding her, Vidia's body wouldn't move, & she was now looking at a monster with a near-100-meter wingspread that lowers its head down to stare at her with an unmeasured malice flowing through it. Staring at those crimson eyes & savage teeth in her mouth, the fast-flying fairy gets hit with a feeling she seldom experiences.

For what could be the very first time in her whole life, Vidia was truly & deathly afraid.

Even facing an angry Queen Clarion was nothing compared to the trepidation she was now struck with. No matter how hard she tried, Vidia could not get her body to move, sans her wings. She might as well be tacked to the wall, & she watched as Megaguirus' eyes narrowed & her mouth had grown into an eerie, hideous grin that was literally as large as Belvera's own, who watches with glee on Garu-Garu.

Checkmate, honey! You lose!, Belvera thought, savoring every moment of her predicament.

Vidia's eyes & mouth go their widest. She tried to scream but couldn't: she was too frozen with fear.

Down on the ground, time seemed to stop for Queen Clarion & her group as they all bear witness to a terrible sight: with one swipe of her right foreclaw, Megaguirus smacks Vidia with its tip, breaking her launcher, quill gun & megaphone. All their eyes & mouths go agape from the horrendous sight, with Rosetta & Lizzy burying their heads in the person closest to them.

"VIDIAAAAAAAAAAAAA!", Tinker Bell screamed at the top of her lungs as the fast-flying fairy plummets to Earth, her eyes closed & her limbs flailing in the breeze, either unconscious or quite possibly dead. A trail of pixie dust streaks skyward as Vidia's grave rushes up to meet her.

Not if Moll & Lora have anything to say about that.

"Fairy!", they cried, commanding their butterfly to take off on a course to get to Vidia before she hits bottom. Out of all of them, only Fairy would have a chance to get her in time as she was the fastest in the air, next to Vidia. They manage to grab Vidia when they were at an altitude of five feet above ground, both Elias snatching her in their arms. No time to check if she was dead or not, they raced back to the others, all of whom run up to know Vidia's condition.

"Vidia!", a crying Iridessa says, wiping her eyes & turning to the Elias. "Is she…?"

"We…we're not sure", Lora said, a lump forming in her throat along with everyone else.

Their melancholy mood was stopped short when Megaguirus screeched her loudest, & they all looked up to see the giant dragonfly heading their way, no doubt having the same intentions for them as she'd done with Vidia. Their rescue of Vidia will be all for naught as Megaguirus quickly closes the gap between her & her prey of fairies, Elias & humans.

"You're all so concerned about that fast-flying wench?", Belvera barks at them atop her flying pet, her grin still shining bright. "Then you can all join her!"

When Megaguirus gets to two-thirds along the way, she gets body-slammed by a very large object that knocks her far away from the beast's intended victims. Belvera's smile fades but one grows on the fairies' & Elias as a friendly & familiar face greets them in these darkest of hours.

"Mothra!", they cried happily.

The giant lepidopteron sends Megaguirus crashing into the ground as dirt & debris from evacuated houses & buildings that get plowed into fly in every direction. Megaguirus bellows in rage & lashes out at Mothra with her foreclaws, but the giant butterfly avoids these by putting distance between them & bombards her new enemy with stingers from her abdomen that strike her foe all over her body, each tinger feeling like a human getting hit by many arrows from an Indian tribe. Megaguirus cries out again, & Mothra shoots her twin antennae beams at the deadly dragonfly, hitting her everywhere.

The shock & vibrations of the battle can be felt from where Lizzy & company stood at.

"So is that the 'Mothra' you were telling me & Father about?", Lizzy asked the Elias but never taking her sight off the battle.

"That's her, Elizabeth!", said Moll. "Somehow, she survived Battra's attack!"

"Fascinating!", Dr. Griffiths says amid the chaos. "She's a large resemblance to the species of Heliconius, but with totally different wing patterns!"

Oh Father, Lizzy thought, rolling her eyes a bit & slightly smiling.

But while the fairy group was proud & happy to see the lepidopteron giant to be still alive, Belvera clearly wasn't, & she makes no attempt to hide her displeasure of it.

"I thought you took care of her, Battra!", she barks, facing Mothra's friend-turned-foe. "How is it that she's still alive? Huh?"

She stares daggers at Battra, as if expecting him to give an answer. The giant butterfly only lets out a soft roar like he was unsure of himself.

"Never mind!", Belvera barked. "Get over there & finish Mothra off! And this time, do it right!"

After a few moments of hesitation, Battra flies off & heads directly for the two battling combatants.

Lying on the ground on her back, Megaguirus cries out as Mothra lets loose yellow beams from her wings that jolt the monstrous dragonfly at every inch of her body. Mothra can hear her pleas for help & mercy, but the giant butterfly ignores them & keeps her assault up, not wanting to give her enemy a chance to recover: Mothra has her on the ropes, & she plans to keep it that way.

From behind, Battra flies closer to his one-time friend with intent to ram her full force & bring her down with one strike. As far as he can tell, Mothra is totally unaware of his oncoming approach, & this will make it easier for Battra to win his fight with her once & for all.

He kept getting closer & closer to his friend-turned-foe, her back completely to him.

Battra picks up more speed, closing the gap even faster.

He gets to 200 meters…100...

At the last possible second, Mothra stops her assault on Megaguirus & banks over to her left, getting out of Battra's path, who cannot stop his momentum in time & slams himself with all his might into Megaguirus, the ground shaking under the tremendous impact. Megaguirus gets the wind knocked out of her as Battra's head becomes even more confused than before, with what could be a headache of some kind forming into it. His vision becomes a kaleidoscope of colors & pictures, trying to get into focus. He takes to the air groggily, using his wings to get his balance. Mothra gave him no chance to gather his bearings, & she slams into Battra from behind with such force that gets felt for miles. She then begins batting him repeatedly with her wings & zapping him with her twin antennae beams relentlessly, intent on beating him down until he can no longer function…or even move.

Listening to the sounds & cries of battle, the Elias have never seen their friend & guardian in such a state in all their lives.

"You can feel it, can't you?", Lora asked Moll, who nods.

"As clear as day, Lora", she replied.

"What is it? What's wrong?", asked Lily.

Moll faces the crowd.

"Lora & myself feel the rage in Mothra…one that we've never sensed in her before. That's why she attacks Battra in such a fury."

"You mean to say that Mothra's more or less…given up on Battra?", asked Beck.

"I'm afraid so, Beck", Lora says. "Mothra currently believes him to be beyond redemption, & now she intends to strike him down until he dies."

Gasps of surprise came from all the rest. They couldn't believe their ears: Mothra would put down her friend, even if he's under the influence of a red mist that's causing him to behave against his nature? It was barbaric: that'd be like giving up on Vidia for being such a selfish & impossible fairy, beating her senselessly to the point of death. And looking at her now, she could very well be close to death, if she's not there already. They vow not to go that path: whatever it took, they'd find a way to save her life.

Only now wasn't the time.

All they can do for right now is pray that there's still enough life left in Vidia until Battra & Megaguirus have been dealt with.

Hang in there, Vidia, Tinker Bell thought, staring at her lifeless form. Please. For us…and for me.

Batted down to the ground, Battra fires his twin prism eye beams at Mothra, but the effort was weaker than usual, & she easily dodges them. Her antennae beams were not weak, however, & these strike Battra square on his back, causing him to screech in pain. He tries to get airborne by flapping his wings, but Mothra's savage attacks keeps him pinned as she uses her wing bolts to keep him literally grounded. A surge of pain & confusion courses through Battra's body, but most of it was in his head: he hasn't been thinking clearly since Vidia had sprayed pixie dust on his face, & now he was having trouble in making decisions. He wasn't sure what to do in this predicament, so he allows himself to get pummeled by Mothra, fighting back very feebly.

In all her rage, Mothra's thoughts were completely on Battra that she didn't even know of Megaguirus until the dragonfly beast flew herself into Mothra, getting payback from before. She uses her front foreclaws to clamp tight onto her wings as it was now her turn to crash her enemy into the ground. Megaguirus drags the giant lepidopteron across the land on her back, wrecking many empty houses & other structures as abandoned vehicles get tossed through the air like they were toys, crashing into useless scrap. Mothra's rough ride ends when Megaguirus crashes her into a large building, demolishing it to rubble. Releasing her, she then pummels her with her long segmented tail repeatedly across her body, causing her to cry out in pain with each hit. After a number of hits, Mothra was able to get airborne again, but Megaguirus was all but ready for her: with her large stinger, she rams it into Mothra's underside that makes her cry out again but with more feeling. Immediately the end of Megaguirus' tail begins to glow & takes in the energy of her enemy.

This did not go unnoticed by the fairy group.

"What's going on? What's Megaguirus doing to her?", wondered Silvermist.

"I hate to say it, but to me it seems as if she's…draining Mothra of her energy!", Terence said. "That stinger of hers does more than just stab!"

"No kidding", Prilla said under her breath as Myka takes her hand in comfort.

Mothra fought desperately to get herself loose from Megaguirus' stinger, breaking free in a last push effort. But the exercise has left her weakened, & Megaguirus immediately uses her newfound strength to resume her assault. From her own wings, the giant dragonfly hits Mothra with yellow bolts which she also uses from the tip of her tail in an attack that was identical to the lepidopteron.

It was painfully clear what occurred.

"Father! That attack Megaguirus is using! It's…", Lizzy started to say when Martin picks up her deduction.

"Yes, Elizabeth! Not only does Megaguirus steals an enemy's energy, but also their very abilities! She's using Mothra's own weapons against her!"

Unlike the fairy group, Belvera was enjoying the scenario: she had no idea what her new monstrous recruit was capable of, but she was never one to look a gift horse in the mouth. What she can get, she will take.

"Very good, Megaguirus!", she praised. "Hit her with everything you've got! Strike her down with her own armament!"

Unleashing her shrill cry, Megaguirus was only too happy to oblige: increasing the bolt's intensity, she hits Mothra relentlessly as the giant butterfly cries in anguish. Next, the dragonfly creature creates a ball of yellow energy from her tail's end before letting it fly straight at Mothra. The glowing projectile buffets Mothra in her underside as she goes down to the ground, hitting it with a thud on her stomach & cries.

Queen Clarion & her group gasp in horror as their giant friend & guardian crash down as Belvera laughs maniacally at Mothra's predicament, seeing her being beaten by her own weapons & crying out in great pain. For Belvera, it was music to her ears.

For the fairies, Elias & the Griffiths, it was torture for them to watch & listen to. Each one wishes there was something they could be doing rather than see Mothra getting taken down, but no opportunity presented itself to them: should they try, they'd meet their own grisly demise by Megaguirus or even Battra, the latter of whom now joins the dragonfly monster & stays by her side, watching as Megaguirus unleashes two more yellow energy balls from her tail at Mothra, both of which strike her on either side of her wings. The pain was so great, she cries out her highest anguish call yet. Megaguirus lets loose with more balls of energy, followed by yellow bolts from her wings & tail. These rain down on Mothra, striking her hard with deadly intensity as the fairies, Elias & the Griffiths cry out to her to hopefully get her to keep fighting despite how useless it may seem.

For Mothra, it was useless: getting bombarded by her own weapons has made her as weak as Battra had been only moments ago. Each shot she received took away more & more of her stamina, until she could finally take no more. She tried to get up, but her wings won't respond to her commands, & she barely moved a few inches off the ground before slumping down on the ground, chirping weakly.

Looking up, Mothra can see Battra stare down at her. Whether it was with compassion or even contempt, she didn't know.

In a matter of moments, it wouldn't matter anyway.

On Garu-Garu's back, Belvera laughed out loud in utter joy.

"Nice try, Mothra!", she scoffs out loud. "But even you can see that nothing can stand up to our combined power! And now, your death will be a prime example of how unstoppable the three of us really are!" Belvera turns to Battra & his new partner. "Megaguirus! Battra! Kill her!"

It was the former who responds first: Megaguirus lights up the end of her tail, ready to shoot another yellow ball of powerful energy. Belvera's grin was as wide as it had been before, hardly containing her joy at seeing Mothra being sent to her death bed. The fairy group felt just the opposite: despair, loss of faith, & bone-rattling chills of fear creep into their souls as they get a ringside seat at what could be the beginning of the end.

Battra stays by Megaguirus' side as her yellow ball glows its brightest which will spell an instant death sentence for Mothra once it hits her. The butterfly's head was still buzzing for about another several seconds before it finally clears up, the fog lifting as if by a wind in his skull.

Suddenly, everything became crystal clear to Battra. He gets a quick assess of his situation in a split-second.

At that point, Battra knew what has to be done.

The bright yellow energy ball from Megaguirus' tail shoots forward at a high velocity & straight for Mothra, who is all but helpless to prevent what comes her way.

Moments later, the deadly projectile hits.

An explosion occurs that sends large chunks flying everywhere, but it wasn't that of what remained of Mothra's head, as the projectile never even hits her: the chunks were that of the ground itself, due to the fact that it hit fifty feet from where Mothra lays at. Both Belvera & the fairy group watch in puzzlement & astonishment at what was now occurring in the air before them.

"What?", Belvera screamed displeased as Battra rammed into Megaguirus right before the dragonfly beast launched her shot that would've killed Mothra, deflecting it. Megaguirus cries out in pain as Battra bites down on her neck with his mandibles, biting deeply into her flesh. The dragonfly beast thrashes frantically at Battra, trying to pry him loose but the dark butterfly has her in a tight grip, & both creatures fight in a tumble of flailing limbs & flapping wings.

"Battra!", Belvera screamed. "What do you think you're doing? Mothra is your enemy, not Megaguirus! Snap out of it & attack Mothra! What's wrong with you?"

Belvera was unsure as to what was going on with one of her monstrous allies, but the fairy group knew exactly what was occurring.

"Battra's attacking Megaguirus?", Clank said, facing the others. "Then that could only mean…"

"You're right, Clank!", Terence says. "The pixie dust Vidia sprayed onto his face helped to counteract the effects of the red mist he'd been poisoned with all these years!"

"So even though it took a while, it helped Battra to cleanse him from the inside!", Iridessa says as they all nod.

"Yes! Thanks to the pixie dust, Battra finally remembers who he really is!", Prilla said in a joyful tone.

Then there's still hope! Well done, Vidia!, Queen Clarion thought happily.

Even from afar, Belvera heard every word the fairies were saying: she was disgusted by the fact that the one called Vidia had managed to turn Battra around to his normal state, now being an enemy rather than an ally to her cause. She watches as Battra takes Megaguirus down to the ground at great speed & crashing with a shaking thud that was felt by all. Battra had Megaguirus land hard with his head striking first to knock him senseless. The dragonfly monster was highly disoriented from the blow, but she was down for the count. It didn't mean that she would be out for long, Battra realized, & it will only buy him just enough time for him to do what he needs to next.

He flies straight for Mothra, who was barely alive.

Landing right in front of her, Mothra can hardly notice his presence before her, & she lets out a weak & barely audible cry from her mouth. Battra lets out a series of noises from his own, being in conversation with her again. Only this time, it was a much more friendly & benevolent one than when they had 'spoken' at Pixie Hollow. Mothra wasn't sure whether or not Battra was telling her the truth, & he couldn't blame her for it: years ago & recently, they'd fought fiercely & he left her buried under ice & snow like she once did with him.

Fortunately, Battra can prove to her that he's truly returned, & he gets to it immediately.

"Look, everybody!", Lily says, pointing. All eyes were fixed on Battra as the horns from both ends & center of his head began to glow a bright yellow. A red cloud of dust expunges from Battra as it hangs over his head & makes its was towards Mothra.

But halfway to her, the red dust - the same kind that poisoned him - goes through a new kind of metamorphosis: it converts & reforms itself into a golden cloud, a dust the fairies know all too well.

"Simply incredible!", said Rosetta. "Battra expels the red dust he'd been infected with…"

"And turns it into pixie dust!", Fira said, finishing Rosetta's sentence. "And it looks like it's to be made as a healing medicine for Mothra!"

"Aye, that it looks like, Miss Fira!", Bobble announced. "I had no idea our pixie dust could do such a thing!"

Fira & Bobble couldn't be more correct: as soon as the newly formed pixie dust from Battra hits Mothra & covers the top of her body, she gets soothed all over & she starts glowing a golden light that shines like a sun in the dead of night. Every ache & pain Mothra had before was expunged, & she felt completely rejuvenated from the tips of her antennae right to the end of her abdomen. She even allows herself a couple of happy cries in conjunction with her newfound strength & the fact that her longtime friend has finally awakened from his nightmare after so many years of being caught in it with no way out.

Until now, that is.

It wasn't a moment too soon: their joyful reunion was short-lived as Megaguirus screeched angrily after getting up from the blow Battra gave her, having recovered quickly. The malevolent dragonfly monster rapidly catches up to speed with events, & can sense that her former partner has now changed sides. It made no difference to her: Megaguirus saw him as simply yet another enemy to destroy, & if he's now going to serve Mothra instead of her, the dragonfly sees nothing wrong with that.

Neither does Belvera.

So Battra's back on Mothra's side, is he? So be it! I don't need Battra anymore anyway!, she thought bitterly.

"It's no use, Mothra: Megaguirus & I can rule our regime without Battra by our side!", she shouts, turning to the dragonfly beast. "Megaguirus…kill them both!"

It was an order Megaguirus was only too happy to carry out. Like an overgrown hawk, she flies straight into the newly formed allies with the ferocity of a wounded animal, lashing out with her foreclaws & snapping them shut, while slashing with her deadly stinger. Megaguirus misses on both counts, but still attacks with such savagery as Mothra & Battra counterstrike with hits from the former's antennae beams & the latter's prism eye beams, missing but also hitting their marks. For both butterflies, it felt great to be fighting alongside each other rather than against.

The battle in the air gave the fairies a grand opportunity as Tinker Bell turns to her friends.

"Listen, everyone!", she says. "This is our big chance!"

"How so, Tinker Bell?", Lizzy wondered.

"Remember when you said to us that even the littlest creatures can take down enemies many times larger than they are?"

"You mean in bringing down Megaguirus by ourselves?", wondered Fawn.

"Bingo!"

"How can we do that, Tink?", asked Beck.

"I have a plan! All we need to do is get that purple orb from Belvera's grasp! If we can do that one little task, this battle will be half-won in our favor!"

The fairies stare at each other before Silvermist spoke for all.

"All right, Tink! We'll do whatever it takes! How do you want to play this?"

"I'll quickly explain on the way up!", Tinker Bell said, getting one of her launchers. She also hands one over to Fawn, Terence, Clank & Beck. To everyone else she gives a quill gun, with a small bandolier containing extra porcupine quills for ammo.

"Queen Clarion!", Moll & Lora say, gesturing for her to get on Fairy in between them. As she does this, she faces the Griffiths.

"Dr. Griffiths, Elizabeth, will you watch over Vidia & protect her for us?", the queen asks.

"Absolutely, Queen Clarion! You can count on us!", Lizzy said immediately.

"Indeed! We will guard her with our very lives, Your Highness!", Martin said right after. "Go do what your friend has in mind & put an end to all this horror!"

Queen Clarion nods proudly, then turns to the group.

"We're ready, Tinker Bell!", she says plain & simple.

"Follow me!", Tink said, taking to the air with all her friends following after her. Facing down to the ground where Vidia lays still, Lizzy bends down on her knees as her father follows suite & takes a deep breath, releasing it with a heavy sigh.

Please still be alive, Vidia, Lizzy thought.

Her eyes closed, the fast-flying fairy didn't respond even when Cheese sniffs her face with a worried one of his own, fighting the urge not to cry.

Mothra & Battra strike Megaguirus with energy beams & other sorts of attack methods, up to & including physical assault, batting the malevolent dragonfly with their limbs & wings with all their might. Megaguirus retaliates by launching a volley of yellow energy balls from the tip of her tail, followed by attacks from her wings. She misses the butterfly duo at every turn, getting more frustrated with each failed attempt.

Angrily, Megaguirus screeches loudly as she charges both of her butterfly foes.

As Mothra & Battra keep Megaguirus occupied, Tinker Bell & company headed straight for Belvera, who takes notice of the oncoming caravan of fairies that also include her two young siblings Moll & Lora, approaching on Fairy with Queen Clarion. No matter how many of them were heading her way, Belvera was neither intimidated nor frightened by their numbers.

So she does what she would usually do.

She runs off, but not in fear.

Getting ahead of the fairy swarm, Garu-Garu makes a 180 degree loop in the air until he was facing the group & immediately fires a barrage of his purple beam upon them. Tinker Bell yells 'scatter!', & they all split off in numerous directions like a swarm of bees. Those with quill guns let off several rounds at a time, filling the skies with pointed quills that head straight for Belvera & her flying pet. Most get melted & shot out of the air, but a few do manage to get embedded into Garu-Garu's flesh, causing him to growl loudly in pain. He gallops roughly that it almost makes Belvera lose her grip & fall off her ride.

"Filthy gnats! I'll turn you all to kindling!", she shouts. Ordering Garu-Garu to unleash his beams again, the bat-like creature fires his weapon in every which way in a frantic attempt to make good on his master's threat. Some came awfully close to hitting a fairy, but none made actual contact. Fira & Iridessa use their leaf buckets to shine bright light in Garu-Garu's face, causing his vision to go blind temporarily as he roars his displeasure. Belvera also gets literally blind-sighted by this, & she unsheaths her sword.

"You irritating insects!", she bellows, her vision clearing again & angrily swinging her sword. "You think I'm afraid to face you disgusting little wenches? I don't care if you send your whole island of little fairies after me - I'll take you all down with ease, one by one!"

"You so sure about that, Belvera?", Fawn bellowed, being surrounded by Beck, Prilla & a whole swarm of bees they travel & fly with. Belvera's eyes went wide as this school of insects heads directly for her & buzz madly around them both. Even Blaze himself gets in on the action, flying in close with his bottom blazing bright & taunting either one to try & hit him. With every swish of her sword, Belvera cannot hit a single bee buzzing near her. Garu-Garu fared no better, as each bee never gets hit by the creature's purple beam. In a more boldly move, Blaze gets into Belvera's face with his lit bottom & the rogue Elias can feel the heat from him, making her sweat like a faucet. With one swipe of her sword, she tries to cut the irritating firefly in half, but Blaze was already out of her range.

The swarm of angry bees, commanded by Fawn & Beck, fly away as suddenly as they'd appeared, disappearing back into the wilderness. Belvera & Garu-Garu stare at the fairies & her younger siblings with utter contempt.

"So, was that your best shot?", she snapped. "I've taken worse from some of the nastiest humans I've run into over the years, & I didn't even receive the tiniest scratch from them! What makes you weaklings think any one of you can defeat me? Even my own sisters couldn't do it!"

"Oh, don't worry, Belvera! Our goal was never to defeat you!", Rosetta said, smiling slyly & holding up her hand with something in it. "Lose something, sweetie?"

Belvera's eyes go wide when she sees that the satchel Rosetta held was the same one that she had only a moment ago. She cursed herself: it was a similar trick that Vidia had pulled on her last summer during Mothra's fight with Biollante. Only this time, she was distracted by the bees & Blaze just long enough for the garden fairy to get close & snatch her prize.

"Give that back!", Belvera barked through clenched teeth as Garu-Garu flew after her. In her flight, she was grabbed by the lapels of her black dress by Clank with one arm & hung over hundreds of feet in the sky, her legs dangling. Garu-Garu turned around to rescue his master, but his progress was blocked by Terence, Fawn & Beck, all of whom had their launchers aimed right at him. Most of the other fairies had their quill guns aimed & ready for firing.

"Don't even think about it, monster!", Terence threatened with a menacing scowl.

Garu-Garu growled lowly in detestment, but stayed where he was & made no moves.

"Here, Queen Clarion…catch!", Rosetta says, tossing the satchel to her. With one attempt, Queen Clarion catches it by the strap & digs into it, taking the orb out in her hands & tossing the now-empty satchel away.

"Excellent work, all of you!", she says.

"Queen Clarion, do you remember the chant that helped open the portal?", Tinker Bell asked, flying to her side.

"Every single word if it."

"Tinker Bell! Queen Clarion!", Rosetta said, flying towards her. "You two aren't actually thinking of opening that portal, are you? Just smash the thing like you did with that green sphere…"

"It would do no good, Rosetta!", Tink said, shaking her head.

"But why not? Isn't Megaguirus bonded to it like Biollante was with that green sphere?"

"No. The reason is because unlike that sphere, this purple orb is more or less a key to the dimension Megaguirus was brought out of! If I smash this thing now, she'll be trapped here in our world forever, with no way to send her back into it!"

"Tinker Bell is correct, Rosetta", Moll said as Lora nods. "If we're to be rid of Megaguirus for good, we have to open that portal so that Mothra & Battra can shove her back in there! Once we do that, then we'll destroy it!"

"And the time to open it is now!", Queen Clarion said, holding up the orb in both her hands above her head. She then begins to recite the chant word for word, remembering it even after many years later. A couple of foreign words later, the orb let off a lavenderish glow, which was immediately followed by a stream of purple bolts of lightning that emenated from the sphere & struck the sky at a distance of 350 yards across. A rift in the air started forming in a red circle that expanded to its width of 100 meters & a 30-35 meter height. Looking at it, it seemed to everyone that the world from below was ready to make its way into the surface & take it over.

It wasn't hard for anyone to not think that either.

No! That gold witch opened the portal!, Belvera thought unhappily, struggling to get free from Clank's iron grip.

"Let go of me, you flying gorilla!", Belvera snaps.

"That's a rather poor choice of words, Belvera!", Clank said, taking a quick glance down. "Are you really sure you want me to do that?"

"You let go of me now, you hippopotamus, before I make you into twins!", she spat as she raises her sword.

Clank just smiled.

"Okay! I never could resist a pretty face!", he says, releasing his hold on the rogue Elias. With a look of shock, Belvera began falling to the ground from hundreds of feet up. Seeing his master take a deat-defying plunge, Garu-Garu soared down after her, ignoring the fairies who had their weapons pointed at him. Racing down, the bat-like creature scoops Belvera up on his back only about five feet from the ground, sparing her from a grisly death. She turns to see Mothra & Battra still in battle with Megaguirus, as they both witness the opening of the crimson portal. In rapid succession, Battra explains to Mothra in chirps & roars about what the portal means. When Battra nods his head to her, it sends a clear message to the fairies & Elias.

"Good! Mothra understands the situation perfectly!", Fawn said as she & the others rejoin Tinker Bell, Queen Clarion, Rosetta & The Elias.

"She knows that Megaguirus came from that portal, Fawn?", Rosetta asked her.

"That's right! She & Battra are going to attempt to get her back in!"

"And the both of them are going to act as her warden from inside it!", Beck adds.

Mothra wasn't the only one who understood: Megaguirus contemplated their little 'chat', & she was not going to allow them to put her back into the prison she spent countless centuries in. Using her tail & wing attacks, Megaguirus launched a volley of energy beams & projectiles at the butterfly duo, along with her speed to avoid getting hit once they started firing back. As hard as Mothra & Battra tried to hit Megaguirus, they were a split-second too slow. The malevolent dragonfly out-maneuvered them at every turn.

Then she went for a more personal approach: using her velocity, Megaguirus had attacked Battra head-on in a heartbeat. The two creatures collided as Megaguirus used her foreclaws to grab hold of Battra's wings with a vice-like grip, having him right where she wants him. But that little maneuver was also her undoing, becoming a double-edged sword: being in close proximity with her, Battra fired his prism eye beams at Megaguirus, striking her right underneath her chin. The pain caused the dragonfly to cry out in agony & let loose on him, giving Battra the chance he needed. With another blast to her face, the dark-winged butterfly blinded her long enough to get right on top of her & use his pincer at the end of his abdomen to grab hold of Megaguirus right between her rear legs & tail. He then uses his limbs to take a firm hold on his enemy's main body as Mothra now flies up & grabs Megaguirus' tail with her own limbs. The violent dragonfly screeched & thrashed in protest, but she was trapped good. Even when Megaguirus started to slam her pincers into Battra, the butterfly's grip on her was unbreakable as they bring her ever closer to the portal she came from.

The fairies start to cheer at their assured victory, taking each other's hands in graciousness, even though it'll hurt knowing that they'll be losing Mothra a second time.

But at least now Mothra & Battra will be reunited as friends again, rather than enemies!, Bobble thought with good comfort.

Then something struck Tinker Bell, & a brilliant idea enters her head.

She approaches Queen Clarion.

"Queen Clarion, I've got a foolproof idea to keep Megaguirus out for good!", she said. "All I need for you to do is give me the orb!"

The queen & Elias looked at her as if she sprouted antennae from her head.

"Give you the orb?", Queen Clarion asked. "Why? Mothra & Battra are taking Megaguirus back to her prison! Once there, I'll use it to seal it up again & then we'll…"

The Elias & Tink looked on in wonder.

"Queen Clarion, what is it? What's wrong?", Lora asked.

"I almost forgot!", she said. "I myself tried to destroy the orb after resealing the portal all those years ago, but to no avail! This thing cannot be destroyed! I couldn't even shrink it out of existence! It's why I took it back home to Pixie Hollow with me in the first place!"

"But we can make sure that it never falls into the hands of Belvera & all those like her who desire it!", Tinker Bell said. "Once Megaguirus gets thrown in, I'll shoot the orb inside it along with her! That will keep it from opening again!" Tinker Bell places her hand out. "Please, Queen Clarion…trust me on this!"

After careful consideration for a second or two, the queen of Pixie Hollow nods.

"Mother Dove be with you, Tinker Bell!", she replied, handing the orb to her. Immediately, Tinker Bell nods & loads the orb in her launcher.

"Thank you, Queen Clarion!", Tink replied back.

"Oh no!", shouted Lily. Tink, Queen Clarion & the Elias turn to see Megaguirus shake off Mothra by lighting her tail its brightest, forcing the lepidopteron to release it. She then lashes out at her foe with her stinger, but Mothra thinks fast & bites down on it. She increases the pressure until the stinger breaks off with a loud crunch, causing Megaguirus to cry out from losing her deadly appendage, thereby restoring her strength which Megaguirus stole before. She tried to catch up with her friend to help, but Battra calmly tells her 'no'.

Even as Megaguirus fights him, Battra holds her firmly as she explains to Mothra in their language, pulling ahead of his friend.

To most of the fairies, it was all just chirps & roars, but to Fawn, Beck & even the Elias, the meaning was painfully clear.

"No!", Fawn said.

"Fawn, what is it?", asked Prilla. "What did you hear them saying?"

It was Beck who answered, facing the group.

"They discussed about a change of plans! Mothra won't be going into that other dimension to serve as Megaguirus' warden!" Then Beck & Fawn replied the last part together. "Battra is!"

Inhales of shock came from the mouths of each fairy; this bit of news was completely & utterly unacceptable to them, & Tinker Bell makes it clear.

"No! Mothra just got her friend back after years of him being under the influence of & sick by that red mist! She can't lose him now!"

"Tinker Bell! We don't like it either, but you have to remember what we told you once before", Moll explains. "As it is with Mothra herself, Battra has dedicated himself to protect the Earth from any threats by whatever means necessary! He knows that this is the best way to end this nightmare!"

"As does Mothra, despite her own personal feelings in the matter!", Lora added.

"Tinker Bell", Queen Clarion says firmly but softly. "I comprehend on their behavior. If they decide that this is how it must end, who are we to say otherwise? Protecting the planet is what they're destined for."

"Queen Clarion…", Tinker Bell started to say.

"Tinker Bell, you told me to trust you before. You're not going to make me regret it now, will you?"

The tinker fairy stared at the queen for what seemed like hours in just a few seconds. All the other fairies gather around her, giving her comfort. Whenever they do this, Tinker Bell gets a surge of inner strength to help her carry out an assignment, even if it's painful at times.

"There's no way around it, Miss Bell", Clank said softly. "Let them do what they have to."

Looking back at the queen, Tinker Bell nods.

"I will never make you regret your trust in me, my queen!", she says, making her & the Elias smile as she does the same.

"You better hurry, Miss Bell!", Bobble said. "They're just about at the portal!"

Turning towards the struggle between Battra & Megaguirus, they can see that the winged creatures are now only thirty feet from the portal's opening. At that moment, all traces of sadness & compassion for Battra being lost again in Tinker Bell was gone. In its place were deep malice & hatred for Megaguirus: this utterly disgusting & despicable dragonfly monster has ravaged & razed a city full of innocent men, women & children, & worst of all, has dared to attack one of her own people who now lies either dead or dying on the ground. Tinker Bell's face turns its brightest shade of red, & her anger becomes so hot that if one placed an egg on her face, it would be well-cooked & ready to eat in no time.

"Let's do this!", she said through clenched teeth. With both her launcher & the orb in her possession, Tinker Bell & the others get to a distance of 100 feet before the portal. Megaguirus fights & resists the whole way, but Battra kept a firm grip on her the entire time: he had guiltily & inadvertently assisted this horrible creature in causing mass destruction to a widely populated city & endangered thousands, an act that was taboo to him & Mothra. If ever there was a way to help atone for his sins, this would do nicely.

In fact, it would do perfectly.

Now they were right outside the portal, & Battra wasted no time in getting his deadly catch back inside of it…where she belongs. Roaring as fiercely as she was fighting, Megaguirus was dragged halfway into the portal with Battra, when she suddenly spots something in her sights: it was Tinker Bell, launcher in hand & aimed right at her & the portal itself. At that moment, the dragonfly creature that spread destruction all over London & smacked a Pixie Hollow fairy with sheer ruthlessness, felt something in the pit of her stomach.

Megaguirus was afraid.

For all the fear she helped to spread across London & into its people, she was actually scared herself, & the fairies & Elias can sense it themselves.

It was good with them: they were glad that Megaguirus was scared.

Let's see how you like being scared, Megaguirus!, Silvermist said to herself with highest chirps, giving the fairies their cue.

"Now, Tinker Bell!", Fawn & Beck call to her in unison. Megaguirus, being halfway into the portal, sees the tinker fairy from afar with her launcher aimed, & the giant dragonfly's eyes go wide with fright.

"Goodbye, Megaguirus!", Tinker Bell growled, pulling the trigger on her launcher. The orb which opened the portal flew out of the weapon & hurled straight for it, racing at a high velocity. With one last shove, Battra got Megaguirus & himself into the portal only five seconds before the purple orb itself went in. Upon contact, the portal flashed red once for a brief period before the entire thing shrunk & shriveled in on itself, ending in a brief & small flash that signaled the portal being closed off for good. Not even the tiniest trace was left behind to prove that the portal was even there to begin with.

"And good riddance!", Tinker Bell said angrily under her breath. Her anger subsided & her skin color returned to normal when she heard Mothra chirping softly, & one didn't need to be an animal fairy to know that she was crying.

"Poor Mothra", Fira says softly, her heart sinking. "I can't help but feel terrible for her."

"So do we all, Fira", Prilla said. "Mothra just got her friend back this evening, only to go & lose him…again."

"It's never easy for anyone or anything to have to go through that - even if it is your duty", said Terence.

The fairies & Elias bow their heads in sympathy.

No Terence, it isn't, Lora said to herself.

How they felt is the same way Dr. Griffiths, Lizzy & Cheese did, viewing the battle on the ground. They, too, bow their heads in respect & sympathy over the loss of Mothra's friend. Vidia would've done the same, if only she were awake.

"I'm not exactly sure on whether or not to call this a victory, Father", Lizzy said softly.

Martin places his arm around her.

"Neither do I, Elizabeth", he says the same way. "All I am sure of is that this battle had come with a rather high price attached."

"I couldn't have put it better myself, old man!"

Looking up, the Griffiths & Cheese were suddenly bombarded by purple beams of energy from Garu-Garu, as both he & Belvera swoop down towards them, the bat-like monster's beams driving the three of them back & away from the unmoving Vidia, which Belvera now lands right next to with her sword drawn. Growling & spitting his beams, Garu-Garu push the three back a distance of sixteen feet from where Belvera was, her face a most displeased feature.

"Keep those three at bay, Garu-Garu!", she ordered him. "If any of them so much as bats an eye, roast them alive!"

The rogue Elias now stares down at Vidia, gritting her teeth with her heart filled with hard contempt.

"You!", she barked. "This night was supposed to have been the start of my regime against the filthy humans of this world, with Battra & Megaguirus by my side! Instead, the fruits of my victory became a bad taste in my mouth like ashes! Were it not for you & that pixie dust trick, I would've had it all! I've lost everything this evening because of you, but at least I'll have the satisfaction of making sure that you're dead when I ram this straight through your heart!"

On the last part of her statement, Belvera raised her sword over her head, the blade pointed down. Before she could execute the maneuver, she gets hit in the side by a glob of mud that sends her twelve feet away from Vidia's unmoving form. Grau-Garu looks behind him to watch his master get pummeled, which gave Martin the perfect chance to act: with a clenched fist, he gives the bat-creature a hard right, sending him spinning away in confusion at an even farther distance than Belvera was thrown. Garu-Garu crashes & tumbles to the ground as Belvera pushes off the mud she was struck with, getting to her feet.

"Don't you move, Belvera!", Terence snapped angrily at her, his launcher aimed right at her after doing a quick reload. "You get anywhere near Vidia, & you'll get it again! And this time, I'm loaded with a rock instead of mud inside my launcher!"

"So are the rest of us!", Fawn said as she, Terence, Beck & Tinker Bell all aim their weapons directly at the rogue Elias, with the rest of the fairies pointing their quill guns. "Now, if you don't want your head taken clean off your shoulders, you'll just stay right where you are!"

As she spoke, the Griffiths & Cheese rejoined the group, getting behind them.

That's when Belvera started laughing, confusing the fairy group.

"I don't see any humor in your situation, Belvera, so I have absolutely no idea as to why you're laughing!", Beck said poutily.

"You're all joking, right?", Belvera scoffs with a grin. "Do you people actually expect meto believe that any of you would so callously & cold-bloodedly take my life? You fairies don't have the nerve to! Face it: I'm the one with the killer instinct in me, not you!"

"With you, Belvera, I think they'll gladly make an exception!", Queen Clarion said steely. "You defiled our land with your filthy presence & ruined it possibly beyond repair, caused mass panic & destruction with one of the mainland's most famous cities, & on top of that, you dare to strike down & kill one of us when she's down & utterly helpless! If that's not a list of reasons as to why my fairies shouldn't kill you where you stand, I don't know what is!"

"And while we're mostly in abhorrence to the taking of any life, Belvera, even Moll & myself would be quite hard-pressed to try & find a reason to stop them!", Lora said solidly as Moll nods.

"You fairies would risk your own lives for such a despicable wench like Vidia?", Belvera says. "Of what I hear, she isn't the most popular or beloved among your kind!"

"Maybe so, Belvera, but we'd all gladly take Vidia's selfishness over your ruthlessness any day of the year!", Silvermist says.

Belvera takes a good, long look at the fairy group, the two Griffiths & her younger sisters. Not one of them had a cheerful, happy expression on his/her face, with most having a launcher or quill gun aimed right at her. Even Clank & Bobble, two of Pixie Hollow's most free-loving & kindhearted fairies, had a look that could possibly melt steel. It also went for Blaze, Cheese & the Griffiths themselves: each one of them had a very good reason in wanting to take Belvera's life, & just this once they'll consider doing an act that was strictly taboo to them. The rogue Elias can really start to believe it too: if they can take down a monster that totally dwarfed them in every aspect, then she would have no chance against them should they decide to fire, even with her sword in her hand & Garu-Garu by her side.

Much as she loathed to admit it, Belvera can find no victory here. But she can find a bright side to it all, even in her current state.

"Have it your way then, darlings!", she says with an evil grin as Garu-Garu rights himself & heads over to his master. The fairies & Elias keep their weapons trained on him in case he gets any ideas. Belvera hops on his back as she finishes speaking.

"I may have lost this night, but they'll be other times! At least that wench Vidia is at death's door, so your costly victory will have another fatality added to it!"

With a slight kick at his side, Garu-Garu took off into the night with his master as they all watch her fly away with her wicked grin on her face, somewhat pleased that Vidia will expire at any given second. But Tinker Bell wasn't quite satisfied yet: she aims her launcher at Belvera's back, seconds away from pulling the trigger.

Oh no you don't, Belvera!, she thought angrily. You're not getting off the hook that easily!

"No, Tinker Bell, don't!", Terence said, gently pushing her launcher out of Belvera's range. "Please don't sink down to Belvera's level! Don't become like her! It's not worth it!"

"Terence…", Tink started to say when the other fairies gathered round her with pleading eyes, including those from Blaze, Cheese & the Griffiths. Seeing them in that state always make Tinker Bell surrender & she sighs, lowering her weapon. "You're right. It's not."

Good girl, Tink, Rosetta said to herself as a smile grows on her & the sparrow man's faces, followed by everyone else's. I knew you'd go & do the right thing.

"So we're just going to let her go then?", Tink asked.

"Only for now, Tinker Bell", Queen Clarion said, floating down to her on Fairy with the Elias. "Besides, Belvera is the least of our concerns at the moment."

The queen looks down at Vidia, & immediately Tinker Bell felt guilt: she wanted to get cold-blooded revenge on Belvera, & Vidia was laying on the ground & in need of help. Terence saw how guilty she felt, & he went to her side.

"It's okay, Tink", he assures her. "Truth be told, we all felt that way for a brief moment."

Tink nods as Prilla went to Vidia & felt her wrist.

"Anything, Prilla?", Iridessa asked hopefully.

Prilla turned to the group.

"It's extremely faint, but I do sense a pulse within Vidia!", she says. "We can still save her if we hurry back to Pixie Hollow!"

"That's wonderful, Prilla!", Lily said. "Let's get her home right away!"

"How will we do that, Lily?", Fira asked. "It'll take a while to get her there even in the balloon we came here in, & I don't think it's wise for any of us to carry her in their arms. The trip could kill her."

It only took a second for the Elias to come up with the perfect solution.

"Mothra can take her & the rest of you back to Pixie Hollow!", Moll said.

"She can?", asked Bobble. "But what about traveling…?"

"Trust us, Bobble!", Lora says. "Mothra can not only get you home swiftly, but she can also travel with no rough turbulence! In certain times, anyone riding on her won't even feel it!"

The thought seemed to have everyone in agreement.

"Aye, now we see what you mean, Miss Lora!", Bobble said. "Due to our small size, the wind shouldn't disturb us much if at all, especially being in cover from Mothra's own fur!"

Moll & Lora nodded. Mothra appeared overhead & chirped as if hearing their predicament, eager & ready to help.

"That should just about do it!", Dr. Griffiths said, doing the math in his head. "Go! There's not a moment to lose!"

"Yes! Please save your friend!", Lizzy pleaded.

Queen Clarion & the Elias appeared before the Griffiths.

"Dr. Griffiths, Elizabeth, as ruler & queen of Pixie Hollow, you can rest assured that we will spare no method in saving Vidia's life", she said, turning to Clank, who nods.

"Please hang in there, Miss Vidia", Clank said, taking her in his arms & flying up quickly but gently towards Mothra, with everyone else following him. With a little pixie dust from Fawn, Cheese was helped guided upwards & once they were all placed upon Mothra's back, a gold shine was visible from where Martin & Lizzy stood as the giant butterfly took it as her cue. With a final chirp, Mothra flew off & away from a ruined London as Lizzy & her father watched her go. Even as a giant, they both had to admit that Mothra was very beautiful in both appearance & performance, including when she's in battle with an enemy.

"Will they be able to save her in time, Father?", Lizzy asked somberly & on the verge of crying.

"Elizabeth", Dr. Griffiths says, getting down & placing his hands on her shoulders. "Just like you once told me at the museum, you just have to believe that they will. Will you do that, sweetheart?"

Lizzy nodded once before burying her head in her father's shoulder, crying as she was no longer able to hold in her sadness. Putting her arms around her, Martin looked towards a rapidly disappearing Mothra as she flies off towards the second star on her right to her destination.

Like my daughter said, please save your friend, dear fairies, Martin thought somberly, as he now starts to cry with his daughter in his arms.

They held each other for most of the night.

CHAPTER IX

Morning, the ruins of Pixie Hollow:

Mothra arrived at the fairies' home in good time, the ride as comfortable as any they'd ever had. But there was no time to comment about it: they needed to hurry if they were to save Vidia's life before it became too late. With Queen Clarion on lead, she & the Elias flew over to the pixie dust tree as Clank carried her in his arms the whole trip. Even though still a mess from Battra's attack, they were able to make a room within into something of a nurse's office, with a table that Vidia had been placed at as head healing fairy Clara gathered what she could & used what she deemed necessary to treat the fast-flying fairy & get her back to health.

While Vidia was being treated, Queen Clarion called for a gathering to tell of what had occurred on the mainland. She explained with solid details of the incident, from Megaguirus' summoning to Vidia's brush with death from the malevolent dragonfly to her defeat by both a freshly reformed Battra to the fairies themselves that accompanied her. Hearing the story made everyone feel relieved & struck with guilt at the same time: it was good that Battra came back to his senses & helped to defeat Megaguirus, but they were crushed beyone words that Vidia now faces a possible death. Even those who had shunned & wrote her off before felt terrible hearing upon her condition. None of them realized that she did have a good heart in her, even if she's rather good at hiding it most of the time, doing what she could to correct her errors.

This made them see her in a brand new light, but it may be all for naught as even as the sun shines on a new day, hopes were diminishing due to the fact that Vidia hasn't improved since she was brought back.

Inside the makeshift room, the Elias, Queen Clarion, the four Ministers, Fairy Mary, Fairy Gary, Terence, Iridessa, Prilla, Lily, Myka, Clank, Bobble, Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn, Beck, Fira, Clara & Tinker Bell all wait around the table Vidia rested on. It may as well still be dark out, because nothing came from Vidia since Clara gave her a dose of medicine the instant she was brought to her, & their hearts felt as if it was still dark out, their hopes diminishing.

"It's now morning, & there still doesn't seem to be any change at all in Vidia's condition", Queen Clarion says with a sigh. "Clara, is there something else you can possibly give her?"

The head healing fairy shook her head.

"I gave her the correct dosage of medicine, Your Highness", she says. "I don't think that giving her another will do any good. If I give her too little, it won't do anything, while too much might actually kill her, especially in her currentcondition. She's barely clinging to life as it is. I have to say that I'm actually surprised that she is still alive, considering what that Megaguirus creature did to her."

"I'm guessing, but it's probably the pixie dust coating she had on", Terence explained. "It somehow acted as a shield & protected her from the worst of harm, if barely. But now that it's gone, there's just no telling how much longer Vidia has."

"Can't you just use more pixie dust to help heal her?", asked Clank.

Terence & even Fairy Gary shook their heads.

"No chance", Terence went on. "As you all know, pixie dust can only help us to fly & even make objects we sprinkle it on float. It can't act as a medicine of any kind. That's what we have healing & nursing fairies for."

"But it healed Mothra…and Battra!", said Fira. "Can't we at least try it on Vidia? Who knows? The effect could be…"

"That's not how it works, Fira. In spite of what Bobble may have believed before back in London, Mothra & Battra are different from us in every way, from their forms to their anatomy. Our pixie dust can no more heal Vidia than any one of us can grow to Mothra or Battra's size at will."

"So what are you all saying?", Rosetta says with tears in her eyes. "Are we just gonna let Vidia die? I can't accept that! I won't accept that!"

"Nobody's saying that, Rosetta", Lily said, taking her in her arms. "You know better than that. We'll find a way to save her…one way or another. Please believe it."

Surrounded by friends, Rosetta looked at Lily & nodded.

Queen Clarion stepped away from the group, the guilt eating at her from within as she sits on a rock stool.

"This is my fault", she says with a sigh. "I guess I was a little too hard on Vidia, exiling her from our home for something that truly wasn't her own fault."

"My queen", Fairy Mary says, coming to her side along with the Ministers. "At that time you were blinded by sorrow & rage at seeing our home ruined, & in your anger you went & did something you probably didn't mean deep within yourself."

"And look where it got Vidia", Fairy Gary says, his head with a white cloth strip on top. "What was that girl thinking, going up against a creature like Battra to try & reform him with a large dose of pixie dust? Being exiled doesn't mean putting your lifein danger like that!"

"Does it?", Queen Clarion said softly, rising up & heading towards him. "Fairy Gary, Vidia merely wanted to help atone for her mistake. Let me ask you this: if you felt responsible for an action that led to our home's destruction, indirectly or not, wouldn't you do whatever it took to compensate for it, regardless of the personal cost to yourself?"

Looking at Vidia lying on the table, Fairy Gary had no answer to give her except for a heavy sigh.

"I suppose I would at that", he says softly before raising his voice a bit. "At least we found Rani & nursed her back to health in time, & that her injuries weren't life-threatening."

"Now we just have to do the same for Vidia", said Myka. "But how? If even Clara doesn't know what else to do & pixie dust is out of the question, what other options can we use?"

No one had any answers to give, but then Tinker Bell had a thought enter her mind, & she wastes no time in sharing it with everyone.

"Wait, everyone! I think there is an option we can use!", she says, running up to the Elias. "Moll, Lora, do you recall when you thought that one of your songs made us feel oddly strange?"

A look of confusement came onto every face in the room, not getting where the tinker fairy was going with this.

"Uh, Miss Bell, I don't think now's a good time to reminisce about a tune stuck in your head", Clank said.

"But that song could very well save Vidia!", Tinker Bell told him, turning back to Moll & Lora. "Do you both remember what Rosetta said to you a few days after the Song & Dance night at Fairy-Tale Glen?"

The Elias thought back hard about what it was the garden fairy told them:

"…when you sang that tune to us, we felt so…I don't know, alive! It was like that song was so full of life, it felt as if it actually gave it!"

Then the realization of Tinker Bell's notion struck not only Moll & Lora, but everyone else as well.

"Now I see what you mean, Tinker Bell!", said the Minister of Summer.

"Same here!", the Minister of Autumn added. "Why, when I first heard that song, it felt like new life was blooming inside of me!"

"And if we feel that way upon hearing it, then Vidia just might…", Fawn began to say.

"Only one way to find out, Fawn!", Queen Clarion finished, facing the Elias. "Ladies, is there any more to that song other than those first few verses?"

"Yes, Your Highness!", Moll & Lora said together.

"Excellent!", the queen said, going to an opening & addressing the crowd outside. "Fairies of Pixie Hollow! What you are about to hear is a song of hope & life! I want you all to open up your hearts as you listen to it, & no matter what happens, please do not be afraid of what you feel from within yourselves! Embrace it as you hear its soothing melody! Can you all do that?"

It took only a second for an answer to come from the crowd.

"We'll do it! Especially if it means it'll help save Vidia's life!", Dulcie said, & the crowd erupted in a quick cheer as Queen Clarion disappeared back inside & the crowd became silent again. She was so proud of her fairies that she felt as if her own happiness could be used to save Vidia.

And if all goes well, it just might at that!, Queen Clarion thought hopeful.

Gathered in a circle with the Elias taking point, she announces that all was ready.

"It's all you now, girls!", Fairy Mary says, getting nods from all. "Don't spare the notes!"

Smiling, Moll & Lora nod themselves & they begin singing their soothing, melodious song in all its glory, making signals with their hands as they sing:

Ia ie hao ra

Uha e ka Mosura ha

Ia ie hao ma

Roha e na Mosura ha

Kiri e wa jina hi

Mele wona kamai ka

Ia ie hao ra

Uha e ka Mosura ya

Ia ie hao ma

Roho e na Mosura ha

Kiri e wa jina hi

Mele wona kamai ka

Kiri e wa jina hi

Mele wona kamai ka

After Moll & Lora began singing the first three verses, all the fairies from Pixie Hollow, in & outside the pixie dust tree, had their eyes closed as they all started to feel a warm energy from within themselves. For some, it was the same kind of feeling they first experienced at the Fairy-Tale Glen when the Elias sang it that first time. To the rest, it was brand new but very satisfying to them, & they embraced it as asked to do by their queen. Throughout the rest of the song, this feeling from within them was made stronger & stronger, & soon their bodies started giving off a radiant & beautiful golden-yellow glow which eventually engulfed the entire pixie dust tree & the surrounding area.

The animals themselves, large or small, get the same feeling from within.

Moll & Lora sang the whole song again, & this time the glow began to spread throughout all of Pixie Hollow, getting brighter as the island is soon engulfed in this luminescence. Mothra by this time was airborne over the island, & she circles around it, chirping as she helps with the glow capture every inch of the island, leaving no patch of land or even animals untouched. Soon, the entire island was shining as brightly as the sun from overhead, acting like a second dawn.

When Moll & Lora finish with their song, the glow vanished as suddenly as it began, but in that time a bonafide miracle happened, one no one on the island could have forseen.

Once they open their eyes, the fairies see this miracle for themselves & they begin to cheer.

Queen Clarion & those inside the pixie dust tree open their eyes as well, & see that all was back in place like it was before, & they were no longer standing on a wall of a fallen tree. They were standing on its floor, & art fairy Bess came to the window as excited as she's ever been.

"Queen Clarion, Ministers, come outside! You've got to see this!", she exclaims with a huge grin on her face. Not waiting for them to respond, Bess left the window as the queen & four Ministers of the seasons followed her out of the tree. Tinker Bell & the others went to the window, & what they saw from their vantage point was completely breathtaking: the pixie dust tree & the whole area, including beyond it, was restored to the way it was before its destruction by Battra. Grins beamed as wide as ever decorated their faces, & they didn't need to fly out & above the place to know that it was like this all over.

Queen Clarion & the four Ministers have already done so, & they return to the pixie dust tree as happy as newly arrived fairies.

"What a blessing it is!", the queen stated gleefully. "Pixie Hollow is back to normal all across from one end to the other! I've never seen anything so wonderful in my entire life!"

"Neither have I!", said the Minister of Winter. "Everything in our beloved land is right back in its proper place, from the tiniest snowflake to the biggest tree!"

"And all the animals seem to be in good health, & accounted for!", said the Minister of Spring. "Now, if Moll & Lora's song can restore our home to its former glory as it has, then surely that must also mean…"

A soft moaning from the center of the room caught their attention, & a second miracle has just occurred: it was Vidia rising from the table she lay on, & her eyes slowly open up to a bunch of joyful & happy fairies & two Elias.

"Where…where am I?", Vidia started to say in a drowsy tone.

"Vidia!", they all shouted & ran to her, most giving her a warm hug as they help her off her resting place. They break off to give her some elbow room.

"Vidia! How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you remember anything?", Beck asked her frantically.

"Whoa, slow down some there, Beck!", Vidia answered, placing her hands out in front of her. "Where am I, first of all? And whatever happened to…oh my God! Battra! Megaguirus! What became of them?" Then she recalls where she now is. "And how did I get here?"

"Whoa, Vidia, now it's you who needs to slow down, dearie!", Fairy Mary says. "You've been through such a terrible ordeal, & need to take it nice & easy!"

"But…"

"Fairy Mary's right, Vidia", said Queen Clarion. "Any & all explanations can wait for the time being. Right now, it's so good to have you back home with & one of us again."

"Does that mean I'm no longer exiled, Queen Clarion?"

"Consider it lifted, my dear. Indefinitely."

For once, Vidia was speechless: the last thing she remembers was being in front of Battra after spraying him with the pixie dust she took from the tree just before seeing Megaguirus slam her foreclaw into her. It became black after that, & here she is at home in Pixie Hollow, with her friends surrounding her & bringing her comfort. It was the second time they did, the first being when they were on a rescue mission for Tinker Bell when Lizzy Griffiths captured her in the fairy house she made.

And twice is no coincidence.

"You're right, Queen Clarion", she said. "The hows & whys can wait for later. Thank you. And thank you, everyone."

"Hey Vidia", Silvermist says. "We may have our differences, but in the end, we're all one big happy family. And you are family."

Vidia had to smile at that.

"Yes, I suppose we are", she said, turning to the Elias. "I guess that also goes for you two girls as well; you know, for having no wings of your own, you do pretty fine."

Moll & Lora smile at her remark.

"Why Vidia, you sound as if we had something to do with your miraculous healing!", Moll joked, giggling with Lora as mostly everyone joined in.

"Darlings, I may be just a fast-flying fairy, but I ain't dumb!", Vidia said playfully.

More giggles came from most of the fairies in the room.

"Fair enough, Vidia", Lora says. "As for your theory, you got us - it's true. But the one who really came up with the idea was none other than Tinker Bell herself. Moll & I would never had thought of it were it not for her giving us a friendly reminder."

Vidia was surprised by this bit of news.

"No kidding?", she says.

"No kidding, Vidia", said Fairy Gary. "The song that Moll & Lora sang for us just now had helped to heal you completely from within. Not only that, it helped to restore Pixie Hollow to its former glory…and may possibly have even improved on its renovation."

"I do happen to recall that time at the Fairy-Tale Glen a few nights ago. I wondered what it was; I also had no idea that it could help to bring back our home like it did, let alone heal us from within. But then, never look a hungry hawk in the mouth, right? Oh, Fairy Gary, about that hit on the head before, I…"

Fairy Gary laughed out loud.

"You mean this, my dear?", he says, pointing to his head. "This is nothing! Just a mere scratch, at worst! But it's quite all right - you were desperate to help fix your error, & the most important thing is you made Battra to help remember who he was, Megaguirus has been beaten, our home all patched up, & you're still among us! What could be better than that, I ask you? Right, Tinker Bell?"

They all looked towards her, & their cheerful smiles turned to worried frowns.

"Tink?", Iridessa says.

"Hey Tinker Bell, are you okay?", Vidia asked sincerely.

Of everyone in the group, only Tinker Bell didn't share in the laughter or anything else: she was too choked up, & her eyes became watery with the first set of tears as she stood there in silence. When Vidia asked her if she was all right a second time, Tink ran to her, wrapped her arms around her, buried her head & began to cry out loud uncontrollably.

"Tink, come on, there's no need to get all mushy just because I almost…hmm?", Vidia started to say before Rosetta placed a gentle hand on her arm.

"Vidia sweetie…just go with it", she told her softly with a matching smile. "It's perfectly okay to express your feelings to another. There's no shame in that…none whatsoever."

Staring at the others, they all had smiles on their faces as Queen Clarion nods, telling Vidia it was okay. Tinker Bell looked up at Vidia with teary, wet eyes.

"Vidia…I was so scared!", she sobbed. "I thought you were lost to us for good when that filthy Megaguirus hit you! I couldn't bear the thought of having to have to live here in Pixie Hollow without you! How could I if you're not going to live in this place with the rest of us? It's incomprehensible! There's no way I can ever imagine that!"

Tinker Bell buried her head in her again & continued to cry, not holding anything back. So touched was she that Vidia wrapped her own arms around her.

"Aw, come on, Tink. You of all fairies should know…", Vidia says kindly, a lump forming in her throat as tears now came out of her eyes. "You don't get rid of me that easily."

Vidia allowed her tears to flow from her eyes & down her cheeks as she holds Tinker Bell closely to & embraces her in a loving hug. For the first time in her life, Vidia allows herself to cry in front of everyone, not caring what they think. But what they do think was the scene before them to be very heartwarming, & tears start flowing in their eyes, embracing the moment.

Go ahead & let it out, Vidia, Queen Clarion said to herself. Know that it's never a sign of weakness to allow yourself to cry, but rather, a sign of love & compassion to another.

For once, fairies (& even the Elias) were crying as much as Rani herself would.

For Vidia, it felt good to cry.

And to care.

She & Tinker Bell held their position for several minutes, letting their tears flow.

Early afternoon:

When the heartwarming reunion was over, Queen Clarion filled Vidia in on the events of their battle with Megaguirus during the time she was knocked out by the giant dragonfly: Mothra & Battra's aerial fight with her, the former's redemption thanks to the pixie dust maneuver the fast-flying fairy executed, Megaguirus' defeat & Battra's sacrifice, etc.. Most of this thrilled Vidia to hear, but hearing upon Battra's decision to remain inside of the portal & perform as Megaguirus' warden made her heart sink; she went through all that trouble to help Battra reform & be reunited with Mothra again, only to have her lose him a second time - this time, for good.

"I just can't believe Battra did that", Vidia said in a melancholy tone. "I mean, I'm glad my pixie dust plan did the trick, but I never wanted him to be lost to Mothra again. Losing him that first time was bad enough for her."

"Neither did any of us, Vidia", Silvermist said softly. "But Battra knows his duties as much as Mothra herself does. As scary as your dilemma with Megaguirus was, it scares us even more to think what might've happened had you not done what you did to help reform Battra. If not for that, we probably wouldn't have won that night."

"Aye, Miss Vidia", Bobble adds. "As bad as the situation in London was, it could've been a lot worse. Your pixie dust maneuver helped to prevent it from becoming so."

"You were really brave, Vidia", said Terence. "To go against a monster like Battra like you did took unmeasured courage." He turns to Clank & Bobble. "I guess I was wrong to try & stop her, you guys."

"Aw come on, Terence. It's only natural that you'd be scared for her", Clank said. "You think we didn't feel the same way?"

"Thanks Terence", Vidia said. "But you do know that Clank & Bobble were rightto have stopped you. Had anything gone wrong at that point & my trick hadn't worked, Battra would've killed me and the rest of you. I couldn't let that happen, especially after causing you all so much trouble."

"Hey, we would do no different if the burden was laid upon any one of us, Vidia", said Iridessa. "We had our duties to perform, & you had yours."

So much understanding from the fairies Vidia once wrote off because they weren't of her talent made her feel regret for how she'd been to them for all that time since her arrival at Pixie Hollow. Vidia was impressed with them: for all the selfish, rude & just plain stubborn tricks & acts she'd done to them, they still don't write her off like she usually does. No, they still think of her as no less part of their home as anyone or anything else that resides here.

"Just doing what's right for our home & family", was all Vidia could say at the moment.

Smiles erupted from all faces.

"And that deserves a token of our appreciation", Queen Clarion said, entering the room with a gold necklace which sported a heart in the center that she places around Vidia's neck. "For bravery above & beyone her duties to Pixie Hollow, I hereby present this little gift to you, Vidia. May you wear it in good health."

Looking into a mirror, Vidia saw how wonderful it is & was grateful beyond words.

"Queen Clarion, I…I don't know what to say exactly, it…", she started saying when the queen gave her a quick & friendly warning.

"Just don't let it go to your head, sweetie", she says smiling, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Vidia smiled back & gave a little laugh.

"Fair enough, my queen", she said simply, getting a laugh from her.

"Don't worry, Vidia. We know you'll wear it proud", Moll said as she & Lora arrive at the window riding on Fairy. Queen Clarion & the other fairies head over to the Elias as Lora talks to Vidia. "Moll's right, Vidia. You did something even we couldn't do, & it helped to make all the difference. Were it not for you, Belvera would've won & got what she wanted. On behalf of my sister Moll & everyone here at Pixie Hollow, we thank you with all of our hearts."

A happy round of applause erupted in the room, & Vidia's heart swelled with pride. Never has she been more proud of herself of what she performed, a feeling made all the more wonderful being surrounded by friends.

But as the applause died, a thought entered Vidia's mind, one that had her worried.

"Speaking of Belvera, will you two be going after her again?", she asked the Elias.

"I'm afraid so, Vidia", Lora said with Moll nodding. "Now that we know she's still alive & out there, we need to stay on her trail & make sure she doesn't cause humanity or this planet any more harm."

"So this is goodbye then?", asked Rosetta. The Elias nod.

"We'll miss you, but we understand why", said Fawn.

"But please know that you two will always have a place here in Pixie Hollow", said Queen Clarion. "And we do hope to see you again."

"Lora & I believe that is possible, Your Highness", Moll said, bowing slightly in respect with her sibling. "It's good to know that we have a home to go to aside from Infant Island, even if our culture us somewhat different from yours."

"Differences don't matter, girls", said Prilla. "We still think of you as one of us, & always will. Take care."

"Thank you, everyone", Lora says. "And please give Bess our thanks for the portrait she made for us."

"Yes we will", said Fira.

"Wait!", Vidia said, flying to the Elias. "Before you two go, we need to make a quick stop somewhere."

"Where to, Vidia?", asked Lily until the answer hit them. "Oh wait, never mind. We see what you mean."

"So do I, Vidia", Tinker Bell said, flying up to her. "We should let Lizzy & her father know that you're okay. We do owe them a lot."

"It's quite a way to the mainland, Tink", Terence says. "Are you sure you two have enough pixie dust to get there & back?"

Tinker Bell thought about it for a minute, & then she saw something in the distance that gave a perfect solution.

"Maybe we're not going to need extra pixie dust, Terence", she says with a smile.

Dr. Griffiths' cottage, England:

Neither Martin nor Elizabeth could sleep soundly the other night. Very few humans have gone through experiences like the ones they did: discovering that fairies actually exist, flying over a city without wings, & on top of it all, encountering giant winged monsters, two of which ravaged & destroyed a good portion of London in over an hour's time until one was rehabilitated & joined another in defeating the main antagonist, sending it to another dimension of some kind along with one of its enemies.

In the hours after the attack of giant butterflies & dragonflies, the people of London had labored to fix the damage to their beloved city, clearing out rubble & placing the homeless into shelters with food & other rations until they can get back on their feet.

Martin couldn't join in assisting his fellow man, & it wasn't because of the appearances of Mothra, Battra & Megaguirus battling over London & seeing the destruction: he & his daughter were too concerned about the welfare of one of the fairies that Megaguirus had so callously & without remorse smacked the fairy called Vidia with her foreclaw, leaving her in a comatose state. Not knowing if she was dead or alive was killing them, & it gave them a restless, sleepless night.

If only we had the slightest sign, Martin thought, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee that has now turned cold. Lizzy was up in her room, not bothering to come downstairs.

Then he heard a noise from outside, & Martin went out in his front yard to see what it was. What he saw made him open his eyes until they nearly popped out of his skull.

"Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Come outside! Quick!", he yelled from the doorway. Seconds later, Lizzy was coming downstairs & headed towards her father.

"What is it, Father?", Lizzy asked, hearing the excitement in his voice. He took her out into their front yard, & Lizzy saw what got him so excited: her face lit up when she saw a large butterfly heading their way.

"Mothra!", Lizzy cried, happy to see her again. "If Mothra's here, then that must also mean…"

"That's right, Elizabeth!", the Elias said, coming down from Mothra on Fairy along with two extra guests who fly right beside her. The Griffiths' faces shined when they saw who those 'guests' are.

"Tinker Bell!", Martin said gleefully.

"And Vidia! You're alive!", Lizzy cheered as the fast-flying fairy nodded & did a couple of aerial tricks to prove her livelihood: somersaults, loops, & an airborne dance as she twirls around like she was in the ballet. Stopping in mid-air, Vidia spread her arms out in a 'ta-da' gesture & gracefully takes a bow which resulted in Lizzy clapping her hands, allowing herself a laugh.

"Vidia, I'm so glad you're okay!", she says, letting her hand out for Vidia as she lands with a soft landing. Lizzy gently puts her to her face & even kisses her slightly. "Father & I were so worried about you! But he told me to believe, & here you are!"

"Just like you once told me, Elizabeth!", Martin said at her side. "And what about your home? Is everything going well over there?"

"More than just 'well', Dr. Griffiths", said Vidia. "It's been completely restored, & better than ever!"

The news made father & daughter more livelier than before, & their hearts soared without even leaving the ground.

"Splendid!", Martin says with glee. "Oh, if only I could see how wonderful your home of Pixie Hollow is!"

"Me too, Father!", Lizzy added. "I'd love to see Pixie Hollow, if only for a little while!"

Tinker Bell flew up to the Griffiths & smiled, as did Vidia & the Elias.

"Dr. Griffiths, Lizzy, I think we can arrange that for you!", Tink says.

Vidia & the Elias nodded.

Somewhere over the ocean:

Dr. Griffiths & Lizzy laughed & cheered proudly as they rode onto Mothra's back as she took them, the Elias, Fairy, Vidia & Tinker Bell over the vast blue ocean below them. The tinker & fast-flying fairies also made their joy known, as although this is their second time riding onto Mothra's back, it's the first time they actually get to enjoy it!

"So this is what it's like to let someone else do the flying, huh?", Vidia says over the winds which weren't her own.

"Yep! Safe & efficient, & best of all, it saves plenty of pixie dust flyer mileage!", Tinker Bell joked as she & Vidia laugh.

"I tell you, Elizabeth, the folks down at the Science Committee would never believe me if I told them about this!", Martin says.

"Who says that they need to know about it, Father?", Lizzy says. "Not everything needs to have an explanation for it!"

"Quite right, my dear! It's like with our fairy friends: let people think that the season changes are natural! At least you & I know the truth of it all!"

"And we'll never tell! Will we, Father?"

"Not in this lifetime anyway!"

Both father & daughter share a laugh that was audible through the winds as they continue riding across the water on Mothra's back. Moll & Lora smile proudly, seeing all four of their guests enjoying their inbound flight back to Pixie Hollow. In all of their travels, the Elias never met a more wonderful bunch of people, be it humans, fairies or otherwise. Even if their culture is a tad different, Moll & Lora do feel that they belong with Tinker Bell, Vidia & the rest of Pixie Hollow. Even though they need to leave their fairy friends behind after the Griffiths' tour of the place, the Elias do hope that one day they'll return.

Be it human, fairy or Elias, one thing can be most certain.

There's no place on Earth like Pixie Hollow.

Mothra chirps happily as if reading their thoughts & agreeing with them.

She continues on her way to Never Land.

EPILOGUE

Kensal Green Cemetery, London, present day:

In the dimming sunlight of the day, Madeline & Sareena sat & listened to the fairies' story of fateful meetings, happy songs, monster attacks, betrayal, redemption, & self-sacrifice. They sat in a secluded spot that was surrounded by trees, shrubs & graves which hid them from all prying eyes. At this time of day, there were hardly anyone to witness the mother & daughter sitting with fairies Iridessa, Terence, Myka, Prilla, Silvermist, Rosetta, Fawn, Vidia & Tinker Bell along with Moll & Lora sitting on Fairy. They were all at a row of graves, lined up horizontally in numerous rows on a patch of green grass. In a bag next to Sareena was a book that measured to the size of a photo album, if not larger, being rectangular in shape instead of squared.

Madeline & Sareena hung onto every word told to them by both the fairies & the Elias.

"I must say, that was quite a story", Madeline said plain & simple. "But now it helped me to recall about that incident after hearing it from somewhere. I just had no idea that you fairies & Elias had a hand in it. That story just hasn't been mentioned in or around the city all too often."

"Maybe it's for a good reason, Mother", said Sareena. "People were no doubt scared when it happened that they chose to keep it to themselves for the most part. Not that I'd blame them."

"I suppose not, sweetheart."

"But what a story you had for us, Fairies! To think: small fairies like yourselves went & took down a giant monster like Biollante & Megaguirus! I never would've guessed it!"

"But that's how it all happened, darling", Vidia said, flying up to Sareena. "Thanks to some faith, trust & pixie dust, we were able to turn the tables on those creatures & defeat them."

"And you almost lost your life in the process, Vidia. I don't mind saying that gave me the willies when you folks brought that part up."

"I know what you mean. I get that feeling even now every time I think about it."

Vidia wraps herself in her arms like she's cold, which she basically is. But this chill was from her memory of getting smacked by Megaguirus, turning her world upside down. Sareena places her hand out which Vidia gracefully accepts, & gently pats her on her head.

"Ain't it the truth, Vidia", said Prilla. "In all of Pixie Hollow's long history, we've never had such a thing happen to us before then, up to & including your horrible brush with death."

Vidia just nodded.

"Were it not for Moll & Lora, Pixie Hollow would probably still be a wasteland right about now", Silvermist said.

"It wasn't just us, Silvermist", Moll said. "It was all you fairies & your infallible courage that helped you get through those dark times in your island's & London's history."

"Let's not forget Battra's sacrifice while we're at it", said Myka. "Reformed thanks to Vidia, he got Megaguirus back into her prison where she still resides at."

"But most of all, let's not forget about Dr. Griffiths & his loving daughter Lizzy for being by our side when we needed help the most", Iridessa said, getting nods from all. They turn to the two graves they were nearest, being placed side-by-side. The first one reads as follows:

DR. MARTIN GRIFFITHS

BELOVED FATHER & GRANDFATHER

Its accompanying grave, only six inches apart from its companion, read as follows:

ELIZABETH GRIFFITHS

BELOVED MOTHER & GRANDMOTHER

Seeing the names on the two graves put Tinker Bell in a deep depression, & she lets out a heartfelt sigh.

"Tinker Bell, are you okay?", Lora asked.

"Yeah, Lora. I'm good", Tink said, even though she knew she wasn't.

"Hey, Tink", Fawn said, coming to her side with the other fairies. "We miss them too, but you need to understand. Like animals themselves, humans eventually pass away. It's just like with the seasons: it's the natural order of things."

Tinker Bell nodded, a lump forming in her throat.

"I take it Tinker Bell took their deaths pretty hard?", asked Madeline.

"When Dr. Griffiths died, Tinker Bell cried for three days", Myka explains. "But when his daughter died, she did so for a full week."

Madeline sighed.

"Poor girl", she said softly.

"Don't forget, Tink", Terence said, getting in front of her. "Like we all told you so many times before, nobody's ever really dead as long as they're remembered."

Tinker Bell looked at him straight in the eye, & she saw a twinkle there that helped her be more confident in dealing with her dilemma. His smile helped to put one on her face too.

"Thanks, Terence", she said softly.

"And I think this will help you remember my great-grandmother, Tinker Bell", Sareena says, taking the book out of her bag & showing it to the tinker fairy. Tinker Bell's face lit up as soon as she saw it: it was the exact same book that she & Lizzy made together that summer when she got trapped in her self-made fairy house! Immediately Tink flew over to it & looked through it as Sareena turned the pages. Everything that she & Lizzy did together, from the pasted pictures to Tink's actual outline to determine her size, was right in there. Sure, the colors were a tad faded in spots, but even after over a century the book was still in pretty good condition.

Sareena had this book the whole time? Amazing!, Tinker Bell thought, seeing an old friend of sorts. It made her happy beyond anything short of creating a new tinker invention.

She turned to Sareena with tears of joy in her eyes.

"Thank you for keeping this book safe, Sareena", she said, wiping her tears away.

"You're very welcome, Tinker Bell", Sareena said, closing the book & placing it back in her bag. "This book was handed down to me by my family for generations since she first created it. Oh, Tinker Bell?"

"Yes Sareena?"

"What kind of people were my great-grandmother & great-great-grandfather?"

Tink, the other fairies & the Elias all smiled at Sareena's question. It's not every day that kids get to know what their own parents/grandparents were like when they were their age. And since they personally knew the Griffiths, it was their chance (& pleasure) to tell them.

"Sareena, that's a story all on its own", Tinker Bell started to say when they all heard a rumbling from overhead. Dark rain clouds began to fill the skies, & already there were a few flashes of thunder.

"Sorry, Tink", said Rosetta. "Looks like that particular story will have to wait for another day."

"Not necessarily", Madeline says. "We can have you all stay at our home until the storm passes. You can tell us all about it there."

"You'd do that for us?", Iridessa asked.

"Of course. It's the least we can do after you helped save our lives & those of others during Baragon's rampage several hours ago. Come on. Let's all get into my car before the rain starts coming down."

Nodding, the fairies & Elias all follow Madeline & Sareena after they rise up & say one last prayer to the graves of their great-grandparents before taking off.

Making it to their car, the descendants of Martin & Elizabeth Griffiths drive off for home.

Hearing one story was very exciting.

And once they get home, they were going to hear of another one from the fairies.

This one they like to call 'The Great Fairy Rescue'.

MEMORIALS

Les 'Doc' Widdifield, Longtime New Jersey Devils Scout, 86 (1925-2011)

Vann Nath, One of Last 3 Survivors of Notorious Khmer Rogue-Era Prison, 66 (1945-2011)

Richard Hamilton, British Pop Art Pioneer, 89 (1922-2011)

Walter Bonatti, Member of 1st Climbing Tear to Ascend Summit of K-2 in 1954, 81 (1930-2011)

Otakar Vavra, Czech Movie Director, 100 (1911-2011)

Dave Gavitt, One of Basketball's Most Influential leaders, 73 (1937-2011)

Ginger McCain, Won 3 Victories in Grand National Steeplechase, 80 (1930-2011)

Johnny Raducanu, Celebrated Romanian Jazz Musician, 79 (1931-2011)

Julio Casas Regueiro, Cuban Defense Minister, 75 (1936-2011)

Don Fambrough, Former Kansas Football Coach, 88 (1922-2011)

Lee Roy Selmon, NFL Hall of Famer, Played for Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 56 (1954-2011)

Aurelie Dwyer Stack, Ex-Newsday Editor, 86 (1925-2011)

Salvatore Licitra, Italian Tenor, Often Compared to Luciano Pavarotti, 43 (1968-2011)

Raymond Ragucci, Firefighter for the FDNY, 59 (1952-2011)

John Hoover, Noted Alaskan Artist, 91 (1919-2011)

Wardell Quezergue, Composer, Arranger, Bandleader, Producer & Teacher, 81 (1930-2011)

Nelson C.L. Brown, Connecticut Politician & Lobbyist, 89 (1922-2011)

Michelle Caudle, Health Advocate, 42 (1969-2011)

Cliff Robertson, Oscar-Winning 'Utility Player' Actor, 88 (1923-2011)

George Kuchar, Prolific & Influential Underground Filmmaker, 69 (1942-2011)

Michael S. Hart, Creator of 'Project Gutenberg' & the 'eBook', 64 (1947-2011)

Walter Righter, Backed Gay Rights & Retired Episcopal Bishop, 87 (1923-2011)

Andy Whitfield, Actor, Starred in Starz series 'Spartacus: Blood & Sand', 39 (1972-2011)

Mary Fickett, Emmy-Winning Soap Star, Starred in 'All My Children', 83 (1928-2011)

Joseph Landolfi, 9/11 Worker, 55 (1956-2011)

Charles Hickson, Alleged UFO 'Abductee' from 1973, 80 (1931-2011)

John Calley, Highly Noted Studio Executive, 81 (1930-2011)

Carl Oglesby, 1960s Anti-War Activist, 76 (1935-2011)

Malcolm Wallop, Ex-Wyoming Three-Term Senator, 78 (1933-2011)

Wade Mainer, Country-Western Music Pioneer & Icon, 104 (1907-2011)

Barbara Willis, Maker of Prized Pottery, 94 (1917-2011)

Maggie Schuss, Anti-Castro Activist, 72 (1939-2011)

Sam DeLuca, Ex-Jet & Team Broadcaster, 75 (1936-2011)

Charles H. Percy, Former Three-Term Senator of Illinois, 91 (1919-2011)

Eleanor Mondale Poling, Daughter of Former Vice President Walter Mondale, 51 (1960-2011)

Kara Kennedy, Oldest Child of Late Senator Ted Kennedy, 51 (1960-2011)

Mohammed Bassiouni, Former Egyptian Ambassador, 74 (?-2011)

John Curran, Associated Press Writer, 54 (1957-2011)

Frances Bay, Actress of Film & Television, 92 (1919-2011)

Dolores Hope, Widow of Comedian Bob Hope, 102 (1909-2011)

Tom Wilson Sr., Creator of Comic Strip Character 'Ziggy', 80 (1931-2011)

Philip Minoff, Former NBC Executive, 92 (1919-2011)

Shifra Goldman, Activist Art Historian, 85 (1926-2011)

Burhanuddin RabbanI, Former Afghan President, 70 (1940-2011)

Norma Holloway Johnson, 1st Black Lady Appointed to Federal Bench, 78 or 79 (1932-2011)

Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Former India Cricket Captain, 70 (1941-2011)

Aristides Pereira, Former & First Cape Verde Leader, 87 (1923-2011)

Pamela Rymer, Appeals Court Judge, 70 (1941-2011)

Shel Hershorn, Photojournalist, 82 (1929-2011)

Joel J. Sterling, Businessman & World War II Veteran, 85 (1926-2011)

Vesta Williams, R&B Singer & Actress, 53 (1957-2011)

Danny Litwhiler, Former Major Leaguer, 95 (1916-2011)

Robert Conk, Softball Hall of Famer, 77

Jerry Schad, Hiking Writer & Outdoors Enthusiast, 61 (1949-2011)

Orlando Brown, Played for Baltimore Ravens & Cleveland Browns in NFL, 40 (1970-2011)

Wangari Maathai, 1st African Woman to Win Nobel Peace Prize, 71 (1940-2011)

Arch West, Creator of Popular Frito-Lay Doritos Snack Chips, 97 (1914-2011)

Jessy Dixon, Gospel Singer & Songwriter, 73 (1938-2011)

Henry Salmaggi, World War II Veteran, Survived D-Day in 1944, 88 (1923-2011)

Ines Se Costa, Inspired Chef Emeril Lagasse, 79 (1932-2011)

David Croft, Created Sitcoms 'Dad's Army' & 'Are You Being Served?', 89 (1922-2011)

Johnny Wright, Country Music Pioneer Sang With Duo Johnnie & Jack, 97 (1914-2011)

Claude Kirk, Became Florida's 1st Republican Governor of the 20th Century, 85 (1926-2011)

Wilson Greatbatch, Inventor of Implantable Cardiac Pacemaker, 92 (1919-2011)

Dave Hill, 13-Time Winner on PGA Tour, 74 (1937-2011)

Philip Matthew Hannan, Archbishop, Gave Eulogy for John F. Kennedy, 98 (1913-2011)

Sylvia Robinson, Singer & Songwriter, the 'Mother of Hip-Hop', 75 (1936-2011)

Hella Haasse, Award-Winning Author, 93 (1918-2011)

Erik Martin, Make-A-Wish Foundation's Electron Boy, 14

Mike Heimerdinger, Veteran Assistant in the NFL, 58 (1952-2011)

Sven Tumba, Iconic Hockey & Golf Star from Sweden, 80 (1931-2011)

Roger Kennedy, Smithsonian Chief, 85 (1926-2011)

Mo Rothman, Studio Exec who Helped Return Charlie Chaplin to the U.S., 92 (1919-2011)

Archie MacAllaster, Chairman of NYC Investment Firm & Barron's Panelist, 82 (1928-2011)

Peter Gent, Former NFL Player & Author, Wrote 'North Dallas Forty', 69 (1942-2011)

Gwen Yearwood, Mother of Country Music Performer Trisha Yearwood, 73

Robert Whitaker, Famed Photographer of the Beatles, 71 (1939-2011)

Ralph Steinman, Pioneering Cell Biologist, Won Nobel Prize in Medicine, 68 (1943-2011)

Richard Amador, Helped Create Thousands of Jobs for Easy Los Angeles, 75 (1935-2011)

Hanan Porat, Israeli Settlement Leader, 67 (1943-2011)

Lee Davenport, Radar Expert, Developed Radar in World War II, 95 (1915-2011)

Bert Jansch, Legendary Guitarist of British Folk Group Pentangle, 67 (1943-2011)

Diane Cilento, Oscar-Nominated Australian Actress, 78 (1933-2011)

Steve Jobs, Founder of Technology Giant Apple, 56 (1955-2011)

William S. Dietrich II, Steel Executive-Turned-Philanthropist, 73 (1938-2011)

Fred Shuttlesworth, Civil Rights Leader, 89 (1922-2011)

Arthur Nielsen Jr., TV Ratings Guru, 92 (1919-2011)

Kenneth Dahlberg, World War II Flying Ace, 94 (1917-2011)

Charles Napier, Actor of Television & Film, 75 (1936-2011)

Derrick Bell, Harvard Law School Pioneer, 80 (1930-2011)

Al Davis, NFL Legend, Coached the Oakland Raiders, 82 (1929-2011)

Roger Williams, Chart-Topping Pianist, 87 (1924-2011)

Albert Rosellini, Served as Governor of Washington for Eight Years, 101 (1910-2011)

Julio Mario Santo Domingo, One of Colombia's Richest Men, 88 (1923-2011)

Michael Nussbaum, 1st Amendment Lawyer, 76 (1935-2011)

Paula Ettelbrick, Gay Rights Attorney, 56 (1955-2011)

Mikey Welsh, Former Bassist for Rock Group Weezer, 40 (1971-2011)

Jagjit Singh, Prominent Indian Singer, 70 (1941-2011)

James Worrall, Olympic Official, 97 (1914-2011)

Linda Stowell, Inspirational Journalist, 55 (1956-2011)

Robert Loughlin, Artist & Design Expert, 62 (1949-2011)

Robert M. Schaeberle, Chief of Food Company Nabisco, 88 (1923-2011)

Robert Galvin, Former CEO of Motorola, 89 (1922-2011)

Dennis Ritchie, Invented C Computer Programming Language, 70 (1941-2011)

Bobbie Lee Holmes, Schoolteacher who Fought Racism, 84 (1927-2011)

Frank Kameny, Gay Rights Activist & Pioneer, 86 (1925-2011)

Patricia Modell, Wife of NFL Team Owner Art Modell & TV Actress, 80 (1931-2011)

Ray Aghayan, Emmy Award-Winning Costume Designer, 83 (1928-2011)

Howard Hays, Editor who Championed Courts, 94 (1917-2011)

Laura Pollan, Cuban Dissident, 63 (1948-2011)

Anita Caspary, Led 1960s 'Rebel Nuns', 95 (1915-2011)

Sue Mengers, Hollywood Super-Agent, 79 (1932-2011)

Carl Lindner Jr., Financier was CEO of the Cincinnati Reds, 92 (1919-2011)

Manfred Gerlach, Last East Germany President Challenged Communist Rule, 83 (1928-2011)

Elouise Cobell, American Indian Activist, 65 (1945-2011)

Pierre Mamboundou, Gabon Opposition Leader, 64 (1946-2011)

Murray Light, Former Buffalo News Editor, 85 (1926-2011)

Dan Wheldon, Two-Time Indianapolis 500 Winner, 33 (1978-2011)

Pete Rugolo, Emmy & Grammy-Winning Composer, 95 (1915-2011)

Edgar Villchur, Inventor of Groundbreaking Audio Equipment, 94 (1917-2011)

Norman Corwin, Golden Age of Radio, Television & Film Writer, 101 (1910-2011)

Kent Hull, NFL Lineman, Played as Center for Buffalo Bills, 50 (1961-2011)

Ed Reinke, Award-Winning Associated Press Photographer, 60 (1951-2011)

Robert Finigan, Influential Wine & Restaurant Critic, 68 (1943-2011)

Ken Meyerson, Tennis Agent, 48 (1963-2011)

Barry Feinstein, Photographed High-Famed Rock Stars, 80 (1931-2011)

Gale Gillingham, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Guard, 67 (1944-2011)

Jerzy Bielecki, Hero who Escaped Infamous Auschwitz Concentration Camp, 90 (1921-2011)

Scott White, Washington State Senator, 41 (1970-2011)

Marco Simoncelli, Italian Motorcycle Rider, 24 (1987-2011)

Bill Brown, Famed Radio DJ at NY Oldies Station WCBS-FM 101.1, 69 (1942-2011)

Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz Al, Crown Prince & Heir to the Saudi Throne, 80 (1930-2011)

Antonio Cassese, Renowned International Law Expert, 74 (1937-2011)

Robert C. Pierpoint, CBS News Correspondent, 86 (1925-2011)

Margit Brandt, Fashion Icon, 66 (1945-2011)

Dr. Herbert Hauptman, Received Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1985, 94 (1917-2011)

George Yuzawa, Japanese-American Community Activist, 96 (1915-2011)

Begum Nusrat Bhutto, Former First Lady of Pakistan, 82 (1929-2011)

Morris Chafetz, Alcohol Abuse Expert, 87 (1924-2011)

John McCarthy, Pioneer in Artificial Intelligence Technology, 84 (1927-2011)

Florence Heide, Prolific Children's Book Author, 92 (1919-2011)

Howard Wolpe, Helped Pass Federal Anti-Apartheid Act, 71 (1939-2011)

Daniel Burke, Media Industry Veteran, Helped Create Capital Cities/ABC Inc., 82 (1929-2011)

Lincoln Lynch, Civil Rights Activist, 91 (1920-2011)

Tadeusz Sawicz, Polish World War II Airman, 97 (1914-2011)

Axel Axgil, Gay Rights Pioneer in Denmark, 96 (1915-2011)

Greg Gantt, Former Punter for Alabama & New York Jets, 59 (1952-2011)

Robert Pritzker, Businessman, Founded Hyatt Chain of Hotels, 85 (1926-2011)

Jimmy Savile, Veteran British Broadcaster, 84 (1926-2011)

Mace Siegel, Horse Breeder & Mall Developer, 86 (1925-2011)

Bob Barry Sr., Longtime Voice of the Sooners, 80 (1931-2011)

Mickey Lee Lane, Songwriter, 70 (1941-2011)

John Koutrakos, Retired U.S. Navy Captain, 84 (1927-2011)

Tom Keith, Longtime 'A Prairie Home Companion' Sound Effects Man, 64 (1947-2011)

Bob Beaumont, Created Early Electric Cars, 79 (1932-2011)

Beryl Davis, Big Band Singer, Sang with Frank Sinatra & Benny Goodman, 87 (1924-2011)

Dorothy Rodham, Mother of Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, 92 (1919-2011)

Gilbert Cates, Producer/Director who Founded the Geffen Playhouse in L.A., 77 (1934-2011)

James Van Doren, Shoe Designer & Co-Founder of Vans Shoes, 72 (1939-2011)

Wyatt Knight, Actor, Played Bad Boy Tommy Turner in 'Porky's' Trilogy, 56 (1955-2011)

Matty Alou, Baseball All-Star, Played with San Francisco Giants, 72 (1938-2011)

Bob Forsch, St. Louis Cardinals Pitcher from 1974-1988, 61 (1950-2011)

Cory Smoot, Lead Guitarist for Heavy Metal Band GWAR, 34 (1977-2011)

Andy Rooney, Ex-Commentator of CBS Show '60 Minutes', 92 (1919-2011)

Leonard Stone, Actor, Best Known for 1971's 'Willy Wonka', 87 (1923-2011)

Bhupen Hazarika, Legendary Indian Singer, 85 (1926-2011)

Liz Anderson, Country Music Singer & Songwriter, 81 (1930-2011)

John Randolph Hearst Jr., Grandson of Media Giant William, 77 (1933-2011)

Philip Gould, Key Strategist in UK Labour Party Revival, 61 (1950-2011)

Norman Ramsey, Physics Professor who Shared 1989 Nobel Prize, 96 (1915-2011)

Katherine Saubel, Indian Leader, 91 (1920-2011)

Hal Kanter, Hollywood Comedy Writer Created Landmark 'Julia' TV Show, 92 (1918-2011)

Joe Frazier, Boxing Legend who Gave Muhammad Ali his 1st Defeat, 67 (1944-2011)

Heavy D, Rapper who Led Hip-Hop Group Heavy D & the Boyz, 44 (1967-2011)

Ed 'Easy Ed' Macauley, One of the First Big Stars of the NBA, 83 (1928-2011)

Bil Keane, Creator & Cartoonist of Comic Strip 'Family Circus', 89 (1922-2011)

Harry Pachon, Latino Think-Tank Chief, 66 (1945-2011)

Francisco Blake Mora, Mexican Secretary of the Interior, 45 (1966-2011)

Theadora Van Runkle, Movie Costume Designer, 83 (1928-2011)

Hal Bruno, Longtime ABC Newsman, 83 (1928-2011)

Jimmy Savile, TV Host & Cultural Icon, 84 (1926-2011)

Barbara Grier, Naiad Press Co-Founder, 78 (1933-2011)

Scott Wilson, Ardent Horticulturist, 89 (1922-2011)

Charlie Lea, First French-Born Pitcher who Threw a No-Hitter in 1981, 54 (1956-2011)

Evelyn Lauder, Helped Create Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness, 75 (1936-2011)

Irving H. Franklin, Sporting Goods Maker, Co-Founded Franklin Sports, 93 (1918-2011)

Choiseul Henriquez, Haiti Minister of Culture, 51 (1960-2011)

Henry Owen, Economic Policy Expert, 91 (1920-2011)

Ilya Zhitomirskiy, Co-Founded Open-Source Facebook Alternative Diaspora, 22 (1989-2011)

William Aramony, CEO of United Way of America Organization, 84 (1927-2011)

Cargill MacMillan Jr., Heir to the Cargill Inc. Agribusiness Fortune, 84 (1927-2011)

Robert Estabrook, Former Washington Post Opinion Editor & Newsman, 93 (1918-2011)

Bill Stevens, Former Newsman & Journalist, 82 (1929-2011)

Karl Slover, Actor, Best Known as Trumpeter Munchkin in 'Wizard of Oz', 93 (1918-2011)

John W. 'Jack' Townsend, Physicist for NASA, 87 (1924-2011)

Mark Hall, Creator of Popular 'DangerMouse' Cartoon, 75 (1936-2011)

Walt Hazzard, Former UCLA & NBA Star, 69 (1942-2011)

Kurt Budke & Miranda Serna, Oklahoma State Basketball Coaches (ages not provided)

John Smale, Former CEO & Chairman of Procter & Gamble, 84 (1927-2011)

Lee Pockriss, Songwriter, Wrote 'Itsy Bitsy' Bikini Song from 1960, 87 (1924-2011)

Shelagh Delaney, Playwright, Best Known for 'A Taste of Honey', 71 (1939-2011)

Basil D'Oliveira, Cricketer who Became Center of Apartheid Protest, 80 (1931-2011)

Theodore J. Forstmann, Financier & CEO of Sports Marketing Giant IMG, 71 (1940-2011)

Gregory Papalexis, Businessman Behind NYC's Famous Sabrett Hot Dogs, 86 (1925-2011)

John Neville, Actor, Best Known for 'Well-Manicured Man' in 'X-Files', 86 (1925-2011)

I. Michael Heyman, First Non-Scientist To Lead Smithsonian Institution, 81 (1930-2011)

Danielle Mitterrand, Former French First Lady & Human Rights Activist, 87 (1924-2011)

Larry Munson, the Voice of the Georgia Bulldogs for Nearly 43 Years, 89 (1922-2011)

Eli Hurvitz, Former CEO of Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, 79 (1932-2011)

George Gallup Jr., Son of Gallup Founder George Gallup Senior, 81 (1930-2011)

Sena Jurinac, One of Vienna State Opera's Most Celebrated Soprano, 90 (1921-2011)

Paul Motian, Famed Jazz Drummer, 80 (1931-2011)

Ralph Haines, Oldest Living 4-Star General of the U.S. Army, 98 (1913-2011)

Maggie Daley, Wife of Ex-Mayor Richard M. Daley, 68 (1943-2011)

Jim Rathmann, 1960 Indy 500 Winner, 83 (1928-2011)

Ruth Stone, Award-Winning Poet, 96 (1915-2011)

Frederik Meijer, Built Regional Retail Powerhouse Meijer Inc., 91 (1919-2011)

Tom Wicker, Former NY Times Political Reporter & Columnist, 85 (1926-2011)

Andrea True, Ex-Porn Star Had Huge Hit in 1976 with 'More, More, More', 68 (1943-2011)

Joseph DiBernardo Jr., FDNY Firefighter, 40 (1971-2011)

Louis Hildebrandt, Retired Winning Jockey & Author, 93 (1918-2011)

Al Novak, Pioneer in Martial Arts, Influenced Film Icon Bruce Lee (age not verified)

Ken Russell, Iconoclastic British Television & Film Director, 84 (1927-2011)

Lana Peters, Daughter of Soviet Dictator Josef Stalin, 85 (1926-2011)

Patrice O'Neal, Veteran Stand-Up Comedian, 41 (1969-2011)

Samuel Stanley Sr., Stony Brook University President & Educator, 88 (1923-2011)

Leka Zogu, Crown Prince of Albania, 72 (1939-2011)

Alexandru Tocilescu, Romanian Theatre Director, 65 (1946-2011)

Zdenek Miler, Cartoonist & Creator of the Little Mole Character, 90 (1921-2011)

Ed Heminger, Former Member of the Associated Press Board of Directors, 85 (1926-2011)

Judy Lewis, Daughter of Clark Gable & Loretta Young, 76 (1935-2011)

James K.W. Atherton, Noted Photojournalist, 83 (1927-2011)

Chiyono Hasegawa, Hailed as Japan's Oldest Person, 115 (1896-2011)

Arthur Q. Davis, Stadium Architect, Designed Superdome & N.O. Arena, 91 (1920-2011)

Sonia Pierre, Fought for Rights of Dominicans of Haitian Descent, 48 (1963-2011)

Socrates, Football & Soccer Star, Doctor & Activist, 57 (1954-2011)

Joe Daniels, Former Ohio State Quarterback Coach, 69 (1942-2011)

Dev Anand, Bollywood Star, 88 (1923-2011)

Montserrat Figueras, Spanish Soprano, 69 (1942-2011)

Alan Sues, Comedian, Best Known for 'Rowan & Martin' Laugh-In', 85 (1926-2011)

Patricia Dunn, Former Chairwoman of Hewlett-Packard Company, 58 (1953-2011)

Howard Tate, Grammy-Nominated Soul Singer, 72 (1939-2011)

Barbara Orbison, Widow of Rock & Roll Pioneer Roy Orbison, 60 (1951-2011)

Harry Morgan, Emmy-Winning Actor Played Colonel Potter on 'M*A*S*H', 96 (1915-2011)

Dobie Gray, Singer-Songwriter, Sang Timeless Hit 'Drift Away' in 1973, 71 (1940-2011)

Joseph E. Roberts Jr., Washington Philanthropist, 59 (1952-2011)

Jerry Robinson, Co-Creator of DC Comics' Robin & The Joker, 89 (1922-2011)

Lew Bush, Linebacker for San Diego Chargers for Seven Seasons, 42 (1969-2011)

Bill Halleran, Survivor of Pearl Harbor Attack, 93 (1918-2011)

Daniel Melia, FDNY Commander & U.S. Navy Veteran, 87 (1924-2011)

Ofield Dukes, Prominent D.C. Public Relations Figure, 79 (1932-2011)

John Foley, Cardinal who Worked in the Vatican, 76 (1935-2011)

Ragnhild Hveger, Record-Setting Danish Swimmer, 90 (1920-2011)

Joe Restic, Longest-Serving & Winningest Harvard Football Coach, 85 (1926-2011)

Leonard Lyles, Former NFL Defensive Back, 75 (1936-2011)

Bob Burnett, Singer for Folk Group the Highwaymen, 71 (1940-2011)

George Whitman, Founder of Paris Bookshop Shakespeare & Company, 98 (1913-2011)

Bert Schneider, Oscar-Winning Producer, 78 (1933-2011)

Russell Hoban, Prolific Fantasy & Children's Author, 86 (1925-2011)

Billie Jo Spears, Country Singer, Sang #1 Hit "Blanket on the Ground', 74 (1937-2011)

Joe Simon, Co-Creator of Marvel Comics' Captain America, 98 (1913-2011)

Christopher Hitchens, Author, Essayist & Polemicist, 62 (1949-2011)

Patrick V. Murphy, Ex-Police Chief for NY, Detroit & Washington, 91 (1920-2011)

Cesaria Evora, Grammy-Winning Singer, 70 (1941-2011)

Peter Figoski, 22-Year NYPD Veteran, 47 (1964-2011)

Vaclav Havel, Former Czechoslovakian President, 75 (1936-2011)

Eva Ekvall, Former Miss Venezuela, 28 (1983-2011)

Graham Brown, Actor of Stage, Film & Television, 87 (1924-2011)

Wolfgang Oehme, German-Born Renown Landscape Architect, 81 (1930-2011)

Harley Sewell, NFL Defensive Lineman for Detroit Lions, 80 (1931-2011)

Dan Frazer, Actor, Best Known as Capt. Frank McNeil on 'Kojak', 90 (1921-2011)

Susan Aviner, Former Child Star of the 1950s & 1960s, 62 (1949-2011)

Ron Smith, Radio Host, Baltimore's WBAL-AM's 'Voice of Reason', 70 (1941-2011)

Yoshimitsu Morita, Japanese Film Director, 61 (1950-2011)

Ed Roman, Guitar Maker for the Stars, 61 (1950-2011)

Robert Easton, Character Actor & Dialect Coach, 81 (1930-2011)

Jacob Goldman, Former Xerox Leader & Chief Scientist, 90 (1921-2011)

Art Rogers, Award-Wonning Sports Photographer for Los Angeles Times, 93 (1918-2011)

Johannes Heesters, Actor & Singer Since World War II, 108 (1903-2011)

Sori Yanagi, Pioneer of Industrial Design in Japan, 96 (1915-2011)

Pedro Amendariz Jr., Mexican Character Actor, 71 (1940-2011)

Werner Otto, Founder of Mail-Order Company That Bears His Name, 102 (1909-2011)

Helen Frankenthaler, Abstract Impressionist Painter, 83 (1928-2011)

Harry Kullijian, Husband of Carol Channing, 91 (1919-2011)

James Rizzi, New York-Born & Based Pop Artist, 61 (1950-2011)

Leopold Hawelka, Viennese Café Icon, 100 (1911-2011)

Joseph Bodolai, Former Writer for 'Saturday Night Live', 63 (1948-2011)

Ricardo Legorreta, Mexican Architect Best Known for Camino Real Hotel, 80 (1931-2011)

Kaye Stevens, Singer & Actress who Performed with the Rat Pack, 79 (1932-2011)

Thomas Johnson, Retired Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge, 88 (1923-2011)

Sean Bonniwell, Singer & Songwriter for the Music Machine Band, 71 (1940-2011)

Jerzy Kluger, Longtime Jewish Frienf of the Late Pope John Paul II, 92 (1919-2011)

Robert Dickey, Singer & Guitarist, Sang 'I'm Your Puppet' in 1966, 72 (1939-2011)

Israel Baker, Violinist for Films, Most Notably for 1960's 'Psycho', 92 (1919-2011)

Andy Carey, Ex-Infielder & 3rd Baseman for New York Yankees in 1950s, 80 (1931-2011)

Denise Darcel, French-Born Actress Known for Vampy Roles, 87 (1924-2011)

Roy Ash, Ran President Richard Nixon's Budget Office, 93 (1918-2011)

Elia Sanchez Parsons, Author of 'The Mother's Almanac', 74 (1937-2011)

Malcolm Davis, Potter & Civil Rights Organizer, 74 (1937-2011)