Tinker Bell had memorized the voice of every one of her friends. It helped her recognize her friends without having to look up from her workbench.
Rosetta had a high-pitched snappy hum. It trilled lovingly in Tink's ears as she came traipsing in asking favors "Hey sweet pea can you- or "Buttercup there's this- or "sapling I have a problem". If it wasn't for the fact that Rosetta's voice was so warm and happy Tink may have gotten irritated with her friend for always taking her away from her Tinkering, but as it was Tink didn't care.
Silver Mist's voice was more soft and soothing then Rosetta's. It flowed calmly from her mouth, and bubbled gently like a brook. In fact talking to Silver Mist always made Tink think of the Babbling Brook that the water talents listened to. If the Brook could talk fairy, Tink was sure it would sound like Silver Mist.
Fawn's voice was the most exciting to hear. Like Rosetta's it was chipper, but not quite as enjoyable. Her voice was like a chipmunk chattering and ticking away in an overly done excitement. When she was in a bad mood Fawn's chipmunk chatter (as Rosetta had dubbed it) was the last thing Tink wanted to hear. However, when Fawn was mad, her voice changed completely. Then it became the sound of a hummingbird's wings beating against the air. Her words quickened and eventually began to slur together. When this happened almost every fairy within hearing distance coward.
Lastly, Iridessa had the kind of voice that could drive some fairies crazy. It was high pitched like Rosetta's but not a loving hum, an irritated squeal. She would come in worrying about this or that, her screeches hitting the walls of Tink's workshop and reverberating in her ears, making her wince. Iridessa's voice was what made Tink irritable….twenty five percent of the time.
Vidia's voice sounded like a wind. Which was fitting for her. It was quick and cool and powerful. Most of the time is was innocent enough, but there was always that underlining threat buried deep inside of it Like a wind in a hurricane. Tink would think.
Her Tinker buddies Clank and Bobble have metallic voices. Gold scraped across copper. Clank's voice was deeper then Bobble, but other then that they sounded exactly like each other.
Terence, her best friend, had the voice she secretly called the "syrup voice" because that's what it sounded like. Rich, buttery and sweet. Tink wished sometimes she could just sit back and close her eyes and listen to his voice. She liked the way it oozed over her. It was one of the calmest voices she had ever heard.
All these voices were a part of Tink's environment. As much a part of it as Tinker's Nook, as the Pixie Dust Tree, as much a part of it as Pixie Hollow itself. It defined what Tink's activities were going to be for a while, and what her mood was going to be over the next few hours.
But Tink enjoyed silence as much as any fairy, when no voice was disturbing her. That's why she had nestled herself in Palm Tree Cove, with some freshly found Lost Things, and her tinker tools. She began to go through the Lost Things, examining them and making mental notes as to what they could be used for. She had been so wrapped up in her own thoughts and examinations that at first she hadn't heard it. But then suddenly it came to her ears in a rush. A voice, a friend's voice, Terence's voice. She put down her thing-a-ma-bob and stood. If Terence was coming to talk to her she wouldn't mind putting her work aside. Terence was always fun to talk to.
But the voice wasn't calling for her. Nor was it really talking to her, though it certainly was talking.
"So soon?" the "syrup voice" was saying. It seemed to slide over the word soon slower then with the so. Its richness was always filling Tink with calm contentness; they affect his voice always had on her. "Spinner you've only been here a year." She detected a note of sadness.
Who's Spinner? Tink wondered. She strained her ears to listen.
There was another voice. A slightly higher pitched voice then Terence's but a male's all the same. It spoke with a confident swagger. This sparrow man was cocky, it showed through his voice.
And there was something else. The voice reminded Tink of an animal, but she couldn't put a finger on what exactly.
"I know, but I've got itchy feet, I need to keep moving." The voice was saying.
I'm pretty sure the nursing talents have a cream for itchy feet. Terence should tell him that. Tink thought. Terence was speaking again.
"Yeah but-
"No buts Terence. My decision's final." Spinner said.
Decision for what?
"Are you sure Spinner?" Tink knew that voice. That regal proud voice that had played a dominant role in her first few weeks in Pixie Hollow. The voice that always made her think of that conceited flower she had helped Rosetta's with. The one who had insisted that it would be the prettiest rose in the garden if it grew next to a homely thorn bush. That voice belonged to none other then the Minister of Spring. Tink flew a bit towards the direction the voices were coming from, but not close enough to see them.
"I'm positive Spade."
Why did he call him Spade?
There was speculation on whether the sparrow man was garden talent before becoming the Minister of Spring, but no one knew for sure. Or at least that's what everyone said. Could it be possible this Spinner knew for sure?
"We'll miss you Spinner, well actually I'll miss you Spinner. You know how lonely you make me when your not around." This was another voice Tink knew. Fairy Mary had introduced this lovely voice to Tink one night when she had drug that fairy to Fairy Tale Theater. It had been the voice to send Tink on a crazy adventure to find a mirror. It was Lyria's voice.
"Aww Lyria" Spinner was saying "You've got Terence and Spade and Merlina and Gypsy and Orion you won't be missing me much."
Mockingbird Tink realized He sounds like a mockingbird's call. Lyria spoke again.
"Spinner you know you're my best friend. I spend more time with you then with any of the others combined" Lyria's voice pinkled along in a melodic tone. Lyria always sounded like she was singing, even when she was just talking, like now. Her voice naturally fell into a steady rhythm and soared and fell from soprano to baritone according to her mood or the message she was trying to convey. It was fascinating to listen to her talk.
"Well this will give you time to spend more time with the others then." The voice sounded chipper and cheerful now. Happy bliss Tink decided.
"Well Spin if you've made up you mind then I guess that's that" Terence's voice sounded the exact opposite of Spinner's. Sad and worried and a little lonely. It sounded different then the "syrup voice" Tink knew and loved. It sounded a lot like a whimpering scared mouse.
"That's that" Spinner repeated. "I best get going if I want to reach wough by nightfall."
Wough was the largest river in Neverland, hearing its name cleared things up for Tink.
This Spinner fellow was leaving Pixie Hollow. He was going off to explore Neverland. And from the sounds of it, this wasn't the first time he had done it.
"Yeah" Lyria's voice dipped into an alto. "Hey tell the troll brothers hello for me ok? And if you see Wrath and the gang send them my regards too"
"If I see Wrath and the gang Lyria, I'm running as fast my feet can take me in the opposite direction. Otherwise I might find myself a silly human again."
There was an explosion of laughter from the group at some inside joke Tink wasn't a part of.
Wrath? Human again? What does he mean? And why would Lyria want to tell those ridiculous trolls hello? Wonders never ceased.
"Silly Spinner. Promise you'll come back sometime?" Lyria asked.
"I promise" Spinner replied "Till next time dearies!" His voice floated up. He was flying.
"Bye Spinner!" The three remaining voices spoke.
Tink blinked in confusion. She had a million questions to ask, but she was afraid to. She didn't want to barge into a meeting that she was clearly not invited to. She sighed, tugged on her bangs, and turned to return to her work.
She came face to face however with an unfamiliar sparrow man. A sparrow man with messy unkempt strawberry blonde hair, a sharp angular elf like face, large unabashed brown eyes and a cheery wide smile. He wore a tattered top hat filled with holes. So was his coat and pants. His boots were going to fall apart any minute.
"Fly with you" he spoke kindly "I don't believe we've met before"
"No" Tink said. She recognized him by his voice. This was Spinner, Terence's secret friend. "No we haven't. I'm Tinker Bell."
Recognition and joy flickered across his face. "Oh! You're the fairy Terence keeps talking about. The one who saved Spring."
Tink blushed "Well not all by myself." She shrugged.
"Well Spade sure was glad you came along, I'll tell you that."
"Who's Spade?"
"The Minister of Spring of course." Spinner grinned.
"Oh"
"I'm Spinner, a tall tale teller." He tipped his hat at her. She blushed again.
"You know, you remind me of someone I knew a while ago." Spinner said.
"Who?"
"A girl called Myth, she was a story teller, and a good one too. She and Terence were really close"
"Were?" Tink asked "There not anymore?"
Spinner's face sobered "She died" he said sadly "Died of disbelief."
"Oh how horrid" Tink muttered. Spinner nodded in agreement.
"It broke Terence's heart." He grinned "But he has you now, good for him. He needs friends."
Tink smiled shyly.
"Well I must be off, got an adventure that won't wait for me. Fly with you later Tink!" he waved in a friendly manner and in the wink of an eye flew off.
Tink stared at his receding figure for a while. Then when she couldn't see him she shook her head.
"Tink?" the sweet buttery voice called to her "What are you doing here?"
Tink turned to Terence and smiled at her friend. "I was looking for Lost Things when I met this peculiar sparrow man." She told him. Terence stared, waiting for more. "His name was Spinner."
The corners of his mouth twitched in a smile he was trying to suppress.
"Terence do I remind you of Myth?"
Now he was all smiles, and his voice was even more syrupy then usual "Yes, you remind me of her very much."
"How so?"
"You look like her, you act a lot like her" and here his smile almost literally stretched ear to ear "but more then anything, you sound like Myth, Tink. Your voice is the exact reincarnation of hers."
Tink shrugged, her voice was nothing special. Like Bobble and Clank's it was metallic. Lighter though and more girly obviously. "My voice isn't very unique." She said.
"Yes it is Tink; do you know what your voice sounds exactly like?"
Tink shook her head.
"Your voice sounds exactly like a bell." He told her. "Like a golden bell at that."
"You like the sound of my voice?"
Terence put his arm around his friend's shoulder and began to guide her toward the pile of Lost Things. "Tink I love the sound of your voice."
It was the closest he would ever come to admitting his true feelings for her. Through his voice at least. His warm sweet voice that as long as Tink was alive, would be the best sound in the world to her.