Disclaimer: I acknowledge that Disney Fairies & associated content are owned by Walt Disney Company. I am not interested in profiting from this document. It is for the enjoyment of fans only.
Author's Note: I had a bunch of TBell story ideas that I was going to toss to the fan writers, to let those clever people fill them out. But one morning I woke up with half this story in my head, knowing it was a gem. I decided to try writing my 1st story.
According to the book "The Trouble With Tink", Prilla can travel to the mainland in the blink of an eye; she can Apparate! I'm totally using that!
I figure the TB3 movie took place sometime between 1900 to 1910, so this story will be set around the early 1980s.
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Lizzy's Sunset - Chapter 1 - Tink's Visit
"What do you mean you can't make all the deliveries today?" demanded Tinker Bell, scowling at the 2 junior tinkers, and squeezing her clip-board.
"Well, we only have one work-mouse." explained one of the tinkers, not meeting Tink's eyes. "All the others are out on regular rounds."
Tinker Bell felt flown-off-her-wings since Fairy Mary's retirement. Spring launch was due in 2 weeks, and some items were falling behind schedule. "Clank? Can you show them how to set up a tandem wagon?"
"That's easy!" bellowed Clank from nearby, with a huge grin.
Viola's horn sounded sharply through the busy tinker shop. "Tinker Bell, Queen Clarion summons you."
"Alright, Viola." said Tinker Bell, "I need to update her anyway. Bobble, you know what to do. I'll be back shortly."
"Aye, Miss Bell." replied Bobble, taking charge.
"...the rainbow tubes and pussywillow brushes are all delivered." stated Tinker Bell. "Don't know why some fairies still need to paint by hand... , but we're short on baskets. We may need to borrow some garden talents to help out..."
"I'm sure you have things well in hand, Tinker Bell." said Queen Clarion calmly. "I called you here for another matter."
"Oh?" wondered Tink.
"Do you remember a human female named Lizzy Griffiths?"
Tinker Bell froze, memories flooding back. "That was a long time ago." she said quietly.
"I know. No harm was done, but we've kept an eye on her. Tinker Bell, she's quite elderly now, and fallen ill. She may not have long. I believe you'll want to see her."
"Yes, of course." responded Tink, numbly.
"I've arranged for Prilla to take you to the mainland immediately. She's waiting outside. Fly safe, Tinker Bell."
Tinker Bell found Prilla outside. "Just let me grab one thing." said Tink. She flew quickly back to the shop, left instructions for Bobble, dug a pair of boxes joined by wires out of a back corner, stuffed it all into a carry-pack, then flew back to Prilla.
Travelling to the mainland using Prilla's talent always gave Tink the willies, but it was the fastest way.
"Ready Tink?" asked Prilla, "Take my arm."
Tinker Bell did so, but also closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. For a moment she felt as though she was being squeezed through a dandelion stem, then there was solid ground under her feet. Tink opened her eyes and relaxed. They were outside the main Fairy Camp, about 100 miles north-west of London.
"Vidia is waiting to take you into London." said Prilla. "I'll take you back to Pixie Hollow when you return. Good luck."
Tink wandered into the camp's sheltered area, and spotted Vidia being handed dust-bags, food, and medicines in a carry-pack. Tinker Bell hadn't seen Vidia in ages. "I just never seem to get out of Tinker's Nook." she thought. Vidia was slim as ever, with touches of gray in her dark hair, and some tiny face creases.
"Hey, Tink." greeted Vidia. "You ready to do some fast-flying?"
Tinker Bell had never flown with a fast-flyer before, but had heard it described as "terrifying". She smiled weakly.
Vidia took Tink's left wrist in her right hand. "Grab my wrist."
Tink did so, linking them with a double grip.
"You'll be traveling inside my wind-fold," explained Vidia, "so stay close, and fly as fast as you can." She looked up. "Nice day... first, let's get a little height."
They jumped into the air, climbed clear of the fairy camp, and turned south-east. Vidia glanced back at Tink, "Here we go!"
A huge rush of tail-wind blasted around them as they surged forward with terrific speed. Tinker Bell tightened her grip on Vidia in alarm. She cringed at the wind's roar, the wild turbulence, and pixie dust seemed to fly everywhere around them. Tink could barely breathe.
After a short while, she relaxed a bit. It was frightening and thrilling. She looked down at the countryside. Tink had never seen it move past so quickly. Soon they were over suburbs.
Vidia looked back at Tink. "How are you doing?!" she asked over the noise.
Tinker Bell felt like she was being dragged through a wind storm. "OK, I guess!"
"Just a little farther!" She gave Tink a devilish smile with a twinkle in her eye. "Come on, Spare Parts, keep up!"
The suburbs turned into city. Ahead, a streak of pixie dust rose like a rocket. They passed under the dust trail. Moments later, Tink felt someone grasp her free hand, and a younger sparrow-man slid up next to Vidia. He wore a curious grey-brown camouflage outfit.
"Great." thought Tink "Now I'm being towed by TWO fast-flyers."
He looked back at Tink with a smile, "Tinker Bell, right?" Tink nodded.
"It's an honour to meet you! I'm Swift! I work in London!" He turned back to Vidia.
"Swing left, Vidia..." he said.
Now straight...
Down a little...
Slow down...
See that large white building straight ahead? Drop your wind-fold."
Suddenly the wind rush was gone, and they were all flying at "normal" fairy speed. Vidia still had a grip on Tinker Bell's arm.
"Good thing." thought Tink "I'm kind of shaky right now." .
"South side of the building." said Swift. "Third floor down, 4th from the right."
Vidia asked "The open window?"
"That's it." answered Swift. They landed on the windowsill. Tinker Bell instantly stepped over to the nearest vertical surface for support.
"You OK Tink?" asked Vidia.
"Yeah." gasped Tink. "Lemme just... catch my breath. Vidia, that was amazing. You do that every day?"
Vidia shifted to her favorite pose, "That's right, sweetie."
A nurse-talent fairy stepped out, saying "Excellent timing. Her family just went downstairs for tea."
Vidia turned to the sparrow-man, "Thanks for piloting, Swift. We can find our way back."
"Any time Vidia. A pleasure to meet you Miss Bell."
"And you, Swift." smiled Tink. He smiled again and zipped away. Tinker Bell, Vidia and the nurse fairy flew into the hospital room.
"Tink, this is Emma. Emma this is Tinker Bell." Vidia handed Emma the carry-bag, saying "Food and dust for you and Thorn" indicating the scout-talent sparrow-man at the door, "And medicines for your stocks." Vidia took an empty bag from Emma.
"Yes, of course... Tinker Bell." Emma said with admiration.
"Pleased to meet you, Emma." said Tink. She reminded Tink of a younger Fairy Mary.
Tinker Bell looked at the figure laying in the hospital bed. "This old woman is Lizzy?" she thought. Tink hadn't seen her since Lizzy was a girl of 9. Still, she has her father's tall, narrow face and mouth. "How is she?"
"Resting, for the moment, but she'll wake." said Emma. "She's weak, Tinker Bell, but still sharp."
Tink thought of the equipment she brought along, "Is she deaf?"
"Partially," replied Emma, "I think she favours the right ear."
Tink landed on the pillow next to Lizzy's right ear, and pulled out the contents of her carry-bag. It was the latest version of Tinker Bell's human-talker. The principle was simple: Fairy voices are pitched too high for humans to hear, so this equipment lowered fairy voice pitch by 4 octaves. Tink's early models were all mechanical and clunky. This one used modern human electronics.
Tink placed the smaller speaker box in Lizzy's ear, left the bigger box on the pillow, and unlooped cable for the tiny headset microphone that she would be wearing.
"Tinker Bell," mentioned Emma, "some of our boys brought a book by. We were told it was valuable. There, on the high shelf."
"Oh, flitterific!" said Tink, "Vidia, could you help me with it?" Tink and Vidia carried the book down and placed it in Lizzy's lap. Tink put on her headset, and flew up near Lizzy's face. Lizzy woke a moment later.
"Are you an angel?" asked Lizzy.
"I'm a fairy." replied Tink, with a smile.
Lizzy looked puzzled, "Fairies don't exist."
Tinker Bell frowned and turned a shade of pink. "Oh, yes we do!" she said firmly, shaking her finger at Lizzy. Tink quickly calmed and explained "You know me. I'm Tinker Bell." Tink flew down to the book in Lizzy's lap and tilted it up.
Lizzy turned the cover and read the first page: "Scientific Fairy Research, Lizzy Griffiths & Tinker Bell". She was silent a moment, then spoke with a shaky voice "Tinker Bell... Tinker Bell, I'd almost forgotten. I missed you so much."
"Me too, Lizzy."
"I went back to your tree many times that summer, but you all were gone." Lizzy said softly.
"We were ordered to relocate. I managed to sneak back to your house much later, but it was empty."
"Father sold the farmhouse to cover debts." Lizzy sighed "We never went back." They were silent a moment.
"How are you, Lizzy?"
"Well as can be expected. The doctors and my family aren't saying anything, but I can tell..." She paused. "I know what's coming." Her eyes returned to the book in her lap. "How did you find my journal? I hadn't seen it for 30 or 40 years."
"We pulled it out of your dustbins, several years ago." replied Tink.
"Someone else packed my belongings, last time."
They flipped through the journal together for a while. Tinker Bell commented on things she wasn't able to explain when the book was worked on by them, so many summers ago. Lizzy stopped at the "Actual Size" fairy page when Tink grumbled and frowned.
"What's wrong, Tinker Bell?"
"Well, look!" exclaimed Tink, showing her slightly plumper figure. "Too much mouse ice-cream."
Lizzy chuckled, "You look pretty good, considering your age." Tink smiled at her. "How has life been to you, Tinker Bell?"
"Busy." answered Tink, "I've been a lot of places, seen a lot of things. A tinker's work is never done. My supervisor retired recently, and I've stepped into her place, but I'm having second thoughts. I miss building and fixing."
"How about you, Lizzy?" asked Tink.
"Well..." said Lizzy, looking into the past, "I too, have had a busy life. The Great Depression, and 2 World Wars... I've made it this far. I have 3 children, and 5 grandchildren, whom I dearly love."
"I seem to recall you had a room full of things children would enjoy."
"Most of my toys were lost over the years. The dollhouse went to a children's hospital in Bloomsbury." She looked at Tink slyly, asking "Any little tinkers in your life?"
"Huh?" said Tink, startled, "Uh, no. Fairies don't... do that. We have... you know... when a baby laughs..."
"Ah, yes." smiled Lizzy, "But children are wonderful." She paused. "I never had proper chance to thank you, Tinker Bell." Lizzy said solemnly. "You came into my life when I didn't have a lot of friends. Later friends looked strangely at me when I told them about fairies, so I learned to keep fairy truths to myself." She smiled at a memory. "You showed me how to fly, Tinker Bell."
Tink smiled, "How did you ever clean the footprints off the ceiling?"
Lizzy thought a moment, then said "I... we didn't! They were still there when father sold the farmhouse!" They both laughed.
Tink became aware that Lizzy was running low of energy. Lizzy looked at the scout fairy jingling at the door, then at Tink.
"Your family is returning." said Tink, "We have 30 seconds."
Lizzy looked saddened. "So tired..." she said weakly. "I'm scared, Tinker Bell. You're a magical creature... what happens when we die?"
Tink touched Lizzy's hand, "I don't know, Lizzy. Something wonderful, I hope." Tink glanced at Emma and Vidia retreating toward the window, and the scout getting ready to dash. "I'll visit again soon, if I can." she told Lizzy.
Tink flitted to collect her human-talker. She flew once more near Lizzy's face, kissed her forehead, stroked her face, then glided backwards to the window, watching Lizzy.
The scout-talent rushed out as Tink landed on the window ledge.
Tinker Bell, Vidia, Emma, and Thorn watched from the window ledge just outside Lizzy's hospital room. Three adults and 1 little girl stood around Lizzy's bed. She said a few words to the adults, then turned and spoke to the girl. Lizzy handed the journal to the girl, who opened it and turned pages. Tinker Bell was sure she saw Lizzy say the words "...fairies are real...".
"Well, Tink" said Vidia, "I think your visit is over."
"I think you're right." sighed Tinker Bell, then turned to the others. "Thank you both for being here, Emma and Thorn."
"We'll stay with her, Tinker Bell." said Emma, "until..."
"I understand." Tink turned to Vidia, "Vidia, umm... could we go a little slower this time?"
"No rush to get back." Vidia rubbed her right shoulder.
They said their good-byes to Emma and Thorn, and took to the skies. The flight back to Fairy Camp was much less wild, but took twice as long. Tink and Vidia chatted about things, but Tinker Bell realized they didn't have as much in common any more.
It was dark by the time Prilla and Tink Apparated back to Pixie Hollow. Tink got a quick bite to eat, then fell into bed, physically and emotionally exhausted.
Hours before dawn, Tink woke with a start and sat up quickly, saying "What?". She was certain that someone had said something to her. Her eyes searched her dark cottage, and she listened as hard as she could for several minutes. Eventually she tired, and slipped back to sleep.
"...only a few baskets short, and they'll be done today." finished Tinker Bell.
"So everything is moving along fine." added Queen Clarion.
"Yes. I may regret saying this, but I think Bobble may be a better supervisor than me."
"Perhaps you miss working with your hands?"
"Sometimes. ...And solving problems."
"We can talk about it after spring launch. How was your visit with Lizzy Griffiths?"
"Ah." Tink averted her gaze, then looked back to Clarion. "Happy, but sad. Humans have such short, intense lives." Clarion nodded. "Thank you for allowing me the time, Your Highness. Maybe I could visit again after spring launch."
Clarion sighed.
"I'm sorry Tinker Bell, Lizzy Griffiths passed away last night."
"Oh." Tink said softly. She turned to go, then paused. "Queen Clarion, what happens when we die?"
Clarion gazed at her with compassion, and answered "I don't know, Tinker Bell. Something wonderful, I hope."
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Author's Post Note: Darn it, writing is hard. You have to drop into each character's head, moment-by-moment, see what they see, feel what they would feel. And this is a sad story. Whenever I got stuck, I would work on a 2nd (happier) story.
Small note: I tried to use British spelling for the British characters, and American spelling for the Americans.
England is so "settled", that it was difficult to imagine where a fairy camp would be. Google Earth didn't help much. Then I discovered England's National Forest. Don't know if it existed back in the early '80s, but there had to be some trees there.
I estimated Vidia's flying time to London around 15 to 20 minutes. That means she's flying 300 to 400 MPH, with Tinker Bell in tow. She could fly faster alone, but definitely sub-sonic (less than 700 MPH). Her "wind-fold" is like the magnetic field around a bar magnet, with air flow instead of magnetic lines, and she controls the air flow.
And that's your fairy science lesson for today.
This was the end of the original story, but now...
Read on, in Chapter 2!