Tinker Bell rose, yawned, and stretched. She could tell it was no ordinary day. She dressed, pulled up her hair into a messy bun, and freshened up. Checking her calendar, she saw a birthday cake at the current date. It was then that she realized:
It was Terence's birthday, and she didn't have a thing to give him!
This simply will not do, she thought, panicking as she searched frantically for something she could give him. You just do not come up empty-handed for your best friend's birthday! Unfortunately, that was just what happened!
She decided a little fresh air would clear her head. Taking to the sky, she scoured Pixie Hollow for something—anything—that might give her an idea what she might do for Terence's gift.
"Hello there, Miss Bell!"
The voice took her completely by surprise—it wasn't Terence or her fellow Tinkers Clank or Bobble. It—it was…
Fairy Gary!
"H—hi, Fairy Gary," Tinker Bell stammered, landing in front of him.
"What brings you to Havendish Square?' His eyes sparkled, and he smiled warmly.
"I—I'm out on a mission," Tinker Bell confessed, "to find a birthday present for Terence."
"Ah, Terence," Fairy Gary mused. "A hard worker, he is. He just about kills himself with pixie dust orders—they come in just about as quickly as he can fill them." Looking in the window, they saw him—sure enough, it was all he could do to keep up.
Suddenly, inspiration struck. She would do everything in her power to make sure Terence could keep up with demand.
"Thanks for everything," Tinker Bell said, giving Fairy Gary a warm hug. "You've been a big help."
"He'll love anything you come up with, I'm sure," Fairy Gary laughed. "Good luck!"
On the way back to Tinker's Nook, Tinker Bell scoured the land again. This time her eye caught sight of something. Flying down to investigate, she noticed an old sprinkler spray sticking out from some bushes—obviously having washed up from the mainland.
That's it, she thought. That's just what I need. She tried to drag it out of the bushes, but to no avail. She stopped to catch her breath. I can't do it, she thought. If only…
Suddenly, she heard someone approaching. "Need some help, Miss Bell?"
Looking up with a start, she heaved a sigh of relief—for coming down to meet her were—Clank and Bobble! "Hey, guys," she said, smiling. She tried one more time to pull the sprinkler spray of the bush.
"Here, let us help," Bobble said, as he and Clank headed toward the other side of the bush, where a good part of the sprinkler spray was sticking out. Between the three of them, they were able to wedge it out—much to Tinker Bell's surprise, as she landed on the ground!
In spite of Tinker Bell's predicament, Clank and Bobble could not help laughing. "Are you all right, Miss Bell?"
"Nothing broken but my pride," was her reply. "Come on—help me get this back to the workshop."
Tinker's Nook was a welcome sight, and the three tinkers were able to slide the sprinkler part inside.
"Good luck, Miss Bell," they called, as they settled to their own work. "Let us know if you need anything else."
Donning her visor, Tinker Bell waved until they were out of sight. Then she started tinkering with her new sprinkler head. It took a lot of work, but eventually, she had something she was proud of. Just in time, too, for she heard someone knock at her door!
"Knock knock knickety knock," was the call.
Terence! Hurriedly covering her creation, she went to answer the door. "A little birdie told me it's someone's birthday," she laughed, giving him a big hug.
"Aw, thanks, Tink." Terence smiled, returning the hug. "Are you busy?"
"Never too busy for my favorite sparrow man," Tinker Bell laughed. "Any big celebration plans?"
"I—don't know," Terence admitted. "Everyone I've talked to seems to have something else to do."
"Well, don't let that put a damper on your birthday." Tinker Bell smiled. "I'm sure they haven't forgotten you completely."
"Well," Terence said, getting up, "I hate to chat and run, but I do have to go. There's been a big surge in pixie dust, and I do hate to run behind."
That's what I heard, Tinker Bell thought, but she just smiled and hugged him again. "Well, then, don't let me keep you. Maybe we can hang out later?"
"I would love that," Terence said. "See you later."
Whew, Tinker Bell thought, as she watched him go.
The party was supposed to be later that evening, at the Pixie Dust Tree. Suddenly realizing she might need some more assistance, she called out: "Clank? Bobble?"
"Yes, Miss Bell? Do you need us?"
Tinker Bell gasped, realizing they'd been behind her the whole time. "Guys! You scared me!"
"Sorry, Miss Bell," Clank whispered.
"I admit," Tinker Bell confessed, looking at Terence's gift, "I do need a little help getting this to the Pixie Dust Tree." She recalled when they had all traveled to the mainland to deliver a music box Tinker Bell had fixed. "Are you in?"
Clank and Bobble were already picking up each end of her invention. "Lead the way, Miss Bell," Bobble called.
In no time at all, they had arrived. All of Pixie Hollow was there, it seemed—even her sister Peri had managed the trip! They flew Tinker Bell's covered invention to the present table and waited for the guest of honor to make an appearance.
Suddenly, a golden glow filled the area. All fell silent as Queen Clarion floated down on a cloud of pixie dust. "Fairies, Sparrow Men, we welcome you to this time of celebration. We have gathered to honor one of our own on this, the day of his birth. And where is our guest of honor tonight?" she asked, nodding to Fairy Gary.
"Right here, Queen Clarion." Terence was startled as Fairy Gary prodded him forward. To see his fellow Fairies and Sparrow Men in attendance, applauding and cheering, left him speechless. Cries of "Happy birthday, Terence!" and "We love you!" could be heard amid it all.
"We have a presentation to make," Fairy Gary said, when he had led him forward, "made for you by one very special Tinker." He nodded in Tinker Bell's direction. At that, Tinker Bell nodded and flew, with Clank and Bobble in tow, to get her present.
"Terence," she said, when they had placed it on a nearby table, "I confess when I woke up this morning, I had nothing to give you. It was only after visiting with Fairy Gary," she added, "that I knew what I had to do. And so," she concluded, "it is with greatest love and appreciation that I give you—your present." With that, she whisked the sheet off.
Gasps could be heard all around. Terence flew around it, inspecting it. Tinker Bell was already flying to the Pixie Dust Tree. "It—it's lovely, Tink," Terence whispered, awestruck, "but—what—what does it do?"
"Let me show you," Tinker Bell laughed. She had returned, and was pouring pixie dust through one end. It traveled through a hose until it reached the other end, which led to several waiting bags, which, with the help of the sprinkler piece she had found, filled with the equivalent of one teacup's worth of pixie dust!
"I told her how overworked you've been feeling lately," Fairy Gary laughed, "and it is our hope," he added, "that this will ease at least some of the burden."
Terence honestly couldn't speak for a minute. Here he was, the one always ready to help her if she needed it, and she had gone out of her way to repay his kindness! His eyes filled with tears, and he gave them each a big hug. "Thank—thank you," he managed to whisper. "This—this will certainly be a big help."
In the midst of the celebration, Terence opened his other presents, but the big hit of the evening was certainly Tinker Bell's invention. Fairies and Sparrow Men alike crowded around, wanting to see it in action, and other Dust Talents asked Tinker Bell if they might use it as well.
"Of course," Tinker Bell laughed. "I may have made it with Terence in mind, but really, it's for all of you!"
The celebration was better than they would have imagined. Indeed, Tinker Bell's invention was a big help in times of surplus, allowing Terence and his fellow Dust Talents to store away pixie dust in case it was especially needed. Now he worked with a smile on his face, remembering his best friend, who went out of her way to help a fairy in need!