"Fly, fly, FLY!"

"I am flying, Tinkerbell! You fly!"

The sounds of multiple wingbeats grew steadily closer as the three fairies darted between the leaves. Di, Chase, and Fury were only seconds behind them. They had been spotted way too quickly, and they had little hope of outrunning the highly-trained scouts.

"Clank! Hurry! This way!" Tink shouted, careening around a bend, hot on Vidia's trail. A poisoned dart whizzed past her ear and planted itself right in her path. The ammo was designed to paralyze hawks if they got too close to the Hollow. To get hit could stop a fairy cold. Maybe even kill them. She swerved, narrowly avoiding a small willow. Several leaves blew off as she past, and Clank ducked as they went soaring past his head.

"STOP!" Di shouted, sounding uncharacteristically angry. "TINKERBELL! ALL OF YOU! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

Naturally, she respected the scout, and did the exact opposite. "Come on!" she yelled, doubling back, grabbing Clank and dragging him after her as three more darts came flying for him. "Go, go, go!"

They raced across a small clearing near a stream, startling a herd of bunnies out for a stroll. They had just entered Spring and had passed the square. In the distance, Tinkers Nook was coming into view. They were so close.

But the scouts were right behind them.

"We're not going to make it!" Clank yelled the warning as they swerved around a cluster of trees. "They're too fast!" As he spoke, Fury caught up to him, but Vidia yanked back on a tree branch and let it fly, striking the fairy and sending her flying backward toward the forest floor.

"Keep going!" the fast-flyer yelled, readying a second branch as Chase came into view. "I've got this!" There was a zing as the second branch flew, but Chase was smarter, ducking underneath and readying another dart.

"Vidia!" Tink shouted.

"Go! Get to Tinkers Nook!" Vidia retorted, darting toward the heavens, drawing the attention of the remaining two scouts. "I'll meet you there!" As Di aimed another shot at her, she quickly spiraled out of the way, taking cover behind the greening leaves.

"This way," Tink hissed, taking Clank's arm and pulling him away from the clearing.

"But...Miss Vidia-"

"She'll be fine," Tink replied hastily. "There's not a scout in the world that can keep up with a fast-flying talent. We need to get to work on that machine." She glanced around as they flew. How far away was Zarina's house? Could she leave Clank at the Nook, fly there and get back without being caught? It seemed highly unlikely, and they had very little time to waste.

Her eyes drifted east, where the gold light of the Pixie dust Tree was steadily growing weaker. With the three of them holding the east season, and the others holding south and west, Bobble should have an almost clear path to Shade. If she squinted, she could have sworn she could see the glow of his wings hovering near the ground. This will work, she mentally assured him, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. Just be careful, and take it slow.

They passed through the last leg of the forest without seeing even a wing of another fairy. Whatever Shade was planning, he clearly hadn't been anticipating them. Tinkers Nook was lying abandoned in a hollow. It was entirely deserted and a haunting feeling of dread befell them. In the many years Tink had been there, she had never once seen the Nook empty. It wasn't a good feeling.

"Careful," she reminded Clank as they cautiously flew to the outer edge and took cover behind one of the mouse wagons.

"Everyone's gone," Clank whispered fearfully.

Tink nodded. "Let's just get what we need and get out of here. Come on." She peered carefully around the wagon. Seeing no one, she signaled for Clank to follow her and took off running for the workshop. "If you see anyone, try to blend in. Shade has a strong hold over this part of the Hollow. Don't trust anyone."

"Get ropes and nails and as many lost things as you can find," she ordered, sliding into her seat and grabbing her tools. A rumble of distant thunder flooded the heavens and she glanced up with a frown. Calm down, she pleaded. We need more time. She felt the electricity crackling through the atmosphere. It felt like pure fury. She wondered which Protector it actually belonged to.

"Here you are, Miss Bell!" Clank called, hurrying over and dumping the required items on the table in front of her.

Tink immediately set to work. "Okay, now, take this to the wagon. We're going to need Cheese, or Monty, if you can find either of them." The two brothers were the strongest of all the field mice, and Tink knew they were going to need them if they wanted to pull this off. She handed him a couple of large red buttons, and he hurried to obey.

Tink set to work, tying and hammering pieces of wood and bark together. She was so deep in thought, that she didn't hear the groan from behind her until Clank shouted for her from across the clearing.

"What?" She whipped around toward a pile of fallen debris. Clank hurried over.

"What is it?" he asked nervously. "A jaguar?"

"Um...I think that's unlikely," Tink answered. "Come on." She fluttered over and grabbed the top plank, heaving it away with a grunt. "Clank!" she added when he didn't move. "Help me!"

"Coming!"

Together, the two tinkers pulled and tugged at the rubble until a familiar fairy was visible. Tink gasped. "Fairy Mary!"

The head of their guild moaned, stirring slightly and opened her eyes. She saw the two standing over her and her eyes widened. "Oh! Oh, my! What're you doing here? Tinkerbell? Clank? What happened to the Nook? Where is everyone, and...ohhhh." She tried to stand up, but sunk back against the dirt, clutching her head.

"Fairy Mary!" Clank repeated. "Are you all right?"

"I'll...be fine...in a moment. W...what happened?"

The two shared a look.

"Shade, Fairy Mary!" Clank blurted before Tink could stop him. She facepalmed behind him. So much for not trusting anyone. "He's controlling everything! He even defeated Lord Malori and the Queen! Everyone's been brainwashed into an army of some kind! Only, me, Bobble, Tink, Sil, Ro, Dess, Vidia, Fawn, Gliss, and Spike made it out."

"Oh," Mary said slowly, blinking as she attempted to take in the entire list. "I see. Everyone's being controlled, you say?" She slowly stumbled up, and Tink moved to assist. When they nodded, she groaned again. "Oh, dear. Well, that is a problem, isn't it?"

"Bobble's on his way to face Shade now," Tink said. If they were going to trust her, they might as well tell her everything. "But we're going to help him. We're building this machine that will hopefully help spread an antidote."

"All right. So what's the antidote?"

"Pixie dust," Clank answered cheerfully.

"We figured, if darkness and evil could corrupt a fairy, something light and happy might be able to counter it," Tink explained.

"I see," Fairy Mary said again, folding her arms. "And what's the problem?"

"Problem?"

"You have a problem. I know that look, Tinkerbell. You always make that face when there's something you haven't quite figured out."

"Shade's guarding the tree," Clank explained.

"Ah."

"So, you see, Fairy Mary, we could really use your help," Tink said slowly. Mary was right. Something was bothering her. Something that she couldn't quite place. It was almost like...a piece of the puzzle was missing somehow.

"Of course," Fairy Mary agreed. "Tell me what I can do."

They moved back to the table and Tink began explaining their plan in more detail. Mary nodded occasionally, adding suggestions to make the contraption more functional.

"And if you add more thrust here, it will make getting into the throne room much simpler," she said, pointing to one of the edges. Clank agreed and wrote it down.

"How is he, Tinkerbell?" the head of the guild asked suddenly.

"Huh?" Tink, who had been staring worriedly toward the tree, snapped back into reality. "Oh...you mean Bobble. He's...well, fine may not be the word for it. He's...scared. No, I think he's terrified. He doesn't know what he's walking into, though we all suspect it's a trap. His powers are still weak, and Shade's had a thousand years of practice."

"But he's smart too," Clank added. "He'll find a way in. Shade won't stand a chance!" He wasn't looking where he hammered, and nearly smashed his own hand.

Tink smiled at his constant enthusiasm. "And we're going to do everything we can to help. Bobble may not be stronger, but he's not alone. We won't let him do this by himself."

Fairy Mary nodded. "You three make quite the team," she commented. "If I'm being honest, when Phineas first arrived, I worried about him. He was a bit...different. Well, it makes sense now, and I think the arrival of you two have really changed him. But..."

Tink noticed the flux in her tone. "But?"

"But there's no guarantee, right? I mean, we all know what Shade is capable of. What's to stop Phineas from seeing that and changing sides?"

Tink felt her own fear well up in her throat, and she squashed it down again. "Because Bobble and Shade are very different sparrowmen," she answered. "Shade will do whatever it takes to get what he wants. Bobble has no interest in power."

"That upset you," Mary observed. "Tinkerbell, I'm-"

"No," Tink cut her off. "No, it's all right." She stood up. "I need some air. I'll be right back." And before they could protest, she had already darted off.

"What's to stop him from changing sides?"

"He has Shade's powers!"

"Tinkers don't become Protectors of Life. They can't handle the power. It controls them."

"He'll never be strong enough."

"Shade will destroy him."

Reaching the edge of the hollow, Tink screamed. A long and heartfelt scream. One she was sure every fairy in the Hollow could hear. She didn't care. Then, she turned and kicked a stump as hard as she could to try and relieve her stress, but only got an aching toe for her efforts.

"Ow, ow, ow!" she gasped, hopping around. "Jingles!"

"TINK!" Clank suddenly screamed from the direction of the workshop. "Tink, HEL-" His call for help was cut off abruptly and was followed promptly by a crash of wood.

"Clank?" Tink straightened up and started to turn around. "What is w-"

Before she could react, something blindsided her from behind and she slumped, unconscious, to the ground.


Bobble wiped his bangs out of his eyes and exhaled loudly as he ducked behind a large plant to catch his breath. He pulled his knees up to his chest, drawing deep breaths and looking around at the deserted forest. Everything was still. Even the gentle hum of breeze that normally filled the trees was gone. No rustle. No happy birds. Nothing. It was scary. Just a little further, he told himself. He could already see the tree. Empty. Entirely abandoned. Where is everyone?

Surely Shade wouldn't have kept all the fairies out of sight. He'd want to make a mockery out of Bobble, to prove that he was the stronger of the two. Perhaps Tink and the others were managing to keep them busy. But for how long, he didn't know.

Cautiously, he flew out of hiding and, keeping low the ground, continued down the path toward the Tree. How much longer would it be before someone realized he was there? How many guards would Shade send to stop him? And what if he was forced to fight someone he knew? Facing Shade would be hard enough, but he didn't think he would be able to hurt a friend.

But what if that is exactly what Shade is expecting?

The crawling sensation of fear reached his spine and he shivered. As unpleasant as it was, the possibility was still very high. It seemed as though Shade had known everything about him from the start. He would know the tinker's strength didn't come from his magic, and certainly wasn't physical. It was his heart, and the love he had for his friends. So what better way to utterly crush him than to take that away?

He reached the base of the tree half-an-hour later, and paused to stare up at the looming structure. He obviously couldn't go up the main path. That was just foolish. He needed to sneak in. But, how?

The branches.

His eyes fell on the knotted limbs, surrounded by thick leaves. He'd seen fairies slip in through the canopy at Arrivals when they'd been late. Fairy Mary herself did it at his. It wasn't exceptionally creative, but it might be enough to get him in.

Taking a reassuring breath, he took off, circling around to a particularly thick patch. Near the top was a tiny break in the canopy, and he easily slid in, taking cover behind a branch and settling in between two limbs to get a better view of the main floor. Dropping onto his hands and knees, he leaned against the tree, peering around the wood at the sound of anticipating footsteps.

"Where is he?" Shade spat furiously to someone out of sight. "You told me that the Hollow was precious to him! You said he would come!"

Bobble hastily ducked back as a second fairy slowly came into view and held his injured arm carefully.

"I never said he would come."

The Queen!

He slapped a hand over his mouth to hold back a gasp of horror at what he saw. She was battered, bruised, and the light from her wings was fading. Her hands were tied securely behind her back, and then securely fastened to the trunk of the tree. She couldn't fly away and escape. And if she wasn't protecting the tree, then none of the other fairies were safe.

Meaning the first thing he had to do was free Clarion.

The only question was, how was he supposed to do that?

"Clarion," Shade hissed. "I warned you what would happen if you continued to stall! Now, where is the boy?"

Frantically, Bobble scanned the skylight around him. Vines...leaves...more vines...more leaves. What in Neverland he was supposed to make out of those? There was absolutely nothing. No wood, no tools, no objects he could use to help him. It was...almost as if Shade knew it.

He's got tinker talent too.

That had to be the answer. It wasn't a secret that Bobble's strongest talent was tinkering. Shade wouldn't have wanted to give him any advantages. Which means Imight have to take him on face to face. No tricks. No contraptions. Just him.

A truly unpleasant thought.

He needed to get closer. He stood up carefully, walking the branch as though it were a balance beam. He knew his wings must be glowing, being so close to the Pixie dust, but he willed as much of it away as he could. There was a better position behind Shade. From there, he could watch, and wait for the right time to strike.

"YOUR HIGHNESS!"

A voice blasted through the tree. Bobble panicked, having only gotten half-way across the tree, and dove for cover behind a cluster of leaves, trying desperately to smooth his flaming hair that would certainly give him away.

"Let GO of us!" came a familiar, furious shout. "Nyx! Nyx! Let go!"

That's Tink, Bobble thought in horror, feeling his blood run cold. He peered over the foliage, spotting Tink and Clank being forced forward into the ring. They'd been caught, and he hadn't even figured out how to defeat Shade yet. Their plan was falling apart at the seams.

"Ah," Shade laughed, rising from his blackened throne. "His guildmates. How thoughtful of you to drop by. And...why...I think you're just in time!" Then, to Nyx, he added. "Lock them up over there. Let's see if the Protector will come now that we have some of his friends."

"But, Sire," Nyx demanded. "How do you intend to tell him? My scouts have reported no sight of him."

"I will handle it," Shade replied. "Return to your post. I will send for you shortly."

"Yes, sir." Nyx flew out.

Bobble ducked further behind the leaves. His heart was thudding painfully in his chest, threatening to falter on him at any moment. Shade had Clank and Tink. Somehow, he had to get to them. And save the Queen. And stop Shade. Why did this quest already begin to feel like suicide?

Shade growled, turning sharply on his heels and retreating to his throne. He rested a hand on his head and closed his eyes, as though concentrating deeply. "Where are you?" he hissed. "I know you're here. I can feel you."

Bobble started to stand up to move again, but a sharp whiz of pain shot through his temples and he fell down again with a gasp. Immediately, the world began to disorient around him, and he closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and digging his nails into the bark beneath him. Focus on what's real. Don't let him pull you into another vision. Focus on Tink, Clank, and the Queen. They need help.

"Come on, tinker. Come out of whatever shadow you've been cowering in. I have your friends. And unless you want me to hurt them, you will show yourself right this instant."

"No!" Tink shouted, though she was looking around wildly, so she hadn't guessed his hiding spot yet. "Don't do it! Stick to the plan!"

"SILENCE!" Shade snapped. There was a bang of metal and Tink instantly fell silent.

Bobble flinched at the noise.

Shade whipped around, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "Well, hello, Protector. Why don't you stop hiding? Come out and join us." Then, before anyone could react, fire exploded into his hands, and he tossed them toward the tinker's location.

The flames struck the branch beneath his feet. Bobble cried out as the limb collapsed, and, having no time to fly, he tumbled with it, landing painfully on the deck before the dark fairy. He groaned, pain bursting through every nerve in his body. He tried to heave himself to his feet, but his arms gave out underneath him, and he whoozily removed his sling to try again.

Something took hold of him, jerking his arms to his side and dragging him straight up onto his tip-toes. He gasped, blinking fearfully at Shade as the evil Protector stood before him, arm outstretched, holding his rival suspended with some kind of spell.

"How kind of you to join us," Shade hissed as Bobble struggled against the invisible force-field. "I was wondering how long it would take you to learn of my victory and come crawling back here to try and stop me. But, alas, you were far too late. Welcome, tinker, to the new improved Pixie Hollow!"