Chapter 6

"The thistle, it's heading back to our homes," Clank exclaimed.

"Somebody's got to do something," Bobble replied.

"Tinker fairies, grab the rope and slow it down," Fairy Mary yelled out.

Several tinkers gave chase and took hold of the rope. They pulled backwards, but to no avail. The thistle began to run up the twisting, winding road that went into the housing district. The road zig zagged between the roots of the trees that sat on opposite sides of Tinker's Nook. The tall roots and sheer walls could easily make the road look or feel like a maze to anyone or anything that could not fly.

"It's not working," someone yelled. Then Bobble had an idea. He saw the strewn and broken tinker wares scattered everywhere and called out to his friend. "Splinters! Clankie, grab some of these cracked acorn cups and follow me."

Clank scooped up as many as he could and followed Bobble who also had an armful. They flew out in front of the runaway thistle and started yelling at it. "Back, back ye menace," Bobble cried out as he started flinging acorn cups at it. Clank followed his friend's lead and threw his broken wares at the weed one at a time yelling, "Get out of here." The thistle bobbed and weaved to avoid being hit. The idea indeed had merit, but the two friends were soon all out of ammo. Fortunately, several other tinkers did what Clank and Bobble had done and began to throw more of the broken items at the thistle.

The frightened weed started bouncing back and forth between two roots and a wall, penned in until finally it was able to run down and back out into the courtyard. More tinkers joined in flinging armloads of broken tinker made wares at the scampering flora as it darted around the yard trying to find a way out. Fairy Mary gained control of the flying mob and got them to start driving the thistle towards the exit. A moment later the thistle was running out of Tinker's Nook, the crisis had finally ended and the tinker fairies began to cheer.

When the tinkers cheered Terence looked up and saw that the last thistle was running down the road, safely out of Tinker's Nook. He said to Tinker Bell, "It's okay, now, you can get up."

She stood and saw the commotion below, then turned to the root and her house. It shocked her once again to see an empty space where her house stood only minutes ago. Her eyes went wide and her mouth fell agape. She put her hands to her face and shook her head in utter disbelief. She had seen it happen right in front of her, but still could not comprehend fully that her house had been totally destroyed.

Tinker Bell flittered slowly to the root where her proud home once stood. She floated over it and circled the damage stunned beyond all belief. She couldn't speak or make a sound it was so incredible and unreal. Tears welled up in her eyes as she took in the scene. Her personal items were scattered all around the root, on the ground and even into the trickling stream, most her broken or smashed to pieces. Slowly the loss began to sink in. This had been her home and her sanctuary; her entire private world was in there. Now it was no more.

"It's gone," she finally managed to squeak out. "It's all gone." Fear, horror, anxiety, pain, loss, despair and many, many other powerful emotions swirled inside her. Tinker Bell finally landed amidst the rubble trying to find something, anything she could salvage. A gentle breeze pushed a rolled leaf off the side of the root; it would have fallen had Terence not captured it.

He handed it back to Tinker Bell who took it and unrolled it. These were the designs for a boat she had dubbed The Pixie Dust Express. She clutched it so tightly to her chest the leaf almost tore apart. She started to cry. Terence landed next to her; for a moment he did nothing. Then he pulled her into a warm and comforting embrace. Initially Tinker Bell rejected it, but a second later put her arms around his body and bawled uncontrollably into his shoulder. She wept so hard that her knees failed her and the sparrow man had to hold onto her.

Terence felt her pain in his heart. It ached so badly because all he wanted at this moment was to be a tinker sparrow man so he could rebuild Tinker Bell's house for her. He was Tink's best friend and had been since they spoke at the pixie dust reservoir in the Pixie Dust Tree. When he got her to realize just how important her talent really was and to be proud of it. Tink's other friends all gave her the advice and support she wanted. Terence gave her the advice and support she needed and offered it in such a way that she would accept it because it came from her own lips, not someone else's.

While she cried he looked across the courtyard at Vidia and the crowd that was growing around her. He wanted to see if she was okay.

She was still lying on the ground and stayed there for several minutes. Fairy Mary ordered some of the tinkers to pick up the mess made by the thistles. "Let's go, we need to get this place in tip top shape for tomorrow's deliveries."

Then the fast flyer began to stir.

Vidia was still getting her breath back when she tried to stand up. It was a bad idea because she fell back to her hands and knees. Clank wrapped his beefy arms around Vidia's lean body and yanked her up to her feet much too quickly. She could barely stand when he let go of her. He kept Vidia upright until she could stand on her own. It was not a pleasant experience for the dark haired fairy. He was still sweaty and had an unpleasant odor about him. Ugh, no wonder this place always smells bad.

"Are you well, Vidia?" Fairy Mary asked.

She grunted a reply which the tinker overseer took to mean "no."

"Just hang on," Fairy Mary said. A moment later Vidia finally got her breath back. It had been knocked out of her when she hit the wall and it had made her feel woozy. The fast flyer took in a couple deep breaths and stood firmly on her feet. Vidia nodded now, answering Fairy Mary's earlier question. Clank carefully let her go.

"What happened?" Fairy Mary asked.

"Aye, it looked like those two got the best of ya," Bobble added in his thick accent.

Vidia heard that and got angry inside. Nothing got the best of her, not even the sprinting thistles. She was the fastest fast flyer, the greatest talent Pixie Hollow had ever seen. Vidia refused to count Tinker Bell and her glowing hammer because she was just a lousy tinker fairy. No matter how angry she got inside, though, Vidia never let it show outside. "Um…, yeah. I guess that's what happened." She replied.

Vidia leaned up against the wall and grabbed her right side. That was the side where she hit the ground before rolling into the wall. It wasn't very painful anymore, but she was going to play the helpless victim to the hilt to avoid any suspicions. If Fairy Mary started chattering into the queen's ear about this who knew what Clarion might to do to the fast flyer. "Oh, that is really starting to hurt," she added for effect.

"You should see a healing fairy, Miss Vidia," Clank said.

"Did…, did anyone get hurt?" Vidia asked trying to sound sincere.

"We're okay, Vidia," Bobble answered. "But Tinker Bell's home is a total wreck."

Vidia turned her face to the wall and smiled a broad and satisfied smile. Success, she thought.

"You should go, dear," Fairy Mary insisted.

"Okay," Vidia answered wanting to get out of this lousy nook as soon as possible. But she wanted to add one more scene to her little play, something that would cement her as a pure innocent in the entire affair. "I want to…, to apologize to Tink."

"But it wasn't your fault," Fairy Mary said. "No one can control those weeds. You were lucky you didn't break a bone or lose a wing."

"I still feel responsible for it," Vidia grunted. So she walked across the courtyard, looking to all like a broken hero. Vidia could hear the gasps from the tinkers who watched. A few patted her gently on the back as she passed them by. Fairy Mary even fluttered over and helped Vidia across the yard to Tinker Bell's root. All the while the fast flyer grunted and groaned. She hobbled on her feet and held her right side and made sure to grimace here and there to keep up appearances.

They were all fooled by her act, and Vidia was absolutely certain she was going to get away with her retribution. The fast flyer may have lost control of the thistles in Tinker's Nook and she may have been tossed around pretty good, but it was all going to work out in her favor. All that was left was to see Tinker Bell's grief stricken face, to see her broken and crying. That would be the cherry on top. And no one, not even the queen will ever know it wasn't an accident.

Once more my thanks to all who are continuing to read my little story. Special thanks to all who have posted reviews. To I Luv Milarion and CommonSwift: your regular feedback has been very encouraging, you have both been very gracious in your praise and very patient with me, thank you.

To I Luv Milarion: don't worry the queen will show up soon enough and she will have a very large part in the follow up story.