Pepper ran back to the center and slammed the door closed. Zak looked up but frowned when he saw Pepper instead of Max.
"Were you just out there?"
"Yeah, there was a stampede. Something spooked the animals and Max told me to run." She looked behind her and frowned. "He was right behind me!"
Zak's eyes widened as he went up to her, putting his hands on her shoulders.
"Where is Max?"
"I- I don't know."
Zak swallowed hard and he grabbed the keys to the center.
"I'm sorry, but the center is closed now. I have to go find Max."
"Let me help. It was my fault he got caught up in it. I asked him for a personal tour."
"What's your name?"
"Pepper. I... well... I like your son."
Zak blinked for a second and then nodded.
"Fine." He locked up the center and went to the shed that was in the back. "We'll need a few things. Are you good at hiking?"
"I've never been."
"Well today is your day then."
Pepper followed Zak as they went to the shed.
"Who are you?" Max asked, looking at the girl in front of him.
She was wearing a black short tattered skirt and a halter top of the same color. Her hair was a reddish brown color and her eyes were an amazingly beautiful sapphire blue and yet seemed to sometimes show sea foam green. Max was mesmerized for a moment and then shook his head, which hurt, and he hissed.
"What the hell happened?"
"There was a stampede and you were sleeping! Are you alright? I saw blood on your hand from your mouth."
"I'm fine..." He held his head but he was very woozy. "You never told me your name."
"Oh, I'm Moon."
"Max..." he said, holding out his hand.
Moon remembered what her mother had told her about the human 'hand shake' and held out her hand as well beside him.
Max turned his head at her for a second and narrowed his eyes.
"You're... not human, are you?"
"No, I'm a fairy."
"I don't see your wings."
Moon jumped up and then her wings came out, making her hover. Max blinked rapidly in both awe and confusion.
"Wait... If you're right in front of me and I can see you then..."
"I'm really sorry about this..."
Max looked up and saw that the trees were extraordinarily tall and some of the plants that had been below him before were now as high as trees.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"I'm so sorry! I really didn't mean to make you my size. It was a complete accident... although for some reason you don't look so surprised."
"Well, it happened to my dad so... It really hasn't sunk in yet, actually."
"I never meant to do the exact same thing my mother did but I almost said it right until you interrupted me the first time. I thought you could already see me."
"Oh yeah, that light. That was you?" Moon nodded. "So then if you thought I could see you then..."
"Well, you started coughing and then blood was on your hand! When you said you saw my fairy light, I knew you couldn't see me so I thought that I would try to get you to see me so I could tell you about a book that we have that might be able to help you. I was thinking about how to get the book to you since you were so tall and all and I accidentally said 'height' instead of 'sight'. Again, I'm really sorry."
"It's okay, I'm not mad... Can you try to change me back?"
"I would but... I think it would be best if you came with me to see Mother. I didn't like that blood and you looked like you were very sick."
"I can take care of myself." he growled, standing up finally.
He was almost two feet taller than Moon and he looked down at her.
"You're really short."
"You're very tall."
They stared at each other for a moment and Moon cleared her throat.
"Well, come on. I'll take you to FernGully! I have to stop by my friend's house before we go to see Mother though. I need to ask him to find that book where we saw the cure."
"Uh... okay then... So... How do I get around?"
Moon looked at him as he looked at her.
"That's... a really good question."
"Seriously?! If you're going to make me the same size as you at least give me a way to move around! Ugh! No wonder Dad was so pissed off the first time he got here. I would be too if I was the size of a bug but couldn't even fly like one!"
"Do... you want me to give you wings then? Are you wanting to become a fairy?"
"What? No, I never said that. I just need something to get around. Unless you're strong enough to carry me."
"*I'm* not strong enough but... maybe Leafo is... Hold on I'll be right back."
"What?! You're going to leave me here?"
Moon took off. "I'll be right back!"
Max made a face and sat down.
"Leave it to me to literally follow my father's life and get shrunk by a fairy who has no idea what the hell she's doing." He leaned against the root of the tree and sighed. "What does she know about my condition anyway? Fairies don't get sick... Oh well... I guess I'll just have to trust her for now. I hope my dad doesn't step on me since I'm sure he's going to be looking for me."
Max decided to just wait it out but crawled under the root in case Zak really did come looking for him and he didn't want to be stepped on by him.
Moon flew back to FernGully as fast as she could and landed on the branch that went to Leafo's house. She opened the door as Leafo looked up and blinked at her.
What. Are. You. Doing. Here? he asked her.
"Do. You. Remember. That. Book. About. Human. Diseases. We. Found?" Leafo nodded, still looking confused. "I. Need. It."
Why?
Moon looked around for a second and as Leafo stared at her and then he realized what was going on.
You. Went. To. The. Human. Place. Again. Didn't. You?
"I. May. Have. Done. Something. Else…"
Leafo suddenly shot up out of his chair in realization and flew to her quickly.
You. Didn't!
"I. Accidentally. Did."
Leafo put his face in his hands as Moon rocked on her feet a little. He looked up at her as she smiled sheepishly.
Why. Do. You. Need. The. Book. Then?
"He. Was. Coughing. Up. Blood." Leafo looked concerned. "I. Wanted. Him. To. See. Me. So. I. Could. Tell. Him. But. I. Was. Thinking. About. The. Book. Too. And. Said. The. Wrong. Thing."
So. He's. Our. Size.
"Yeah… That's. Also. Why. I. Need. Your. Help. Could. You. Carry. Him. Here?"
Leafo made a face at her as she grinned and he rolled his eyes, jumping up in the air to hover.
I. Will. Kill. You. Later.
"I. Know. Thanks."
They both flew back to where Moon had left Max as Batty opened his own wings and flew to tell Crysta about what he had overheard.
"Max? Max, are you alright?"
Max opened his eyes a little and saw Moon's bright bluish-green ones staring at him in concern. He had fallen asleep after another harsh cough attack. He seemed to be getting then more frequent since he had shrunk. The bump on his head wasn't really helping anything either and he feared he had a concussion. He had read about them before in science and one of the signs was a headache that lasted for more than a few minutes, dizziness, and nausea. He had all three and wanted to pass out as quickly as possible if he could.
"I'm not feeling too good." he said truthfully.
"Leafo, come here…"
Leafo walked up and knelt next to him. He put his hand on Max's forehead and frowned.
We. Must. Go. Quickly.
"Alright then. My friend Leafo is going to take you with us to FernGully. I'll tell my mother and we'll see what we can do, alright?"
"Okay… I think I'm just… gonna go to sleep now…"
Leafo lifted Max up as he leaned his head on him and finally passed out.
oh no! will max be alright? will zak and pepper be able to find him?
