The ninth life is a myth related to cats; stating that the felines will come close to death a total of 8 times but will always survive by means that do not always make logical sense and are not always visible to the naked eye. Their 9th life is said to be the most valuable, the last chance for them to learn from their mistakes.

1. Crash-landing into a pile of sharp tools (Lost Treasure)

2. Falling out of the boat/ Lizzie's coat pocket (Great Fairy Rescue)

3. Landing in a thorn bush a good distance away from the others (GFR, the only one not to say whether or not he was okay when the others sounded off)

4. Cat (GFR)

5. Frost (Secret of the Wings), the last fairy (minus Tink) to run inside the tree (making sure that everyone was there first).

(According to some theories related to that movie, Bobble was actually supposed to get hurt by the snowmaker and the frost invasion instead of Tink, only to be saved by true love (Tink, instead of matching wings with Peri) but the idea was scrapped for the sake of younger viewers).

6. Poppy poisoning (the only one of the group to succumb, the Pirate Fairy)

7. The battle for the Hollow, casting a Duality Spell for Tink (War of Talents-Culmination Book #1)

8. Choosing for Tink to save Terrence's life instead.

9...

When neither of them replied immediately, Bobble frowned, pushing himself up onto his elbows and fixing his gaze on them, waiting for one or the other to answer. They both shied away from the question, Terrence's face paler than a sheet and Tink with full-blown tears in her eyes.

Great Neverland, what had happened while he was out?

Wait, how long had he been out?

"Guys?" he croaked, really not liking how neither of them would answer such a simple question. "What's...what's wron'?"

He waited once again, bracing himself for the worst news possible-that the Hollow was already destroyed, that everyone else was dead, that he'd failed everyone yet again. It had to be bad, that was the only explanation he could figure that would warrant such an awkward silence among friends.

What he didn't anticipate was the full-blown force of his guildmate lunging for him at a speed he had never seen her accomplish. Her arms were already around him before he could understand what she was doing dissolving into a hug so tight that he felt his lungs might burst. He wanted to make some kind of joke to lighten the mood; something about how he was always the one coming for the hugs, but all teasing flew away when he realized that she was sobbing.

And not just normal tears of relief or sadness, she was full-out bawling into his shoulder. Startled, he looked to Terrence for an explanation, but the dust-keeper looked like he felt just as concerned as his girlfriend.

"Y-you're okay," Tink hiccuped, sounding very unTink-like. "Thank the Hollow you're really okay!"

"Uh...aye? Should I...not be?" He was so confused. The last thing he could remember was Shade trying to use the bracelets against him...and then Tink and Terrence had shown up out of nowhere...and that...after that everything was a jumbled mess. Had they won? Were the bracelets safe? Why couldn't he remember anything?

Wait...where were Scarab and Shade? What happened to the bracelets? His friends had them now, right? They had to. Otherwise, there would be no way that they would all still be-

Tink was still crying and he didn't know what to do to comfort her as he returned her hug, refusing to let her see his confusion. He had no idea what had happened, but apparently, it had been something really bad.

"Hey," Terrence spoke up, flying up to join the two tinkers. Bobble blinked up at him in surprise, momentarily forgetting how much taller the dust-talent was compared to him. "I'm glad you're all right too. That was a really close call back there. Thanks for holding out for us."

He smiled. "Thank ye for comin'. I was...I was so scared that..." he trailed off there, ashamed of voicing how he truly felt, and Tink pulled away from him at these words, wiping away the last of her tears and gazing up at him.

"You were afraid that we wouldn't come for you," she breathed. "That...that we were just going to leave you here with...with them!" She grabbed his shoulders and shook him a little in disbelief. "Why on earth would you think we would do that? You don't actually think we would..." she stopped, seeing the tears in his eyes now, betraying him. "You did," she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "You...really thought we wouldn't care enough to come and save you."

He looked away shamefully.

"Why?" Terrence asked before Tink could. He didn't sound accusatory, just confused. Of course, he didn't understand how the tinker felt. He loved Tink too, but she returned his feelings, not like Bobble's. Terrence didn't know what it felt like to be...for lack of better phrasing, second best. He didn't matter as much to Tink as Terrence did, so, yeah, he did expect her to leave him behind if it meant keeping Terrence safe. It was something he had long come to accept.

You really aren't going to tell them, are you?

Bobble yelped, leaping back at the sudden demanding tone that so rudely forced its way into his thoughts, nearly tripping over a collection of rocks and toppling backward. Tink, in response, cried out too, diving back in the opposite direction and Terrence lunged to catch her.

"Whoa!" she exclaimed. "What? What is it? What's wrong?"

"I..." he stammered. "I'm...not sure...but...Scorpion? Is that ye?"

Well, of course, it's me! Who else would know enough about your terrible love life to harass you about it twenty-four-seven? Falcon?

I resent that statement, came a second voice, much higher than the first. You're not any better than him! No, actually, I think you're worse! At least he was trying!

Boys... A third voice snapped. Too much talking, not enough listening. You're going to overwhelm him.

"Wait, Scorpion?" Tink and Terrence exclaimed together.

"You can...you can hear him?" Tink went on. "Really?"

I think it's too late for that, Asha, Scorpion remarked. Oh my word, I forgot how insane it is to be in a tinker's head. It's...chaotic and I am really glad once again that I'm an animal-talent.

Yeah, but Spurn was nothing like this, Asha reminded him. He was...painstakingly straightforward with his tactics. Predictable. You could almost read him like a textbook. This one is...different. Unique, in a way. There's a lot going on up here and, oh my goodness, you really are bad with girls.

You know I can hear you, right? Bobble commented, still trying to process both the conversation in his head and the one addressed at him.

"Bobble?" Tink cut in. "Can you really hear him?"

"Aye," he answered. "But...not just him. There's...others too. Asha and...and Falcon and...Willow?"

That's me! Hi! chirped the garden-talented Protector.

"I don't...how am I hearin' all of them?" It had always been Scorpion, the voice of reason in all of the chaos, the one who had tried to protect him from Scarab's twisted plans. But never had the other three's voices been so strong (or, in Falcon and Willow's case, noticeable at all). Something had happened. Something must have happened.

"It's...a long story," Tink replied. She was obviously dodging the question, but that actually told him everything he needed to know.

I...oh splinters..tell me I didn't...

You did, Scorpion put in unhelpfully. But we brought you back. You're welcome for that, by the way.

So, now you're stuck with us, Asha added. We're bonded to you. Or...more accurately, to the bracelets you activated.

Which Scarab so rudely stole from you, Falcon agreed, the backstabbing traitor.

Bobble had to agree with that sentiment.

And we're going to do everything we can to help you get them back, Willow put was so much quieter than the other three. Finally, a fairy timider like him. So, they weren't all crazy and overbearing and loud.

No, just most of us, Asha said dryly.

But there's no time for this nonsense, Scorpion cut back in. Shade and Scarab are already on their way to the Hollow. They're going to destroy it. They want revenge for how they were treated. We need to get you and Tinker Bell back as soon as possible. The two of you have to work together to overthrow their plans or everyone is going to be in danger.

"What are they saying?" Terrence asked, not liking the look on the tinker's face.

"Uh...we need to go!" Bobble yelped, suddenly charging forward and grabbing the blonds' arms, pulling them after him. "Right now!" The pain was gone, evaporated just like his exhaustion. All he felt now was...well, it was hard to explain. It was a lot like constant electricity dancing through his nerves, giving him the strength to go on; something that he definitely wouldn't have been able to do alone.

"But wait!" Tink protested as they ran up the ledge and back down the corridor toward the exit. "This way is blocked! Scarab told me herself! They were expecting us! They trapped us in here!"

Bobble snorted. "Not for lon'," he countered, releasing his hold on the two fairies as the archway came into view. It was just like he had feared, a landslide had caved in, entirely blocking off the forest with a huge mound of rocks twenty times their size, a quantity much too great for any typical fairy. Fortunately for them, he wasn't a typical fairy.

"Stand back," he ordered, taking a deep breath and calling forth the power waiting for his command.

Tink and Terrence obeyed, leaping back immediately as the flames ignited around the sparrowman's hands.

"Be careful," Terrence warned. "There's not a lot of room to maneuver in here if something goes wrong."

"Nothing's going to go wrong," Tink assured him. "Have some faith, why don't you?"

Terrence made a face but said nothing more.

Okay, Bobble whispered to himself. Okay, focus. Control it. You are in charge here, not the magic.

Command it, Scorpion instructed. Guide it to where you want it to go. Do not give it a chance to spread.

No fear, Falcon added.

No distractions, Asha finished.

Right. Got it. No panicking. Be calm. Stay calm. Everything was going to be fine. It wasn't going to be a repeat of the kitchen or the Nook or the Haven. It was his power. He could control it. It wasn't going to control him.

There's nowhere to go if something goes wrong.

If something goes wrong...

He faltered as Terrence's words struck him. If something went wrong, and they were all trapped in here forever, then that would mean...

Oh no...Asha groaned. The lack of confidence in this sparrowman isn't fairy. I can't even...how can someone be so afraid of their own powers? For the Hollow's sake, Phineas, why don't you pluck up the courage and do something with your gifts for once?

Hey, leave him alone! Scorpion protested. He's scared! It's okay to be a little unsteady! We all were when we first started out!

You both really aren't helping, you know, Falcon put in. Go ahead, Bobble. You can do this. Just ignore the two hotheads and focus on me. Take a deep breath and picture what you want your magic to do.

Empaths, Asha grumbled, but dutifully fell silent to wait.

Go on, Falcon encouraged.

You can do this, Willow agreed. We're going to be right here with you.

"What is he doing?" Terrence whispered, but Tink hushed him, her focus firmly fixed on him as he did as the Protectors said, drawing a shaky breath and picturing the boulders blasted to the side and the small sliver of sunlight that would pull through and permit them an exit.

The fire burst into existence before he had finished his thought, sparking and crackling as he prepared to launch the blast.

Tink and Terrence covered their eyes, bracing for the impact.

Bobble threw the magic forward and went to shield his face from the blast.

The fire erupted from his hands...

...and then immediately shriveled into nothingness.

The fairies opened their eyes, staring at the unmoving blockade as nothing moved and nothing happened. Tink and Terrence turned to their friend as the light between his fingers dissolved and went out completely.

Wait, what was happening?

Oh, Second Star to the Right, Asha gasped. That's not good.

She did it, Willow whispered. She actually did it.

"Did what?" Bobble cried. "What's goin' on? Why aren't my talents workin'?"

She took them, Scorpion growled. That deceiving pixie! That was her plan all along! She captured you so she could steal your powers! Your talents...she's taken them all.

He froze, his heart plummeting. You don't mean...

I'm so sorry, Phineas, the Protector said. But you can't save the Hollow. She's stolen everything from you. Tinker-talent, light, storm, all of them. They're gone.

G-gone? He felt sick. No, this couldn't be right. He was...he was the Protector! He needed to save the Hollow! She couldn't have all of his powers! He had to have something left! He had to! Otherwise...otherwise what good was he to anyone at all?

"I don't believe it," Tink breathed, seeming to understand the seriousness of the situation even before he felt like he was going to faint. His wings drooped and he swayed as his entire world was flipped upside down, just barely able to catch himself before he fell. "There's no way..."

He tried again, desperately throwing all of his willpower out ahead of him.

The fire didn't even appear this time.

He tried again.

And again.

And again.

Nothing.

Asha was right...Scarab had taken everything from him.

Now what were they supposed to do?

Hold on, Falcon cut in suddenly. Do you...do you hear that?

What? he inquired, but he turned back toward the exit, somehow already knowing what the animal-talent was trying to say.

Footsteps.

Big ones.

Coming their way. Fast.

The earth rumbled and the sound of a furious bellow flooded the entire cave.

Moments later, the boulders were thrown ruthlessly to the side and light poured over the three fairies, revealing the green of the forest beyond and they all breathed a long sigh of relief...

...and then a large red snout shoved its way inside and two gleaming golden eyes pierced the darkness.

"You might not be able to save the Hollow," Kyto rumbled, his voice enough to shake the entire mountainside. "But I can."