Gina soon returned to the beach, holding the pain medicines Merlin wanted. "Merlin!" she called.
"Shh!" Merlin whispered, holding his finger to his lips. "He's asleep." He pointed at Tracey.
He rested on his side, a blanket over him, and breathed silently.
Gina landed beside Merlin and dropped the pills into his hands.
"Thank you, Gina," Merlin added, turning to Tracey. "Poor kid. I know how much he loves to fly. Did you know that he only flies east to west?"
"What?" Gina asked. "What are you talking about, Merlin?"
"Well, he just said that he does," Merlin answered.
"He's probably sleep talking, sir, and when you sleep talk, you sometimes say random things."
"Right," Merlin voiced, nodding. "Sorry, Gina, I think my brain's fried. I'm pretty tired. I'm going to go ahead and give him these."
Gina watched as he lifted his hand and attempted to give Tracey the medicine, but he refused again and moved his head away from Merlin.
Fear flashed across his master's face, and he said, "Uh oh," in a panicked voice.
"Uh oh?" asked Gina. "What do you mean, 'Uh oh,' Merlin?"
Merlin gulped. "He's refusing again. I think he thinks the medicine is food."
"Refusing?" questioned Gina. "Oh no. That's a big uh oh."
"Tracey," Merlin explained, "you've got to take these if you want to get better. This isn't food. It's medicine." By the second try, he managed to get Tracey to accept the pills. Merlin sighed, as did Gina. He shook his head and explained to the tern, "I'm still worried. We've got to get some food in him, Gina." He rubbed Tracey's warm cheek and gulped.
"I'll make sure he eats something when we get to Seabrook Island," promised Gina. "Trust me."
Merlin glanced at her and narrowed his eyes. "Gina, you've got to promise me!" He held his finger up to the tern's beak. "You've got to promise that you will take good care of him! He shouldn't leave in the first place, especially if at times he still refuses to take the medicine, but I know how much Makenna means to him. On your way to Seabrook, ensure you fly high so it won't be easy for the Octopus Man to spot you. Until Makenna becomes a merfairy and defeats him, Tracey's going to remain under that spell. You've got to make sure he doesn't get too close to the ocean or any body of water."
"I will, Merlin," Gina spoke, "and I promise we'll succeed. Makenna is going to become a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy, and you'll regain control of your powers. I give you my word."
"Thank you, Gina," said Merlin, peering down on Tracey again. "Well, you guys should probably get going. Let Tracey sleep on the way to Seabrook Island, though. Try not to wake him."
"Yes, sir. I'll make sure he does. He needs the rest." Gina bent her knees and crouched. She held her long wings out to her sides and added, "I'll carry him. From this point on, I'll be his wings. Will you be able to shrink him?"
"I believe so," Merlin answered, clearing his throat. "All right, Tracey, I'm going to shrink you so you can ride on Gina. You'll be okay. I promise."
Merlin took a deep breath. He closed his eyes and rested his hand on Tracey's back. It glowed up blue, and before long, Tracey, too, glowed up. He shrank down to two inches tall, as did Makenna's surfboard, and Gina quickly caught them on her back, smiling at Merlin.
He examined his hands and said, "I did it. I actually managed to perform a spell without it backfiring. Now remember, Gina." He lowered his hands and focused on the tern. "Make sure you take really good care of him. Good luck."
"Thank you, Merlin," Gina said back. "Good luck to you, too. We'll be back in two wing flaps."
"Tell Makenna I wish her luck, too."
"I will. See you soon, Merlin."
"See you soon, Gina." Merlin watched as the tern lifted into the sky, with Tracey on her back. She waved goodbye with her wing. She then flapped her wings and shot into the sky.
Merlin waited until the tern disappeared, and then he fell onto the sand and begged, "Please, Makenna, please. I know you can become a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy."
***
Makenna did a decent job of hiding Raeven until the pep rally, which started right after 8th Period ended. She returned to homeroom, her backpack hugged to her breasts, looking exhausted.
Makenna slumped to her desk and sat down shakily, placing her backpack on her thighs.
Raeven soon popped up from inside it and asked, "Are you okay, Makenna?"
"Yeah," she tiredly answered. "I'm fine, Raeven. I'm just a little tired. Get back in there, please." She pushed Raeven back inside and zipped her backpack up, but not all the way.
Soon after Makenna dealt with Raeven, Jessica approached her, and Makenna waved. "Hey, Jessica."
"Hi, Makenna," she returned. "Are you feeling all right? You look a little pale."
Makenna nodded. "I'm fine, Jessica, don't worry. There's just a lot going right now."
"Ah," spoke Jessica, focusing on her friend's face. "How's Tracey?"
"Oh, you know," said Makenna, shrugging, "he's still a little under the weather. But he'll be okay."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"I'd prefer not to."
"That's okay." Jessica next glanced at Makenna's book bag because movement came from inside it. "What's in your bag? I thought I just saw something move."
Makenna gulped. "Nothing!" She set her backpack on the floor. "Nothing's in my bag, Jessica! No need to be alarmed!"
From inside the bag, Raeven telepathically told her, "Very smooth."
"Raeven," Makenna mumbled.
"Raeven?" asked Jessica. "Who in Sam heck is Raeven?"
"Tell her I'm her worst enemy," said Raeven. "Tell her I'm a large flying mammal from the family Pteropodidae. Tell her Achoo was the name of my best friend. Tell her I'm a bat!"
"He's a bat!" Makenna suddenly yelped at Jessica.
"Bat?" she asked.
Makenna gulped. "I mean, he's like a bat. He's nocturnal, lives in caves, and hangs upside-down from the ceiling."
"Nice save," Raeven grumbled.
"Shut up!" Makenna whispered.
"Shut up?" Jessica inquired. "What is going on, Makenna? What are you hiding?" Her voice was getting louder by the second.
"Uh, nothing," stammered Makenna. "If I tell you"—she sighed—"you won't believe me."
"Tell me what?" snapped Jessica. "You can tell me anything, Makenna! I'm your best friend!"
"You won't believe me," Makenna groaned.
Just as Jessica was about to argue back, Mrs. Hector was heard: "Students!" She appeared at the doorway of her room. "Did you not hear the bell? It's time to go to the courtyard for the pep rally."
The students immediately hurried toward the door. They piled out of it and landed in the hallway.
"Chop, chop!" Mrs. Hector ordered, clapping her hands.
Makenna had been left behind, which was fine. She didn't want to go to the pep rally. She propped her head up on her desk and rolled a pen up and down its face.
Mrs. Hector soon approached her, and Makenna peered into her eyes.
"Miss Delling," asked Mrs. Hector, "aren't you coming?"
"I don't believe I deserve to go to the pep rally." Makenna lowered her head.
In her mind, she heard Raeven say, "Coward," but didn't answer back.
"Deserve?" Mrs. Hector soon asked. "What do you mean you don't think you deserve to go to the pep rally?" She reached back and grabbed a chair. Mrs. Hector pulled it up beside Makenna and sat down. She rested her arms on her desk and studied Makenna's face. "This is the greatest day of Spirit Week. You should be proud to go to the pep rally; you shouldn't think you don't deserve to go to it. You'll be able to spend time with your friends. What's bothering you, Makenna? I know something's bothering you. Are you worried about your friend?"
Makenna sighed and admitted, "A little bit. Yeah, I am, Mrs. Hector. He's not doing well."
"What's wrong with him?"
"I can't answer that. It's too complicated." Makenna placed her backpack on her desk and rolled the pen up and down the surface again. Tears appeared in the sides of her eyes. She knew Tracey was alive, but she also felt that he was totally out of sorts.
Makenna closed her eyes and mumbled, "We should've taken him to the hospital immediately after we picked him up on the beach."
"Aw, what's your problem now?" Raeven questioned. "You're now all worried that your beau is going to dump you because you're friends with Merlin's apprentice? Look at me, Miss Delling. I'm an amazing, articulate bat who is in dire need of a friend. Not to mention, I do have my good looks."
"You're a bat," Makenna communicated back. She looked like she was gazing into space.
Mrs. Hector even waved her hand before her face and said, "Whoo-hoo."
Inside Makenna's book bag, Raeven sadly mumbled, "Nobody cares about me."
"Aw, don't say that, Batman," Makenna voiced. "I kinda care about you. Remember our deal, though. Once this stupid pep rally and dance are over, you're leaving me alone."
In her backpack, Raeven cried silently. "You're going to throw me out like I'm some kind of animal!" he choked out.
"You are an animal!" Makenna argued back.
"So are you! Would your parents throw you out and make you sleep on the cold, hard, rocky grounds of both the human and fairy worlds? I'm a fool, Miss Delling!"
"You're not a fool, Raeven," Makenna admitted. "You're just a little annoying."
"Makenna, are you all right?" Mrs. Hector snapped her fingers.
She woke up and shook her head, saying, "Oh! Excuse me. Sorry, Mrs. Hector. I tend to talk to myself when I'm stressed."
"I don't want you to be stressed," Mrs. Hector said. "Come on, Makenna." She took her arm and stood her up. "Let's go outside and enjoy the pep rally. Something tells me you've had a rough week."
"Oh, it's been horrible!" Makenna choked out. "Tracey broke his wings on Wednesday during the storm, I've been lying like crazy, the Octopus Man is targeting us, and now my life is being tortured by a talking bat!"
"Ugh! Well!" Raeven wrapped his wings around his body and blocked out the sound of Makenna's voice.
Outside her book bag, Mrs. Hector sarcastically chortled. "Let's go to the pep rally, okay, Makenna?" She pushed her back and led her toward the door.
Makenna peered back at her. Her eyes then landed on her backpack, still resting on her desk. "Wait!" Makenna tried to push by Mrs. Hector. "My backpack!"
However, Mrs. Hector continued to nudge her toward the exit.
"Don't worry, Makenna," she said. "You don't need it. We're coming back here after the pep rally, so you'll be able to pick it up. For now, let's have some fun."
"But, Mrs. Hector!" Makenna protested, but Mrs. Hector forced her into the hallway. She closed her door behind her but didn't lock it.
Raeven was left all alone in Mrs. Hector's homeroom classroom, still trapped in Makenna's backpack. "Makenna?" he asked in English.
There was no answer, so Raeven tried again. "Makenna?" Again, no answer. "Makenna!" Raeven shouted. Nothing. Finally, the Megabat told himself, "She ditched me." He groaned. "Metamorphic Fairies. They're a hassle. Well, I might as well go after her."
Raeven poked his head out of Makenna's book bag and searched the empty classroom. His nostrils picked up the scent of something. "Fruit!" Raeven chanted, his mouth watering. He searched for the area where the delicious smell was coming from, and his eyes landed on a basket of apples sitting on Mrs. Hector's desk. "Mmm," Raeven said to himself. He leaned toward the apples. "Another perfect scent. Don't worry, apples, I will put you out of your misery!"
Raeven lifted into the air, flew to the basket, and dove inside. He swam in a pool of apples and said, "Oh, sweet mamma."
Raeven opened his mouth and prepared to bite an apple, but just before he could, Mrs. Hector's door opened, and she appeared in the doorway.
"Hm, now where is that basket of apples?" she asked herself.
Raeven gasped. Quickly, he held his breath and dove into the pool of apples, burying himself.
Mrs. Hector soon saw the basket and said, "Ah, there we go." She approached her desk and picked it up. "I most certainly don't want to forget these. The students will never forgive me if I forget to give them a prize apple for the dance battle."
Mrs. Hector smiled to herself. Then, tucking the basket under her arm, she scurried to the door and exited her room again, closing the door with her foot.
Mrs. Hector started down the hallway. While she walked, Raeven peeked up from the apples he hid in and glanced up at her.
In his head, he whimpered, "Oh help," and hid in the apples again.