Peter's dad patiently waited in his car, but he began to grow bored. "I'm so bored," he said, yawning. "Where is that fairy?" He groaned and turned his head to the right. Beside him and sitting on the passenger seat was a bazooka-like machine. Mr. Nelson added, "I want to try my new Anti-Fairy Escape Bazooka."
For a bit longer, Mr. Nelson waited, his arm dangling out the open window, but then he heard flapping outside. The rays of the setting sun scanned his car.
Mr. Nelson shot up and removed his sunglasses. Rubbing his nose, he peered out the windshield and saw a figure flying toward Makenna's school and his car—Gina.
She soared on the air currents, a desperate look on her face. Tracey was deteriorating by the second. Time was running out. They had to make the rescue fast.
Tracey was semiconscious. He had not opened his eyes since leaving Caleb's room, and his clothes paled again.
Caleb held him in his arms, resting his palm on his forehead.
Tracey moaned. Sweat fountained down his face and soaked him even more than he already was.
Caleb told him, "Hang in there, Tracey. You can do it. I know you can. Don't worry, we've just arrived at Makenna's school. Tracey!" He grabbed his chin and shook it. "Stay with us! Please stay with us! Gina"—he glanced at Gina—"he's getting worse. We've got to move."
Gina twisted her neck. Though she was worried, she tried to add a little light to the situation.
She chuckled and told Tracey and Caleb through telepathy, "Attention, passengers riding Gina Air, we will soon land at Johns Island High School. Please collect all your valuables and wings before disembarking the aircraft. Thank you." She again chuckled. "Well, how do you two like my pilot impersonation? Are y'all ready to jump?"
Caleb wanted to make a dramatic entrance, like how Tracey usually did, so he decided that both he and Merlin's apprentice would leap from Gina's back, return to their normal heights, and land before the school's front doors.
Caleb again glanced at Gina and said, "In just a sec, Gina. I've never jumped from a bird before."
In his car, Mr. Nelson had grown excited. He had an excellent feeling about the bird approaching the school. He remembered that Peter had mentioned Tracey had a pet tern.
Mr. Nelson reached into the back seat of his car. He pulled out another pair of binoculars, but these were special, high-tech ones that he had invented himself, which could zoom in and out.
After pulling out the binoculars, Mr. Nelson grabbed his bazooka and loaded it. "This is it!" he announced. He inhaled and opened his car door, climbing out when he was ready. Mr. Nelson closed the door with his shoe and peered into the sky. He put the bazooka's strap over his head and let it dangle. He then lifted the special binoculars and put them to his eyes.
Cody zoomed in on Gina and pressed a button on top that zoomed in on her back, making the picture clear. He held his breath, and his eyes widened. There was Tracey! Cody recognized him by his green and purple. "There he is!" he cried out. "It's him! I've found him! Holy guacamole!" Cody whooped.
Mr. Nelson's binoculars zoomed in on Caleb.
He held Tracey's hand and had outlined him in orange magic that would allow him to fly momentarily.
Cody still studied Caleb through the binoculars and asked, "Who is that other boy? Is he another fairy? Oh, boy!" His face brightened. "What a prize! Another real fairy! Oh man, it's my lucky day!" Cody lowered the binoculars and set them beside his ankle. Standing back up, he took the bazooka's strap off his shoulder and held it up to Gina. "Come on, a little closer," he said, aiming. "That's it. That's it. Wait for it. Wait for it, Cody. You don't want the bird. You want Tracey."
Where oblivious Gina was, she giggled one last time and asked Caleb, "Well, are you jumping or not?"
"We are. We're just getting ready. All right, it's show time." Caleb closed his eyes. He focused and thought about being big. He then turned his head toward Tracey and said in it, "And him, too. He can't perform a spell right now. He's too weak. This is all up to me." Caleb opened his eyes. He nodded at Gina, and she returned it. Finally, Caleb yelled, "Tallyho!" and leaped from Gina's back, taking Tracey with him.
At the same time, both magical beings returned to their normal heights.
From where he stood, Cody yelled, "Fire!" and pulled back his bazooka's trigger. A net shot out of it and went toward Tracey. The bazooka shot with so much force that Cody was knocked to the ground. However, he quickly sat and watched his invention.
Gina saw the net and yelled, "Incoming!" in her language.
Tracey's hand slipped from Caleb's grip, and he fell toward the ground.
Caleb blurted, "Tracey!" when he saw the net. "What the—? Where did that come from? Tracey, watch out!"
The net reached Tracey, flung itself on top of him, and knocked him out of the sky.
The fairy yelled and crashed into the school's grassy courtyard.
Caleb landed on his feet in the parking lot and called, "Tracey!" when he saw that he had been captured. He sprinted toward the courtyard, and Gina flew with him.
Where Cody sat, his eyes landed on the net, and he cheered. "I got him! Yes! I caught a real live fairy!" Mr. Nelson slipped his bazooka's strap back over his head and picked up his binoculars. He hurried toward his prize.
Mr. Nelson arrived before Caleb. At the sight of Tracey, his eyes watered, and he chuckled. He circled the net a few times and, still chuckling, said, "Oh, oh, oh. Hello, my little friend. Do you remember me? It's been seven years, and I finally caught you. This, by far, is the best day of my life."
Tracey rested on his front, eyes closed and teeth clenched tightly together.
Mr. Nelson stopped at his head and rubbed his eyes. "This is a dream come true. I knew fairies were real! I knew it!" He set his binoculars down again and reached into his bag that he wore over his shoulder. From it, Mr. Nelson drew his camera, the same camera he used to get a snapshot of Tracey's flapping wings, and held it up to him.
Cody prepared to take a picture, but just before he could, a sudden, "Stop! Leave him alone!" was heard, and a beam of orange light smashed into the camera Mr. Nelson held, throwing it from his hand.
He yelled and clutched his wrist.
Caleb was the one who had attacked him. He had reached Tracey, stood a few feet away, and held cupped hands out to Mr. Nelson.
Gina hovered beside him. Caleb had a confused look on his face, but she seemed to smile.
Glancing at him, she said, "You did it, Caleb! You shot a spell."
Caleb met her eyes and examined his hands. "It just happened."
Gina seemed to titter. "I knew you had fairy instincts."
Mr. Nelson massaged his wrist and asked, "Now, what have we got here?" at the sight of Gina and Caleb. "Who are you supposed to be, kid? Who's your little bird?"
"That's none of your business!" Caleb shouted, pointing at Tracey. "Release him! He's done nothing wrong!"
"Make me," voiced Cody, reaching for his bazooka again. "I'd rather not. For seven long years, kid, I've searched for this boy. I saw him snooping at Makenna Delling's house when he was younger. He's a fairy, kid!"
Caleb again looked a little confused. Why was Tracey snooping at his and Makenna's house seven years ago? He decided to ask him later.
Instead, he yelled, "I know!" at Mr. Nelson. "I know he's a fairy, sir, but that doesn't give you the right to knock him out of the sky like that! He's critically wounded! He's dying! He needs a doctor!"
"Well, then, you should've called 911 before he was caught," Mr. Nelson said. "I'm not giving up my prize, kid. It's been seven years. I'm going to use him as bait to get Makenna Delling!"
"Makenna?" asked Caleb. "Tracey as bait? You wouldn't dare! How do you know Makenna's a fairy, too?"
"My son told me," Cody explained.
Caleb's eyes widened. "Wait, are you Peter Nelson's dad?"
Cody nodded. "I am. Who are you supposed to be—Makenna's brother?"
"That's exactly who I am!" shouted Caleb. "My name is Caleb, and I'll do everything in my power to rescue both her and Tracey from yours and Peter's clutches!" He again pointed at Tracey. "Release him! If you won't, sir, then we'll do this the hard way!"
"You tell him, Caleb!" Gina squawked. She landed on Caleb's head and opened her wings.
He clenched his fists and held them out to Mr. Nelson.
"Ha!" he sarcastically laughed, meeting Caleb's eyes. "And what are you going to do, boy?"
Caleb glared and cupped his hands. An orange light appeared in them.
Mr. Nelson glanced at it and asked, "Huh?"
Caleb attempted to launch the spell, but because he hadn't come of age and hadn't learned how to use his powers correctly, it backfired on him. Caleb was thrown backward with Gina and crashed into a car's hood.
Where Mr. Nelson stood, he said, "Ooh!" and reached for his lips. "That hurt! Epic fail!"
Caleb fell from the hood and landed in the parking lot. Both he and Gina had been knocked out.
Cody slipped his camera and binoculars into his bag and grabbed Tracey's net, saying, "I'll get that fairy, too, as soon as I hide this one. Peter and I will deliver three fairies to the laboratory!" Laughing, Cody reached into his pocket and pulled out his walkie-talkie. Turning it on, he held it to his lips and said, "Peter, Peter, I got him! I got Tracey! You were right! He did come!"
"I knew he would," Peter said on the other line. "Well done, Dad!" He was under another table, talking to him.
Makenna became suspicious. Why was Peter constantly dropping his keys? She kneeled to investigate, gasping when she saw Peter talking on a walkie-talkie. Makenna eavesdropped on him, but Peter hadn't noticed her yet. The rays of the setting sun had entered the gym's windows, and they crept toward her.
On the other end of the walkie-talkie, Cody told Peter, "And it gets better! A bird came along, as well as Makenna's brother! The brother is a fairy, too!"
"Caleb?" Makenna whispered. "Gina? Tracey?"
Peter, who still had not noticed her, said, "Seriously? Well, duh. Makenna is a fairy, so why wouldn't he be? We've got to catch him, too!"
"I'm going to," explained Mr. Nelson. "I just have to hide Tracey. Then I'll get the brother and bird. After I have all three of them, I'll lure Makenna into our trap."
"Trap?" asked Makenna. "What's going on here? Who's that bozo Peter's talking to on that walkie-talkie?"
"Makenna," Raeven told her in her head, "you've got to break up with him right now, so you can escape."
"Yeah, okay, pal," Makenna spoke back. "In just a sec. I first have to figure out what on earth's going on."
"Where's the brother now?" Peter asked his dad.
"He's in the parking lot," elucidated Mr. Nelson. "I'm dragging Tracey into the building right now."
Makenna's jaw dropped. "He didn't!" she whispered. "The parking lot?"
"I'll call you back as soon as I have all three of them," Cody explained to Peter. "We'll then discuss how we're going to get the ultimate prize: Makenna."
"Sounds good, Dad," said Peter. "Over." He turned off the walkie-talkie and slipped it into his pocket. Next, he picked up his car keys. "Here they are, Makenna. Whew, I'm quite clumsy tonight, aren't I?" He crawled out from under the table and turned. At the sight of Makenna before him, arms crossed and a suspicious look on her face, he jumped. "Makenna!"
Makenna remained casual. She faked a smile and asked, "Who was that you were talking to on the walkie-talkie, Pete? What's all this talk about Caleb, Gina, Tracey, and a trap?"
"Uh," Pete stammered. "Well, we uh, uh, you know, uh..." He and Makenna stood, and Peter continued to stammer.
From a distance, Jessica and Jimmy watched, and Jimmy saw Peter reach into his bag. He glared and started for him.
Jessica stayed behind, looking hopeful.
Where Makenna and Peter were, Makenna faced Peter and calmly, yet sternly, told him, "You know, I don't know what's going on, Pete, but we're done."
"Yeah, Makenna!" said Raeven.
Peter scoffed and pointed at the young fairy. "So, you're breaking up with me?"
Makenna nodded. "I am. There's something up your sleeve, Pete, and I don't like it. Sorry, but I no longer trust you. After all you did to Tracey, bullying him the way you did, I can't call you my boyfriend anymore. So, goodbye."
"You told him, Makenna!" Raeven announced. "Good on ya!"
Makenna waved goodbye to Peter. She turned on her heel and prepared to walk away, but Peter called, "Wait!" and Makenna stopped.
"Is there something you want to say, Pete?" she questioned.
Peter bobbed his head. "There is."
"Well, get on with it."
Peter approached Makenna and stopped in front of her.
Jimmy was getting closer.
Where the ex-couple stood, Peter grabbed the piece of cake in his bag and told Makenna, "You know, believe it or not, but I had a feeling we would break up. As people say, most high school relationships don't last. However, I want to give you something. I want to let you know that I really did love you, Makenna."
"What do you want to give me?" asked Makenna. "Carry on, Pete."
"When I went to Freshfields the other day," explained Peter, "I stumbled upon a piece of cake in the bakery that I thought you'd like. I know how much you love cake, Makenna, so yeah." He pulled out the wrapped piece of cake and held it out to her. "Here you go. I don't want you to forget me, Makenna."
Makenna's eyes landed on the wrapped cake. "For me?" she inquired, pointing at herself.
Peter nodded.
"Well, thank you." Makenna reached out and accepted the cake. "What type is it? Is it my favorite?"
"Why don't you open it and see?" questioned Peter.
Makenna chuckled. She peered down at the cake and slowly started to unwrap it.
While she worked, Peter cracked his evil smile.
Makenna finished unwrapping the cake, her jaw dropping when she saw it was a chocolate cake. "Chocolate cake!" she announced, tossing the tinfoil into a nearby trash can. Makenna examined the cake and said, "Oh, I love chocolate cake. You did get my favorite type, Pete."
Peter bowed. "That's how well I know you. Why don't you try it and ensure it tastes right?"
Makenna licked her lips. She was a little hungry. She hadn't eaten any dinner yet.
Raeven poked his head out of her purse and peered into her face. "Wait, I don't like this," he told the Metamorphic Fairy.
"Oh, shush, Raeven," Makenna said back. "It's chocolate cake. It's the most delicious cake in the entire world! Mmm." Her mouth watered. Makenna started to bring the cake toward her mouth.
Peter watched, intrigued, still smiling. The closer the cake got to Makenna's lips, the more villainous his smile grew. He was sure to succeed that time. Makenna was as good as dead.
Peter celebrated in his head. However, he celebrated too soon.
Just before Makenna bit into the poisonous cake, a sudden, "Stop!" was heard, and a figure came between Makenna and Peter. It smacked the cake out of Makenna's hands, and she gasped.
The cake crashed onto the floor. It struck with such force that it broke. "What the—?" Peter and Makenna asked.
Heads turned toward them and the figure who had smacked the cake out of Makenna's hands. It was Jimmy.
He stood beside the shattered cake, glaring at Peter.
"Jimmy!" Makenna said. "What was the meaning of that?"
Jimmy pointed at Peter and yelled, "He's a criminal, Makenna! A criminal! Somebody call the police!"
"Criminal?" asked Makenna. "What do you mean, Jimmy? That was unnecessary!"
Before long, Dr. Medford arrived on the scene and questioned, "What in the world is going on here?"
Mr. Gheesling, who also acted as a chaperone at the dance, appeared beside Makenna, Jimmy, and Peter. "We heard yelling!"
Jimmy gestured at Peter and explained, "There was an attempted murder! Call the police!"
"An attempted murder?" asked Dr. Medford.
In his head, Peter said, "Huh, so much for that strategy. Oh well, at least Dad has Tracey."
Mr. Gheesling grabbed his arm, and he, Makenna, Dr. Medford, and a few students focused on Jimmy.
"Yes!" he argued. "It was an attempted murder! Check out this piece of cake!" Jimmy leaned down and scooped up a chunk of the broken cake. He showed it off and continued: "He gave this to Makenna, but look what's inside it!"
Makenna and Dr. Medford joined him and studied the cake. They gasped when they saw the nut pieces inside it.
"Nuts!" Makenna yelped, glaring at Peter. "You were trying to kill me!"
Smiling arrogantly, Peter answered, "I was, Makenna," in an evil voice. "It doesn't matter now, though. Your friend, Tracey, is ours, and soon, you and your brother will be, too."
"Tracey?" Makenna said, her heart shattering.
"Tracey?" asked Dr. Medford and Mr. Gheesling. They exchanged glances.
Jessica soon joined the scene and stood beside Jimmy.
Makenna yelled at Peter, "You did capture him! You monster! We're going to call the police on you! I hope you go to jail! How dare you capture my friend! Well, listen here, I'm not going to let you win! I'm going to find my brother right now, and together, we'll rescue Tracey! Think about your crime while you're in jail!"
"Is Tracey here?" asked Mr. Gheesling.
"He is, teacher scum," Peter replied, "but there's no way you're going to find him. My dad will take him, Makenna's brother, and her to a laboratory!"
Mr. Gheesling gasped, as did Makenna and Dr. Medford. In his head, he shouted out, "He knows!" He tightened his grip on Peter's arm so he wouldn't escape and faced Makenna. "Go, Makenna," Mr. Gheesling calmly told her. "Go find your brother and Tracey. Dr. Medford and I will call the police."
"Thank you, Mr. Gheesling," Makenna said. "This means a lot. Tracey may be a fairy, yes, but he doesn't deserve to be treated the way he's been treated lately. I've learned my lesson."
Jessica and Jimmy, as well as other students, were very bewildered.
"Fairy?" they muttered.
Since Mr. Gheesling, Dr. Medford, and Peter were the only ones who knew Makenna and Tracey's secret, they understood what Makenna was saying.
"Go," Mr. Gheesling again said. "Don't worry, Dr. Medford and I have everything under control."
"I trust you do," said Makenna. "All right, then. Thank you." She curtsied and headed toward the dance's exit.
The rays of the setting sun that had been creeping up on her reached her and scanned her. The second they did, Makenna yelled and closed her eyes, falling to her knees.
Mr. Gheesling and Dr. Medford said, "Makenna!"
Makenna struggled to her feet. However, even though she knew she was dying, she stayed strong. "I'm fine," she told the faculty members feebly. All the color drained from her face, but Makenna continued: "I'm going. Tracey and Caleb are more important than I am. They've done nothing wrong. I, on the other hand, am nothing but a jerk."
"No, you're not, Makenna," Jessica called to her. "Don't say that. You're the best friend a person could have."
"Thank you, Jessica," said Makenna, "but the reason why I'm dying is because I haven't given my act of true metamorphosis. It looks like I may never earn my third transformation now."
"Sorry," said Jessica. "Transformation?"
Makenna didn't answer her. Instead, her eyes landed on the rays of the setting sun, and she mumbled, "Sunset. Don't worry, I'll be okay. I just have to stay strong." With that last line, Makenna pulled Raeven out of her purse and stepped out of the gym.
Behind, Jessica glanced at Jimmy and said, "I'm very confused."
"So am I," spoke Jimmy. He turned toward Dr. Medford and Mr. Gheesling. "What's going on? Aren't one of you going to call the police?"
Peter tried to break away from Mr. Gheesling, but failed. Mr. Gheesling held him too tightly.
Makenna eventually made it through the school's hallways and exited through the front door. She stumbled to the parking lot and searched for Caleb, weakly calling, "Caleb!" She pressed her hands against her chest, and wind gushed through her hair.
Makenna felt herself growing sleepier, but she had to stay awake. She had transformed into her Level 2 fairy self, but it looked awful.
Everything with her transformation was pale; the blue highlights vanished from Makenna's hair, and her wings shrank and hung limply behind her. Makenna stayed strong, though. She was a Metamorphic Fairy.
For the second time, she called, "Caleb!" but received no response.
Raeven helped Makenna look for Caleb. Finally, they found him.
Gina had woken, but Caleb was still out. She shook out her feathers and feebly squawked. Her eyes landed on Makenna and Raeven, and she called them over.
Makenna and Raeven followed her call. They approached the car that Gina and Caleb had crashed into.
At the sight of her unconscious brother, Makenna weakly gasped.
Raeven leaped from her shoulder and landed beside Gina.
Caleb rested on his back. His head was tilted to the right, and his left hand was on his tummy.
Makenna approached him and kneeled. She placed her hand on his neck and gently shook his head.
After a bit, Caleb started to regain consciousness. He turned his head to the left—Makenna jiggled his chin—and woke.
Caleb lifted his head and met her eyes, groggily asking, "Makenna?"
"Caleb," Makenna feebly spoke. She gently sat him up. "Are you all right? What happened?"
"Tracey was desperate, Makenna," Caleb explained, grasping her hand. "I knew I couldn't stop him. We came to help you, but Peter's dad captured him."
"Peter's dad?" said Makenna. "Was he the one who knocked you out?" She gasped. "Of course!" Makenna remembered Peter's dad explaining that he had seen a fairy seven years ago snooping around the alligator pond. Tracey must've been that fairy!
Makenna added, "He was the one Peter was talking to on the walkie-talkie. Oh, Caleb, I'm so sorry he knocked you out."
Caleb shook his head. "No, Makenna, he didn't knock me out. I knocked myself out. I tried to hit him with a spell as an attempt to free Tracey, but it backfired."
"You?" questioned Makenna. "You shot a spell, Caleb?"
Caleb nodded. "Yes, Makenna. I don't think you're aware of this, but your powers are being drained and transferred to me. I'm becoming a fairy instead of you. Tracey told me."
"You are?" Makenna inquired. "I know I'm being drained of my powers, but I didn't know that you were getting them."
"I don't want to be a fairy, though," Caleb said, releasing Makenna's hand. "I just want to be me. You're the one who should be the fairy. I don't know what to do, though."
"Well, we first have to find Tracey," Makenna explained. "He was right about everything. Peter Nelson did try to kill me."
"Did you call the police?" questioned Caleb. He was relieved to see that Makenna wasn't having an anaphylactic reaction, but he was still scared for her. She looked terrible.
Makenna answered his question. "Mr. Gheesling said that he and Dr. Medford would. The police should be coming. Right now, we've got to find Tracey. Did you see where Mr. Nelson took him?"
"No." Caleb rubbed his sore neck. "But I'm guessing that he's somewhere in the school."
"Then we'll split up," Makenna said. "You take the east wing, Caleb, and I'll take the west. If you find him, tell me through telepathy."
"Right," Caleb comfortably told his sister. "I will, Makenna, and I'll be careful."
"You better be!"
"I will. You be careful, too."
"Which I will, Caleb. I promise." Makenna smiled, and she and Caleb hugged.
Caleb closed his eyes and tightened his grip.
Makenna patted his back. "Don't worry, Caleb. Everything will be okay. I broke up with Peter. All that's left now is rescuing Tracey and getting him to the hospital." She and Caleb hugged for a little longer. They then released one another, and Makenna grasped Caleb's arms.
Caleb smiled at her. He and Makenna shared one last goodbye, and then they parted ways.
It was time to save Merlin and Tracey.