Chapter Seventeen: Hiding His Wings

Song: "Charmix" - Kate Kelly


        Outside Peter's house, in the driveway, Tracey, the fairy Mr. Nelson had seen, swooped into another tree and returned to his normal height. He watched as Peter Nelson descended the front steps and started approaching Makenna who was standing in the center of the driveway, clutching her arm. While he was approaching her, Tracey decided that he had quite enough.
He peered up to his wings and nodded. "It'll be okay," he said, and lifting his hand, he rubbed his left wing. Then, dropping his hand, he focused his attention on Peter Nelson approaching Makenna. He closed his eyes. His entire body glowed up green, and slowly, Tracey lifted himself into the sky. Then, once airborne, he lifted his hands and started to twirl. Sparkles circled his wings, and in his head, Tracey announced, Tracey! Pupil of Merlin the Great! The bottom of his ninja-style, tunic-like shirt shot up, and Tracey acted out a midair front flip. Then, turning his back toward Peter's house, he peered back to his wings and watched as they went poof! and disappeared! Literally disappeared! Actually, no, not really. His wings were still there; they were just now tucked in and hidden in his long, tunic-like shirt. The tips of his wings were visible, but they blended in well with his shirt. It would not be easy for people to spot them.

When Tracey finished performing the spell, the magic surrounding him vanished; he stopped glowing and fell but landed on the branch with his body lowered and knees bent. Then, straightening out his knees, Tracey stood up and clenched his fists. He watched Peter Nelson, and a blast of wind blew his long, black hair. Tracey said, "All right, this is it," and he drew another one of his ninja stars, "No backing out, Tracey. It is your duty to protect Makenna." Bending his knees again, he kneeled and next focused his attention on Peter's bicycle. Nodding, he aimed and lifted his star over his head. Tracey took a deep breath. Then, he threw the star. It went sailing through the air; it escaped the tree and went toward Peter's bike. When it reached it, it slashed the back tire and cut it open! A whistling of air was heard from the tire, and like a boomerang, the star turned and twirled back toward Tracey. He caught it and snickered. "Hee, hee," he said, and he rested his elbow on his knee, "This otta be a show." Quickly, he tugged on his hair and covered up his left ear, the ear that usually had hair pulled behind it, and propped up his head.

Peter Nelson had finally reached Makenna. "Makenna," he said, and Makenna, who had her eyes closed, felt his hand clamp her shoulder.
"Peter," spoke she. Slowly, she turned her head and peeped over her shoulder to Pete.
"I know," he said, and Makenna turned to him, "He's a little...,"
"Insane, delusional, horrible?!" Makenna snapped. Peter hesitated. "Why didn't you warn me about just how crazy he was?" asked Makenna in a strict voice.
"Because you wouldn't have come." Peter explained, and he pulled her close to him, "And you're the only one who makes me happy." With that, he leaned forward and gave Makenna her very first kiss! The Metamorphic Fairy gasped. From where Tracey was watching, he gagged and turned green.
Clenching his fist, he reached for his mouth, puffed out his cheeks, and said, "Oh, I think I'm going to be sick. How dare he kiss her! He's a monster!"
Makenna and Peter soon pushed their lips away from each other, and Makenna was blushing and smiling so hard, her cheeks were hurting. "Man," she said in a dreamy voice, "I love being fourteen." Peter chuckled.
Picking up her hand, he asked her, "Am I forgiven?"
"Yes!" Makenna yelped, and she furiously bobbed her head up and down.
"Do you want to go for a little ride around the island?" was Peter's next question.
"Yes!" Makenna again yelped. That was all she could find herself to say right now. She squealed and reached for her lips.
"All right!" Peter excitedly announced, "I'll go get my bicycle! You stay here. I'll pick you up, my fair lady." He kissed Makenna's hand, and she again squealed. Then, turning on his heel, Peter flipped his hair and headed toward his bicycle.
Behind, Makenna fell to her knees, placed her hands to her heart, and announced, "Yippee!"

Peter, who was humming, soon reached his bike, and grabbing its handlebars, he snickered and rubbed his chest. Tracey was glaring at him from within the tree he was in.
Under his breath, he mumbled, "He's making my eyes bleed. I can't wait to see this. I'll show him not to mess with Makenna!" He prepared his ninja star and rested his other hand on the branch. Peter, who was still humming, soon hopped onto his bicycle and sighed, focusing forward on Makenna Delling. She had stood up, and she was patiently waiting for him. Peter smiled. Then, picking up his feet, he rested his feet on the bike's peddles and peddled forward, starting down the driveway. Right when he did, Tracey again chucked his ninja star toward him. This one slashed the front tire of Peter's bike, and he yelped as suddenly, both tires went flat, the bike turned over, and he went flying into a bush that rested right next to the driveway! The star returned to Tracey, and catching it, he nodded and slipped it into his back pocket.
"Peter!" Makenna shouted horrified, and she reached for her lips. Quickly, she sprinted toward Peter who had sat up in the bush and was currently spitting leaves out. "Peter!" she yelled again.

However, she was forced to stop when suddenly, from out of nowhere, appeared a green blur, and Tracey landed in front of Peter!
"Who are you?" he asked in a calm but stern voice. Peter gasped.
Makenna did too. "Tracey!" she yelped.
"What in the name of?!" Peter shouted, and he stared at Tracey, "Where did you come from?! Who are you?!"
"My name is Tracey." Tracey explained, and he glared at him, "And I would appreciate it if you release Makenna from your web."
"What are you talking about?!" shouted Peter, and he struggled to his feet, "How do you know Makenna?! Where in the name of, you just appeared from out of nowhere! Were you the one who slashed my bike tires?!"
Tracey nodded. "I am," he calmly said, "but keep in mind, mister that that was the only way I could get Makenna away from your clutches. You have another bike! Just use that one! That one was trash anyway."
"Trash?!" Peter asked, and approaching Tracey, he grabbed his shirt collar and pulled him close to his face, "You're going to pay! I'm going to break your jaw, baby, and I'm going to break it good! No one takes my girl!"
"She's not your girl." Tracey said in a calm voice, and he released himself from Peter's grasp, "She's your slave. I see right through you, sir. This is all a game."
"Ugh," groaned Makenna from where she stood. She reached for her forehead and shook her head. Boys. Releasing it, she shouted, "ENOUGH!!" at the arguing boys. Peter jumped and turned to her, but Tracey just calmly turned his body. Makenna lowered her voice and cleared her throat. "Peter," she said to Peter, and she gestured at Tracey, "this is Tracey. He's my friend from um...," She thought for a moment, "surfing lessons. Tracey, this is Peter. He's my friend from school. Come on now, shake hands." Both Tracey and Peter gagged. Then, together, they glared and shook hands.
Lighting flashed behind each of them and fire burned in their eyes. "I hate ninjas." Peter told the fairy, "So you're the ninja Makenna was talking about today at school. Your hair is stupid, and you smell weird."
"You have a lousy sense of humor," said Tracey, and he forced his hand away from Peter's, "I'm just trying to protect Makenna. I promised Master Merlin I would...,"
Makenna gasped. "Tracey!" she called, and Tracey glanced at her.
He scoffed, "Whatever," and closed his eyes, slipping his hands in his pockets.
"Peter." Makenna said to Peter, and she approached him, "Sorry about the inconvenience, I just didn't know that he was out today. I'll pay for your bike, I promise. Why don't we go to the crab dock and North Beach? That will lighten your spirit."
"Fine," Peter angrily spoke, "I'll go get my other bike." Huffing, he turned and stormed toward his bicycle.
Picking it up, he rolled it over toward the garage, and smiling, Makenna waved at him. "Don't take too long now, darling!" she called.

Right when Peter disappeared from sight, she sighed, closed her eyes, and lowered her head.
Then, lifting it, she focused her attention on Tracey who was watching her and immediately broke into a grin. "Tracey!" she yelled, and hurrying to him, she and Tracey hugged, and Tracey said,
"Makenna. I'm so glad you're all right."
"I was so worried about you." Makenna mumbled, and she released herself, peering into Tracey's eyes, "You survived! You survived the magic coma!"
"I don't even remember being put into one," admitted Tracey, and he reached for his forehead, "Although, it's strange." He dropped his hand from his forehead and shivered, "I feel really weird. I don't feel like myself. I hear sirens in my head."
"Sirens?" Makenna asked him, and she took his arm, "You're probably still recovering from your magic overload and unconsciousness, Tracey. Merlin told me a magic overload sickens a fairy. Here, sit down." She helped him down on the driveway, and Tracey thanked her, sitting cross-legged. Makenna blushed. Then, she sat next to him and started to play with an ant and stick.

For a few moments, there was silence between the two fairies. Then, Makenna broke it.
She glanced at Tracey's back and asked him, "Tracey, where are your wings?" in a slightly alarming, whispering voice.
"Better question," was his reply, and he scanned her up and down, "Where are your wings? You go first."
"No." Makenna said, and she shook her head, "You go first."
"No," announced Tracey, and he shook his own head, "You go first. I have no qualms about that."
"You go first!" was Makenna's reply.
"No, you go first!"
"You go first!"
"Fine!" Tracey finally agreed, and he peered down at his tunic-like, ninja-style shirt, "My wings are still here, Makenna. They're just under my shirt. See?" He lifted the shirt and pointed at his wings hiding inside it, "I just performed the Hidden Identity Spell. It allows an Apprentice Fairy to hide their wings in their clothing. It comes in handy when you find yourself in a world as crazy as this one. It also allows me to call my wings back whenever I want to so I don't have to wait until sunset for them to return. All right." He gestured at Makenna, "Now it's your turn."
Makenna was staring at him. "Oh, Tracey," she happily spoke, "You're all right. Anyways." She cleared her throat, "Surprise, Tracey, I have the Sunset Delay spell on me."
"Ah," chucked Tracey, and he nodded, "I thought so. So, Makenna, I understand Sensei teleported you and Caleb successfully back here?"
Makenna nodded, "He did, Tracey." Tracey rubbed his nose.
His face drooped. "He also told me...," Here, he lowered his head, "Ah, never mind."
"What are you doing here, Trace?" Makenna asked. She wanted to keep the conversation rolling, "Why are you here?" She didn't want Tracey's amazing voice to go away.
"I was worried," he admitted, and closing his eyes, he reached for his forehead again, "I couldn't help but feel like...you're in danger, Makenna."
"Danger?" she inquired, and she pulled her knees up close, "What danger? I'm in no danger, Trace, honest. What gave you a crazy idea like that?"
"I don't know," admitted the Apprentice Fairy, and he shook his head, trying to shake the sounds of singing sirens out of it, "I guess the whole reason I came, Makenn was so that I could help you on your search for Selene. When Sensei and I first learned about you, seven years ago, I promised him and that necklace you wear," He pointed at Makenna's necklace, "I would do everything in my willpower to help you become a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy."
"My necklace?" Makenna asked. She clutched her necklace pendant and peered down on it.
"Yes, Makenna," explained Tracey, and he moved his hands toward her necklace. However, for a second, he stopped and asked her, "Uh, may I?"
"Sure." Makenna spoke. She released her pendant and placed her palms on the driveway.
She allowed Tracey to take her necklace off, and holding it in front of his nose, he said, "Nice to see you again, partner."
"Huh?" Makenna asked, and she watched as the ninja-like fairy started rubbing the pendant of her necklace down, "Partner? What do you mean 'Nice to see you again,' Ninja Boy?"
"Tracey," he corrected her, and he continued to rub the pendant down, "Because, believe it or not, Makenna, but I was the one who delivered this necklace to you, seven years ago, that night Caleb lost his tooth and you both thought the Tooth Fairy left it." Makenna's eyes widened, and she froze. Tracey continued, "I was in the room the entire time until you had that strange, magical phenomenon. Do you remember that phenomenon?"
"Hm," said the Metamorphic Fairy. She lifted one hand from the driveway and scratched her chin. She tried to think back to that day, seven years ago.

Tracey finished polishing the necklace pendant, and he set it down on his lap. Then, crossing his arms, he focused his attention on Makenna who was still thinking.
Finally, to help her understand, he picked up the necklace and held it in front of her face, asking, "Do you know what this is, Makenna?"
Makenna shrugged. "Sure," she answered, "It's a magic necklace."
"It's a Metamorphic Necklace." Tracey corrected for her, "And yes, it is a magic necklace. The Metamorphic Necklace is to be worn only by a Metamorphic Fairy. It helps the fairy grow properly. If you didn't have this necklace, Makenna, you wouldn't be able to have the ability to transform into higher fairy forms. Without the necklace, the Metamorphic Fairy would grow to be very weak. It helps the fairy go through Metamorphic Fairy puberty and helps them become a full-fledged, powerful fairy. While it is helping the fairy grow, it will attack anybody who is not a fairy get too close to it. Also, until the fairy comes of age and grows his/her real wings, it will never allow them to take it off. Rumors say that if you force a Metamorphic Necklace off too early in the stages of fairy puberty, it could harm them and, in some cases, kill them. It's a very powerful necklace."
"Wow." Makenna whispered, and her face brightened, "So cool." Tracey handed her the necklace back, and thanking him, she took it and examined it up and down. There was a moment of silence. Finally, Makenna said, "Hold on, Trace," and she looked her friend in the eyes, "Wait. So, you're the one who gave this to me?"
Tracey nodded. "I am." Uncrossing his legs, he bent his right knee and clutched it.
"Seriously?!" Makenna gasped, shocked, "Really?! You were in the room with Caleb and me that morning, seven years ago?!"
"Yes. I was hiding. With my very two eyes, I saw the proof Merlin and I needed that indeed, you are a fairy, Makenna." Tracey's voice was shallow. He sounded a bit tired. He looked a bit tired. The sun was sinking lower into the sky now, but Tracey and Makenna hadn't noticed it yet. The day was winding down. Makenna had only about an hour and a half, and then, she would pop her wings.

She carefully unclipped the necklace and put it back on, clipping it again. The pendant now hung loosely over her chest, and a zephyr blew it.
After a few more minutes of sitting, Tracey told the Metamorphic Fairy, "Come on, Makenna, let's not waste any more time," and he stood up, offering Makenna his hand, "We must get out of here and out of the clutches of Peter Nelson."
"What?" Makenna asked, and she took Tracey's hand, "Why, Tracey?" Tracey pulled her up. "What are you talking about?" Makenna added, "Peter is a wonderful boy. He asked me to the dance Friday night! Eee! He's my boyfriend!" She dreamily sighed.
"Boyfriend?" Tracey asked, and he pulled hair behind his left ear again, "You're even more clueless than I thought, Makenna! He's not your boyfriend. He's playing with you. He's pretending he loves you. Trust me, I know about these things."
"How so, Ninja Boy?" Makenna asked him. She had raised her voice. She was starting to yell at Tracey again. "Peter is not that kind of boy! He gave me a bouquet of flowers! He's amazing!"
Tracey crossed his arms and told her, "Your lack of knowledge about boys disgusts me, Makenna. You're accepting Peter's love way too fast." Makenna blushed.

Looking forward, suddenly, she gasped,
"Peter Nelson!" She saw Peter Nelson. He was heading up the driveway, and he was steering a new, shiny, red bicycle. He held Makenna's bouquet of flowers in one hand, and he appeared to be slightly upset. "Out of the way, Ninja Boy!" Makenna shouted at Tracey, and spit sprayed into his face, "Don't you dare come between Peter and me!" She shoved by Tracey and knocked him to the ground. He landed hard on his back in the driveway, and closing his eyes, he groaned as a sharp pain engulfed his wings. Keep in mind, fairy wings were extremely fragile. Makenna ignored Tracey groaning on the ground and hurried to Peter. Soon, she walked next to him. "Hey, Peter," she squeaked, and her eyes landed on his new bicycle, "Whoo-wee, that's quite the bike you've got there. I'd totally choose this bicycle over your other one."
"Thank you, Makenna." Peter said, "Here." He held the flowers out to her, "You forgot these inside."
Makenna grinned. "Thank you, Peter," said she, and she accepted the flowers, sniffing them.
Peter chuckled, but then, he noticed Tracey. "Ugh!" he said, and he tightened his grip on his handlebars, "Why is he still here?!" He gagged. "Come on, Makenna," and took Makenna by the wrist. She blushed and reached for her cheek. Peter helped her onto the handlebars of his bicycle and added, "Let's go to the crab dock and North Beach. Where do you want to go first?"
"Hm," said Makenna, and tapping her chin, she thought about this for a moment. Peter patiently waited for her answer. Makenna remembered the voice she heard at school that day. It told her to travel to a so-called shipwreck on North Beach. "North Beach." Makenna told Peter, and she dropped her hand from her chin, "Let's go to North Beach first, Pete."
"As you wish," Peter said, and he politely dipped his head to her. Then, lifting it, he gripped his new bike's handlebars and started peddling forward, toward the end of the driveway. "North Beach here we come!" Peter excitedly announced, and Makenna whooped.

Tracey, who was still resting on the ground, slowly lifted his hand and announced,
"Dead boy on the ground here! Anybody?" On the bicycle, Peter scoffed and passed him.
"Oh please, Pete." Makenna begged, and she forced him to stop his bicycle, "Can't we let him come along?"
Peter peered at Tracey who was struggling to his knees, and scoffing, he closed his eyes. "Fine," he said, and he started to peddle forward again, "That's as if he can keep up with me."
A grin stretched across Makenna's face. "Tracey!" she called to Tracey, and Tracey fixed his eyes on her. "We're going to North Beach!" Makenna added, "Meet us at North Beach! Let's have a race to see who can get there first!"
"A race huh?" questioned Peter Nelson, "Very well then, but I already know who's going to win. Buckle up, Makenna. We're going to go faster than the speed of light!" With that, he started peddling as fast as he could, and the bike shot forward like a rocket! Makenna gasped, and she laughed as wind blasted and massaged her face.

Tracey soon stood up, and he groaned.
He watched as the bicycle disappeared from sight, and when it did, he clenched his fists and announced, "I'll show him speed!" Tracey checked his surroundings to make sure the coast was clear. When he was sure it was, he dropped his fists, closed his eyes, and again glowed up. He lifted himself into the air, and again, the bottom of his tunic-like, ninja-style shirt shot up. Tracey turned his back toward the road and peered over his shoulder. Before long, his wings popped out of his back, and he flapped them. Tracey grinned. The magic around him died, and he now hovered over Peter's driveway. Flapping his wings, he shot into the sky, held his arms out to his sides, and hurried toward North Beach.

The Octopus Man was thirsty for magic. He was getting really annoyed with the fact that he had not yet captured the fairy he wanted. He was near Merlin's Island, near the very bottom of the ocean, and he was frustratingly swimming back and forth. His eight, massive, Kraken-like arms swayed in the ocean as he swam, and he held his trident with such immense force, it started to furiously glow as if it was choking. The Octopus Man was hidden in the shadows – you couldn't see his face – but you could see his glowing blue scleras. He truly was a very intimidating man.

For a few more moments, the Octopus Man continued to swim back and forth, but then, he stopped and lifted his trident.
He shook it, and in a loud, terrifying, booming voice, he screamed, "YOU FOOL!" at the trident, and a few deep-water fish, swimming further away from him, heard him and whimpered. They stopped. Then, they quickly moved out of the Octopus Man's way. With the trident still held tightly in his grasp, he chucked it all over the place and screamed, "I DO NOT HAVE THAT FAIRY YET!! YOU HAVE FAILED ME FOR THE LAST TIME!! HE SHALL AND HE WILL BE MINE!" He screamed so loudly that the entire Atlantic Ocean shook in fear. His trident did too. "WAIT A MINUTE," the Octopus Man spoke after a bit, "I'VE GOT IT." He swam forward and lifted his trident high over his head. Its glow shone even brighter than before, and in a booming voice, the Octopus Man announced, "WAVES OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, HEAR ME! SHOW ME! SHOW ME WHERE HE'S HIDING! SHOW ME WHERE THE FAIRY IS HIDING!" Strings of light escaped his trident and forcibly circled him a couple of times. The Octopus Man's long, shadowy hair streamed out behind him, and he repeated, "SHOW ME!" Soon, the strings of light circling him left him and together started to twirl in front of him. The Octopus Man waited. He waited and waited and waited until finally...FLASH! The circle of lights in front of him flashed and came together to form a watery, mirror-like structure. The Octopus Man watched. An image appeared in the watery mirror. It showed a watery, shaking, watercolor-like image of Tracey. He was zooming across the sky, as fast as an arrow, and he was grinning. Behind him, stood out watery, shaking images of Seabrook Island's trees. "AH," spoke the Octopus Man while he watched the image, "SO THAT'S WHERE HE IS. SEABROOK ISLAND. WAIT, WHAT'S THIS?" Tracey's image started to shrink. It shrunk down to the size of half the mirror, and on the other half of it, appeared a watery, shaking image of Makenna Delling riding on the handlebars of Peter Nelson's bicycle. "A GIRL?!" the Octopus Man boomed when he saw her image, "WHO'S THAT GIRL?!" He gasped, "SHE'S ANOTHER FAIRY! SHE'S A METAMORPHIC FAIRY! NO!!" He shook his head, "NOT A METAMORPHIC FAIRY! I WILL NOT ALLOW HER TO FOIL MY PLANS! SHE SHALL NOT RECEIVE THE HIGHER METAMORPHIC FAIRY LEVELS! IF SHE DOES, SHE'LL BE ABLE TO DESTROY ME! THE BOY IS MINE! HE'S MINE, AND SHE WILL NOT GET IN THE WAY! WHAT SHOULD I DO?!" He lowered his voice and thought about this for a moment.

Soon, an idea popped into his head. The Octopus Man's shadowy figure chuckled evilly, and he crept closer to the watery, mirror-like figure.
He lifted two of his three Kraken-like arms, and each arm rested on the images of the two fairies. "IF A FAIRY CAN'T FLY," menacingly spoke the Octopus Man, and the arm resting on Tracey's image moved up to his wings, "THEN THEY CAN'T GET AWAY." He pushed down on Tracey's wings, and the sound of cracking, like the sound of breaking bones, washed over half the mirror-like figure and over the image of Tracey. The Octopus Man next focused his attention on Makenna, and over the sound of cracking, from Makenna's image, also came the sound of screaming. Next, the Octopus Man told himself, "EVEN BETTER, IF THE METAMORPHIC FAIRY ISN'T ABLE TO EARN HER THIRD TRANSFORMATION, THE CRYSTAL METAMORPHIC FAIRY TRANSFORMATION, SHE WON'T BE ABLE TO SAVE MERLIN NOR HER SO-CALLED FRIEND. SHE WILL BE NOTHING BUT A USELESS, WEAK FAIRY WHICH IS RIGHT WHERE I WANT HER! FIRST, I NEED TO ATTACK HER STRONGEST SPOT, WHERE ALL HER MAGIC IS HIDDEN. YES." His eyes zoomed in on Makenna's necklace. "PERFECT," spoke the Octopus Man, "HER NECKLACE. I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TO BEGIN." He listened as the sounds of cracking and screaming grew louder and louder, and lifting his trident over his head again, the Octopus Man extended all eight Kraken-like arms and laughed a very intimidating evil laugh. While he laughed, his shadow loomed over the images of Tracey and Makenna in the mirror-like, watery figure. Aside from that, the sounds of cracking and screaming joined his evil laugh scene. The Octopus Man's plot had been put into action. He was going to hurt Makenna and Tracey like they had never been hurt before! Since they weren't merfairies and because they were underage, they would not be able to withstand his overwhelming magic. Not even Tracey. The Octopus Man was going to win. He knew he was. To start his evil path to success, he had to summon something. Something big. Something that would surely break the two fairies' strongest points.


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