Tinker Bell and the War of Talents (2015 edition--OLD)

Prologue: The Queen's Gambit

Autumn was in the air and love and laughter filled the heavens above Neverland as below, Pixie Hollow celebrated the arrival of the harvest blue moon. The last phase of summer was at a close and the time for fall had come at last.

But not everyone was celebrating this momentous occasion. Two fairies neglected to join in the festivities; the knowledge they possessed, once their greatest ally, turned to their darkest enemy.

Queen Clarion hovered atop the Pixie Dust tree. She watched as, below her, fairies twirled and leaped to the strum of the violinists. The moon cast a golden glow into the ring, illuminating the dust on the fairies' wings, showering the clearing in a downpour of amber light. Clarion's eyes followed their movement, her expression grim, devoid of all its normal warmth and cheer.

Behind her, a sparrowman hovered, his icy white hair drenched in gold and his piercing blue gaze flashing as he rocked on the back of his snowy owl and watched the Queen with concern. Frowning, he lifted his eyes toward the heavens. A moment passed and Clarion did the same. They stared at the night sky, a dark shade of blueish-black, normal by their standards, but holding more secrets than either could possibly say. The blood-red moon and silver stars twinkled in a sequence of flashes as though laughing down at them. Even the darkness seemed to allude to danger.

"The time has come," Lord Milori spoke darkly. "The harvest moon is upon us once again."

At first, Queen Clarion did not acknowledge the winter fairy. Her gaze dropped back to Springtime Square...and all those who had gathered there. She watched them, possibly pitying them. Possibly concerned. With the shadows from the moon shadowing her face, it was difficult to tell, even for the love of her life.

"Have you told them?"

Clarion jerked her attention from the fairy circle but refused to face Milori or answer his question. Instead, she fixed her eyes on the Pixie Dust tree which shone with glorious golden life. It was beautiful. She could hardly believe that such a world of peace and beauty could be on such a warpath, that danger could be lurking around every bend. It just didn't feel...right.

"Clarion." The Lord of the Winter fairies, seeing that she didn't respond and knowing her well enough to know what that meant, moved forward to speak more urgently. "You have to tell them the truth! Tell them--"

"Tell them what, Milori?" Clarion demanded, her tone almost inaudible, whipping around finally to face him. "That everything they've ever known has been a lie? That Pixie Hollow is about to be destroyed? How do you suggest I do that exactly? Please, tell me."

Milori stared at her, disappointment igniting across his face as he moved to take her hands in his and look her evenly in the eyes. "There was a time when you would never have second-guessed yourself. A time when you would have announced the truth proudly to anyone who would listen. Believe me. I remember."

"That was a long time ago," Clarion mumbled, looking away sharply, but not pulling from his grasp. "I was young. Foolish. I was--"

"The bravest fairy I'd ever met," the sparrowman cut her off. "Look," he added, noticing her hesitancy. "I know how hard it must have been seeing him turn. But there was nothing you could do about it then. You did what you had to do. You saved us all. He wouldn't have and you know it. Now you have a chance to protect us once more."

"But it's not me anymore," Clarion protested. "Neverland has chosen a new Protector."

"A-another?" Milori blinked, as though unsure he'd heard her right. "How? When did this happen?"

"At their Arrival," Clarion responded shortly, hesitantly. "Several years ago."

"And you're just telling me this now?"

"It was never of any importance until tonight," the queen responded. "Never has the Harvest Moon and the Season Turn fallen on the same day. And you know what that means as well as I do. He'll be freed tonight. I doubt twenty Springs locked away will have changed his opinion one bit. He'll come back, Milori, and...and I can't stop him." A single tear formed in her eyes and she tried to blink it away so he wouldn't see it.

Milori noticed this action. "Is that what you're so concerned about?" he questioned. "Why? If you know who the fairy is, why don't you just go to them and tell them the truth?"

Clarion sighed. "I may not have many options," she confessed. "But I'm afraid. What if they aren't ready to know the truth? What if they end up just like him? Pixie Hollow can't take a repeat of history."

"Well, he was a tinker. Surely this Protector couldn't be..." Milori trailed off when he saw her expression. "No, no, please tell me that's not true...that it couldn't be..."

"It is."

"Two tinkers in a row?" Milori drew back to stare at her in shock. "The odds of that...are so astronomical..."

"But yet, it makes sense in a kind of weird and twisted way," she smiled wryly. "We had a tinker become the Protector of Death. Why not have one as the Protector of Life?"

"But...you know the legends!" Milori spluttered. "About two fairies being of the same talent! Scarab warned--"

"I know."

"And there's nothing you can do?"

"No. The tinker was chosen. This is a higher power at work here than what I can control, Milori. I can do nothing but guide the chosen now. But still, what if--"

"Test them."

"Pardon?"

"You know, tell them the truth. Train them. See if they really have what it takes."

"You mean deceive them?"

Milori shrugged. "Not really deceive. More like...nudge forcibly in the right direction. That way, we can't make the mistake we did last time."

Clarion hesitated, not at all liking what he was suggesting. But yet, as she hovered there, she knew he was right. There was really no other option. This had to be done. Even if it could potentially destroy everything she'd worked for...Pixie Hollow was in danger. He had to be stopped...and she would do whatever it took to protect her kingdom...one way or another, no matter what it took.

"All right," she told him, nodding firmly as he reached down to pet his bird reassuringly. "I'll consider it. I don't like it, mind you. Nothing good can come of this and I fear there may be repercussions from this that we cannot even begin to fathom. But if it protects Never Land, then I suppose I really have no option."

Milori nodded. "I understand how hard this decision is for you. I won't push you to do anything. Just...remember...be gentle, okay? You remember what happened the last time when you were too hasty..."

"I do."

And that was that. The conversation ended. Both fairies returned to staring off into the distance. Silence held between them. And then, finally, Milori glanced over at the Queen. "It's getting late. I should be getting back to the border. But, Clarion, before I go...there's something I must tell you."

She looked over at him expectantly. "Yes?"

"I just..." The lord hesitated, seeing the pain in her eyes and deciding now wasn't the right time. He would try again later, when she was more like herself, when all this nonsense about Protectors and prophecies was behind them. "Happy Harvest, Clarion."

"Happy Harvest...My Love."