Song: "The Ocean"

        The three teenage fairies made a quick detour to Merlin's Cave to pick up the "extremely important parcel" before they took off for Coutarine Island, and when they finally did, Tracey and Ash had to rely on spells since they didn't have wings. Makenna didn't since she did have wings. The whole journey was beyond compare. It was magnificent – well, that was at least until Coutarine Island came into view. Raeven and Gina went with Tracey, Makenna, and Ash, and Tracey asked Raeven's family to watch Merlin's Island. If something came up, then he asked they should either communicate with him, Makenna, or Ash. Makenna felt like she was flying over Caribbean, Fiji-like water the entire flight to Coutarine Island! She felt so alive! She held her arms out to her sides and soared over the ocean's surface. Makenna peered down on it and twirled. She stuck her hand in the warm ocean water, and the salty liquid splashed onto her while she flew. Since Tracey wasn't exactly a Wizard Fairy like Ash yet, his flight spell didn't last as long as his. Its effects wore off pretty quickly. Before Tracey knew it, he tumbled towards the ocean, his deathbed, and Ash had to catch him. He did this by ordering his sword/staff to have him land on a blanket-like form of his magic. It now looked as if Tracey was flying on Aladdin's magic carpet. Gina landed on his shoulder and hugged it tightly. Unfortunately though, good times never lasted long for Makenna and Tracey.

        Just before they reached Coutarine Island, surprise, they were attacked by none other than the Octopus Man's watery minions! The three fairies and two animals at first didn't even see them creeping up on them from behind. Even though Poseidon had already failed so many times to catch Makenna and Tracey, he never gave up. He had to try everything in his willpower to stop Makenna from becoming a Merfairy Metamorphic Fairy. He still set his goal to succeed in stone.

Not noticing the minions quite yet, Ash smiled at Makenna and Tracey and gestured forward with his hand. "There it is," he spoke, "My home. Welcome to Coutarine Island." Makenna heard him and peered forward, gasping. Tracey though gulped because he had very bad memories of Coutarine Island from the year before. Sitting directly in front of the three fairies and his and Makenna's avian friends was another beautiful, tropical island! This island didn't have a volcano, but it was still as beautiful as Merlin's Island. The whole island was green and colorful with white sand beaches and beautifully colored water.

Makenna's mouth dropped open at the sight of it. "Wow," she whispered. Man, she loved being a fairy! She couldn't wait to explore Coutarine Island! Her eyes landed on the clear ocean down below, and she noticed a few dolphins swimming close to surface underwater. She also saw that she, Ash, Tracey, Raeven, and Gina were flying over a coral reef, and she couldn't help but to smile. Together, the fairies, Raeven, and Gina witnessed ocean life perform a show! It was so beautiful – it was hard to believe that they were in danger. The dolphins swimming down below, at the same time, leaped out of the ocean, and dove back into it. They were in perfect sync with each other. Flocks of terns and seagulls soared by Makenna, Tracey, and Ash's heads, and Gina waved to a few more birds her kind.

The gentle Atlantic Ocean even whispered! It spoke to Makenna Delling. She heard it.

The water whispered, "The Ocean," in a sweet, female voice, and young Makenna whispered,

"It's beautiful," back.

        Gina opened her wings and leaped off Tracey's shoulder. She flew into a flock of terns and started to mingle with them. Down below, the dolphins happily clicked. Two of them slapped their tails together and dove underwater to catch fish in the reef. Makenna had an urge to watch them feed. She glanced at Ash, and he nodded at her.

Waving his hand, he said, "Go on. I'll make sure Tracey doesn't dive in after you." Makenna thanked him and peered down on the beautiful water and coral reef.

The ocean again whispered, "The Ocean," and she grinned, nodding at Raeven. He gestured for her to move along. The Metamorphic Fairy soon took a deep breath and flapped her wings. She dove into the ocean and created a small splash. Ash and Tracey stopped flying above, and they waited for her to return. Stopping though only put them in even more danger, but still, they didn't see the sirens.

        Makenna couldn't help but to just stare at the coral reef. It was gorgeous! It had to be probably one of the most beautiful coral reefs she's ever seen, even more beautiful than pictures of ones online! Then again though, she was at Coutarine Island in the fairy world. The coral reef was large – it had a magnificent structure and many different colors. Makenna kicked her legs and followed the dolphins. It was interesting. Even though she didn't have scuba fins, just feathers on her legs, she swam gracefully through the water. It didn't even sting her eyes. This was another mermaid-like change Makenna was going through since she was almost a Merfairy. Her long, ankle-length hair swayed in the water, and she followed the dolphins to the heart of the reef where all the fish thrived. Above surface, the bright sunshine made it colorful and beautiful. Makenna Delling's eyes landed on the floor of the reef, white sand which was surrounded by towers of coral, and she swam down to it. Schools of different fish danced around her while she swam. Makenna landed on the sand, and she watched as the dolphins fed. Suddenly, Makenna gasped underwater and reached for her mouth. Wait a minute, how long had she been under?! Also now since she was almost a Merfairy, she could hold her breath for about twenty minutes. Makenna didn't learn this until a little later. For now, she tried to answer in her head why she wasn't drowning. The thought left her though when a sea turtle swam by her head. Makenna smiled at it. Ah, sea turtles. She loved them.

        Right after the turtle left, that was when things became a little hectic. A bundle of green seaweed soon approached Makenna Delling, and her eyes widened at the sight of it. A water spirit had come to visit her!

The seaweed took on the form of a woman, and she whispered, "The Ocean." Makenna again gasped. It was her! The spirit was the one who had whispered, "The Ocean!" Makenna smiled and waved at her. She expected for the spirit to wave back, but it was strange. She didn't! Makenna saw fear in her face! Fear! The spirit frantically waved her hands and gestured for Makenna to get to Coutarine Island as soon as possible. The young fairy turned on a confused face. Was the spirit warning her about something? She was, but Makenna didn't understand. When the seaweed spirit saw she didn't have a clue what she was talking about, she shot towards the ocean's surface, and Makenna observed. Suddenly, she had a bad feeling. Uh oh. The feeling turned into a very bad feeling.

        The seaweed spirit lifted out of the ocean, still in the form of a woman, and she soared to Ash, Tracey, Raeven, and Gina that still hovered.

Ash just finished explaining to Tracey why Makenna could hold her breath for so long, because he had grown a little worried, and he nodded understandingly, "Wow. So Makenna is very close to becoming a Merfairy, Ash?"

"She is." Ash explained, "However, in order for her to truly become one, she must first..." Raeven cut him off though right here.

He noticed the seaweed spirit flying to them. "Um, Ash," he spoke, "what's that over there?" He pointed at the spirit, and Ash, Tracey, and Gina glanced at him.

"What are you talking about, Raeven?" Gina asked him through telepathy.

"AHH!" Tracey suddenly shouted. He cried out in pain and grabbed either side of his head, "Stop! I'm not going with you!"

"Tracey!" Ash gasped, and he glanced at him, "What's wrong?!" Tracey's left arm of his uniform, from out of nowhere, glowed up, and next to it appeared an image of the Octopus Man's trident! Usually when the mark appeared, it meant that he was being approached by either Poseidon himself or his minions. Ash's spell started to wear off. Tracey craved the ocean again, and Ash noticed this. A blast of wind almost blew his scabbard off his back, but he grabbed it before it could. He whirled around, and his mouth fell open when he saw the seaweed spirit flying towards him, Tracey, Gina, and Raeven. Tracey again yelled. The mark next to his arm glowed brighter and brighter. He tried to fight the spell, but it was very, very difficult.

Ash recognized the seaweed spirit and yelled, "Ethelinda!" He knew her. Ethelinda was the guardian of Coutarine Island, and he was very good friends with her. She reached Ash and circled him, Gina, and Raeven. He watched every movement she made. Ethelinda pointed behind the blanket Tracey rested on and waved her free hand. Ash looked. Suddenly, he gasped and pushed by Tracey. The Octopus Man's sirens appeared, and they jumped out of the ocean. Together, they closed in on the two fairies, bird, and bat. Ash immediately became serious. He yelled, "Go!" at Tracey, "Get away from the ocean! Hurry to Coutarine Island!"

"But what about Makenna?" Tracey questioned. He reached behind his back and drew a shuriken, his main weapon.

Ash brought back his hand and shouted, "I'll get her! You can't dive into the ocean! The Octopus Man will try to pull ya to the Bermuda Triangle!"

"But..." Tracey started. He didn't want Ash to get all the fame! After all, it was Tracey who met Makenna in the first place. He knew her better than Ash did. Tracey knew it would be risky, but he wanted to at least try to get Makenna. He normally didn't disobey people, but he felt that Ash was only trying to show off in order to impress Makenna, even though he wasn't. His mind was still wrapped around the whole bullying thing from the year before. Tracey felt that Ash was just another Peter Nelson in disguise. He wasn't though. He would never try to steal Makenna away from Tracey, but he didn't understand this yet. Since this troubled thought haunted him, Tracey felt that it was only necessary that he should be the one to save Makenna, not Ash. When Ash wasn't looking, he drove his magic blanket to the surface of the ocean and peered into the clear water, taking a deep breath.

Gina, who hovered next to his ear, soon realized what he was about to do, and she gasped. "No, Tracey!" she shouted, and she grabbed Tracey's tuft of hair that stood up on the center of his head with her claws. Tracey shooed her away.

His entire body shook with fear, but he tried his best to stay calm. "All right, Tracey," he whispered, "you've got this. You've got this, Tracey. Makenna is counting on you to get her out of the ocean. Peter Nelson in disguise over there is not going to hurt her with me around."

"Tracey, stop!" Gina shouted. She pulled his hair again. Tracey shook her off. Sweat poured down his temples, he was so scared, but he stayed calm. Then, once he was ready, he inhaled and dove off Ash's magic blanket! SPLASH! "Tracey!" Gina shouted.

        Poseidon's minions headed straight for Ash. He reached back and grabbed the hilt of his magic sword. Drawing it, the sun's rays caused the blade to shine.

Ash snapped his left arm to the side and bravely shouted, "Come and get me!" to the minions. If there was a time when he wasn't carefree or clumsy, it was when his friends were in danger. Ash next drew his shield, and he lifted his sword over his head. The sirens closed in – closer, closer, and BAM! Ash attacked! With his sword, the young man repeatedly slashed the sirens – he had great stamina – and sliced them in two! Every time he did, the siren exploded into stray water and sprayed him. Ash let out a battle cry and continued to attack.

        While he fought the sirens, underwater in the ocean, Tracey searched the coral reef for Makenna. He also strangely, for some reason, could now hold his breath much longer too! Like Makenna, the salt water didn't sting his eyes, and he could easily swim! Wait a minute, could that mean that...? The Octopus Man's curse really started to get to Tracey now, but he fought it as hard as he could. Since he was in the ocean, just as Ash said, the Octopus Man tried to pull him to the Bermuda Triangle. The current picked up, but Tracey grabbed some coral, non-poisonous, and closed his eyes. He held on for dear life. The current continued to pull him, but he maintained a tight grasp.

He heard the Octopus Man's voice in his head, "COME, TRACEY. COME TO THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE." Tracey shook his head and next wrapped his arms around the coral.

        Above the waves, where Ash still fought the sirens, he performed a fierce move with his sword! About thirty sirens came for him from every direction, and each one of them showed their nasty fangs and glowing red eyes. Ash wasn't scared. He pointed his sword straight at the sky, and the blade of it glowed up the familiar, blue color. It was like the sword in the stone. Lowering it, the young knight twirled as fast as he could, and sudden magic escaped the sword's blade! It slammed into all the sirens attacking Ash and sent them tumbling back into the ocean! SLAM! TUMBLE!

"Whoa!" Ash shouted, "Now that is what I'm calling a special attack!" He quickly turned in the direction of Gina, "Did ya see that, Gina?" However, he gasped when he saw his empty, magic blanket hovering over the ocean, "Where's Tracey?" Gina closed her eyes and slowly pointed her claw at the water. Ash looked, and his jaw fell open, "He didn't!"

Through telepathy, Gina explained, "He did. I think he feels that you're trying to steal Makenna away from him."

"I'm not!" Ash spoke, "What is with boys who go crazy over a girl? Oh man, this is bad. No wonder the ocean is getting a little rough now."

"Ash, please." Raeven begged. He hovered next to him, "My fairy needs me."

Ash peeked over his shoulder to see more sirens coming for him.

He made up his mind and turned to Ethelinda. "Ethelinda, please!" he begged, "Get Makenna and Tracey out of the ocean! I'll take care of the sirens!" The seaweed spirit nodded, and she dove back into the ocean. Ash faced the sirens and held his sword in both hands.

        Underwater, life in the coral reef scattered as the current continued to pull Tracey. Why did he think he could save Makenna? The Octopus Man's curse hurt him too much. He wanted to throw his shuriken, but he was scared to let go of the coral. Tracey was so scared. However, just when he thought all was lost, he felt somebody grab his wrist! It was Makenna! Tracey opened his eyes and saw her. Makenna noticed he was in danger, so she came to help him. She couldn't even believe, like Ash, that he dove into the ocean when clearly he was cursed! That was a true friend and true bravery there. Makenna pulled Tracey off the coral and started to drag him through the water. The current though was way too strong. The Octopus Man nearly had Tracey! His hand started to slip from Makenna's grasp!

Hair waved in her face, and she yelled, "No! Tracey!" underwater. Bubbles merely escaped her lips. This though was when Ethelinda swooped in and saved them. Her seaweed suddenly circled both fairies, and they gasped. It circled them in a whirlpool-like way and shoved them out of the ocean!

Where Ash was, he, Raeven, and Gina saw the whirlpools and said, "Ooh," at the same time.

"Make a wish, guys." Ash spoke, "Thank you, Ethelinda." A watery minion crept up on him from behind and reached out her hands. Without looking, Ash snapped back his sword and sliced her.

        Ethelinda escorted Makenna and Tracey straight to Coutarine Island and as far away from the ocean as possible. She dumped them into the jungle and sent them sliding down a fern-covered hill. Makenna and Tracey yelled and hugged each other as they slid. They couldn't see at all where they were going.

        When they finally reached the bottom of the hill, they flew forward and yelled, "Whoa!" Makenna and Tracey landed in a bed of ferns next to a river. Officially they were now on Coutarine Island! The river the two fairies landed next to ran through the entire island and fed into the ocean. Makenna soon sat up in the ferns. She shook her head and reached for it. Tracey sat up too, and he sighed with relief when he saw that Makenna was okay.  

Feebly chuckling, he said, "Well, that's one way to see the island."

"Tracey!" Makenna yelled, "Thank goodness you're okay!" Her eyes landed on the river, "Water!" Makenna just realized how thirsty she was. She crawled towards the river, but behind, Tracey said, "Makenna, wait!" Makenna didn't listen. She approached the river and cupped her hands together. She picked up a handful of water and tossed it into her mouth.

Immediately, she spit it out. "Ugh!" she shouted, and she clenched her fist, "This stupid water is salt water!"

"I tried to warn you," said Tracey. He stood up and rubbed himself down. Approaching Makenna who wiped her mouth, he took her by the hands and gently pulled her to her feet. They stared into each other's eyes, and Makenna noticed Tracey was blushing. "You know," he admitted, "you're even more beautiful than I remember. Everything about you this year is wonderful."

"Except for my braces." Makenna said. She showed Tracey her cobalt braces.

He chuckled and shook his head, "No. I think they look good."

"Really?" Tracey nodded. "Thank you, Tracey," continued Makenna. She gave him a quick hug, and when they let go, she asked, "Now where is...?"

        Suddenly, "Land ho!" was heard from the sky, and hearing it, Makenna and Tracey looked up. Another whirlpool of Ethelinda's seaweed appeared, and it twirled down to the two fairies. Tracey immediately lost his smile, and he stepped in front of Makenna to protect her. Ash emerged from the whirlpool, and he waved, "Aluna! Welcome to Coutarine Island!" Raeven and Gina were with him, and each of them flew to their friends.

"Raeven!" Makenna laughed. She hugged him and stepped by Tracey to get to Ash, "Thank you, Ash!"

"You should have seen me, guys!" announced Ash, and he started to play with his sword again, "I was like whoosh, kaboom, whoomp to all those minions! That was the most fun I've had all day!"

"And you got us to Coutarine Island too." Makenna admitted, "Ash, you're amazing! Now all we have to do is deliver Merlin's package and seek out the wizard Selene wants us to find. Which should we do first?" Behind her, Tracey lowered his head and sighed.

"Hm." Ash spoke, "Good question, Makenna." He put up his shield and lifted his right hand, bringing it to his chin, "If the parcel Merlin wants is so important, then we probably should deliver that first."

Makenna shook her head, "I so totally agree." She chuckled, "You're so smart, Ash." Tracey turned red from his heels up.

"To find out where Merlin is hiding though," explained Ash, "we must first seek out Evelyn of the fairy sprites."

Makenna waved her hand, "Right! Exactly!" She confusingly peered into Ash's face, "What are those again?" With every passing second, Tracey looked more upset and jealous.

Ash soon answered Makenna's question, "Fairy sprites, Makenn, are the inhabitants of this island. Evelyn is the wisest of them all. Fairy sprites are very small fairies that live in tiny villages spread out all over Coutarine."

"Oh, so they're like pixies?" asked Makenna.

Ash nodded, "Precisely. I can call them to help. One of the sprites' villages, Aluna, isn't far from here. I should do all the talking though. The sprites know me best."

"You? Why?" Makenna questioned. She was very curious.

        Before Ash could speak though, Tracey answered, and he totally lost it! He took in Ash's explanation the wrong way.

Throwing down his shuriken, he glared at him and yelled, "Maybe because, unlike you, the sprites are not idiots!"

"Tracey!" Makenna yelled. Too late. Tracey's words were set in stone. Did he seriously just say that? Tracey never said anything mean! He totally hurt Ash's feelings. The young knight dropped his sword, and tears appeared in his eyes.

He started to stammer, "Wha? Wha? Wha?" and Makenna noticed he was crying.

"Oh, my gosh," she spoke, "Oh, my gosh. I'm sorry, Ash. I'm sorry. Come here." She approached Ash and pulled him into a hug. Tracey felt absolutely awful for hurting his feelings, but he was too scared to admit it and apologize.

"I did nothing wrong!" Ash cried into Makenna's shoulder.

"I know, I know," she spoke, and she rubbed his back, "You didn't. I'm sorry about Tracey." She comforted Ash for a little bit longer. When he calmed down, he stood up straight again and picked up a clump of Makenna's hair. He used it to rub his eyes. Makenna nodded and patted his wrist. Tracey couldn't hold his guilt and fear in any longer.

        Before Ash could call for the sprites of Aluna, Tracey burst out sobbing! Gina gasped and hopped off his shoulder.

Makenna and Ash heard Tracey and turned towards him. "Tracey?" Makenna asked. Why was he crying? The young Metamorphic Fairy dropped her crystal wings behind her back.

"I miss them!" Tracey sobbed, "I miss them! It doesn't look like I do, but I do!"

Makenna didn't understand, "Miss what?"

"My wings!" chokingly answered Tracey, "I just can't stand watching you and Ash fly! It makes me feel like my entire world has crumbled and fallen!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" Makenna wondered.

"Because I just want things to be back the way they were!" yelled Tracey, "I thought I could do it myself! I don't want to be cursed! I want to fly again! And now that Ash is here, I'm afraid that, because he can fly and is a warrior, you're going to lean more towards him and forget about me!" Makenna couldn't believe what he was saying! This was coming from Tracey, Merlin the Great's apprentice, the apprentice who bravely tried to protect her from Peter Nelson the year before! She turned really sweet here.

She really had changed since Ninth Grade. "Oh, Tracey." Makenna spoke, "I could never forget about you. You're my best friend. I love you."

"But," Tracey stammered, "Ash is a Wizard Fairy and warrior."

"True," Ash explained, "but I'm not perfect, Tracey. In fact, I still have a lot to learn. I'm technically just like you. I don't have wings either. I lost them a long time ago, but I never let it bring me down. I don't want you to ever say you're going to be forgotten. Makenna there meant what she said. You're her best friend, and she loves you that way. Gina is also your best friend." Gina nodded and landed on Tracey's shoulder again. "Good friends always help one another out." Ash continued, "Makenna and Raeven came for a reason. They want to help you. I'm really just an extra. Nobody is alone in the world, Tracey. There always will be a friend there for you."

"So," Tracey spoke in a choked voice, "you're not trying to hurt Makenna?"

"Of course not!" answered Ash, "Your safety is just as important as hers, Tracey. That's my mission. It's also the mission of a Wizard Fairy. We basically are the rangers of the fairy world." Tracey closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his body. He continued to cry.

Makenna knew he was scared. "Aw, come here, baby," she said, "Come here." She wrapped her arms around Tracey and gave him a nice, long hug, "It's okay. You're going to be okay. Ash, Raeven, Gina, and I will make sure the Octopus Man doesn't take you. We're going to help you through this tough time. After all, that's what friends are for." She let Tracey have his cry and rubbed his head, "Shh. Shh. You're safe with us. You also miss Merlin, don't you?"

Tracey finally returned her hug. He felt Ash pat his shoulder and chokingly asked Makenna, "How did you know?"

"I know you much better than you think I do," Makenna replied, "and I also know Merlin is like a father to you. Arthur saw him the same way all those years ago." Gina rubbed up against Tracey's head.

Finally, when he calmed down, he disconnected from Makenna and rubbed his eyes. "I think I'm okay now," he spoke, and he glanced at Ash, "I'm sorry, Ash. I'm sorry I said that to you."

Ash smiled, "Don't worry. Do you want to start over?" Tracey nodded and held out his hand. Ash took it, and the two boys shook in a friendly way. They definitely got along much better than Peter Nelson and Tracey.