Eventually, the storm passed. The rain stopped, and the wind slowed. The dark clouds began leaving Seabrook Island. Very faintly, the sun poked out from behind one of them.

On North Beach, Makenna's surfboard still rested where she left it, but there was no sign of her. Powerful waves and foam crashed onto the shoreline.

As they crashed, they said, "Beware, Seabrook Island! This isn't the last time you'll see a storm like this! Another powerful one will come, and we can guarantee somebody will get hurt!"

Another large wave hammered the shoreline. That one grabbed Makenna's surfboard and whisked it out to sea.

The sea continued across the rough Atlantic Ocean until it finally fed into a small, mysterious island filled with vegetation. Numerous coastal trees and even a volcano stood and overlooked the ocean. The island's beach was covered in fluffy, white sand, and small waves crashed onto it.

Resting on the sand on her front, still unconscious, was Makenna. Whoever rescued her had taken her to the island.

Makenna was out for a few hours. When she finally woke, she groaned and rubbed her nose on the sand. Lifting her head, she spat out sand and coughed up a storm. Ugh, she must've swallowed half the ocean.

When Makenna managed to catch her breath, she dropped her hand from her chest and peered behind her. "What the—?" she asked, rising to her knees. She brushed the sand off her, but feeling her dress, she peered down and gasped at seeing her new outfit. Oh no, she was still wearing her fairy-like attire!

Makenna gasped again and jumped to her feet. In a feeble voice, she whispered, "Oh gosh." She twisted her head, and her eyes landed on her tiny wings.

They waved "hello" at her.

Makenna stared. She then screamed and reached for her head. "Ah! I really am a freak! No." Makenna shook her head. "I may be a freak, but I am not a fairy! Get it together, Makenna!" She next peered back at the forest. Makenna nervously said, "That does not look like Seabrook Island." Her eyes were fixed upon the volcano. Makenna shook her shoulders and stepped toward the island's forest, adding, "Oh, please, say there's someone in that forest that will take me back."

Taking a deep breath, she brought her hands to her chest and approached the forest. Soon standing before it, Makenna nodded. "All right, here I go." She stepped forward, but it happened again just before she entered the forest.

Makenna's wings flapped, and she was thrown into the sky. "Ahh!" screamed the young fairy. "Oh, God! Oh, God! Oh, God!"

Purposely, the wings dropped her, and Makenna yelled as she crashed through some tree branches, but she managed to grab one of the branches and break her fall. She closed her eyes when she felt the branch bending. Soon, Makenna hovered over a rocky, rough river in the forest.

The sun's rays, which poked through the clouds, scanned its bed, and plants waved in the wind.

Makenna held on for dear life. Opening her eyes, she said, "Uhh," as the branch continued to bend. A faint cracking sound came from it. "No, no!" Makenna begged. "Don't break on me! Don't break on me, please!" Before she knew it, the branch broke, and Makenna fell toward the river, yelling. However, just before she hit it, her wings flapped and caught her an inch from the river's surface. Makenna gasped as the tip of her nose touched the water, and her eyes widened at the sight of the rocks.

After a bit, her wings pulled her up and took her to the riverbed.

Makenna landed on her bum. The second she did, her wings stopped flapping.

For a bit, Makenna sat there, frozen, but then she felt a pinch of excitement and peered back at her wings again. "Wow." She shook her head, "No!" and jumped to her feet. "I'm not a fairy! That was just a trick of the wind! It was not my wings!"

"You're wrong, miss!" a sudden, young male voice said from nowhere. "That was definitely your wings. And if you don't mind me saying, miss, your ignorance is showing because you have no clue that you're a real fairy now."

"Who said that?" Makenna shouted. "How dare you call me ignorant!" She rapidly searched the area. "Where are you? Who are you?"

"I don't have to tell you who I am," said the voice. "You're the one who should be telling me who you are."

Continuing to search the area, Makenna clenched her fist. "I'm Makenna Delling, and I need to get back to Seabrook Island."

"Oooh," said the voice, "so you're Makenna Delling. It's a pleasure to meet you finally." It sounded like the mysterious voice came from up above.

Gulping, Makenna peered up at a tree. She gasped when she saw Tracey hanging out one of the tree's branches with his hand on his hip.

"I'm Tracey," he said, "Merlin's apprentice, and I must admit that I am honored to finally meet you face to face, Miss Makenna Delling."

"What in the name of—?" Makenna said. "How did you get up there, kid?"

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Tracey, closing his eyes. "I flew up here." He opened them. "Like you, I can fly. Hyah!" Tracey turned into a green blur and leaped from the tree, landing beside Makenna.

She gasped and turned to him.

Waving, Tracey nervously said, "Hi."

"What are you supposed to be, Ninja Boy?" Makenna glared. "An ogre?"

Tracey furrowed his brows. "I'm a fairy, and my name is Tracey!"

Makenna held up her hands and shook her shoulders, sarcastically saying, "Excuse me."

"And who are you?" Tracey asked although he had listened earlier. "What are you doing on Merlin's Island?"

Again, Makenna clenched her fist. "My name is Makenna Delling, Ninja Boy, and I don't have time for your ridiculous fairy tales! There is no such thing as Merlin's Island!"

Tracey crossed his arms. "Well, that's more your problem than mine, right?"

"Amateur!" Makenna shouted. "Get out of my sight! I don't need any so-called fairies like you bothering me!"

"I'm not leaving," he said. "Not until I get a 'thank you' for saving you from drowning."

"What?" Makenna asked, amazed. "You're the one who saved me and brought me here?"

"I am," Tracey seriously said. "And I would like a 'thank you.'"

"Fine, " Makenna growled. "Thank you."

"Politely," Tracey bickered. "I think you're the amateur here, Makenna."

"Who do you think you are?"

"I'm Merlin's apprentice and will take you to the great wizard."

"You're disgusting!" Makenna shouted. "Merlin's not real! So long, Ninja Boy! I'm going home!" She turned on her heel and marched past Tracey, but he grabbed her wrist and stopped her. Makenna turned and glared.

Tracey asked her, "Do you even know the way back to Seabrook Island?"

"No," answered Makenna, "but I don't need likes like you getting in my way." She glanced at her wrist and tried to rip it free. "Let go of me, Ninja Boy!" Finally releasing it, she clenched her fist and punched Tracey across the face, knocking him to the ground. Makenna shook out her hand and turned, marching away. She dove behind a bush and disappeared into the forest.

***

From where Tracey rested, he groaned and reached for his cheek. Man, Makenna knew how to punch, but he wouldn't slow down because of just one punch. He would chase after Makenna, even if she were a brat.

Dropping his hand, Tracey struggled to his feet, but he wobbled a bit once standing. When Tracey finally regained balance, he peered into another tree and nodded. He could spot Makenna better on another branch.

Again, Tracey nodded. Then, bending his knees and opening his arms, he jumped, turned into a green blur, and randomly appeared on a tree branch. Tracey searched for Makenna, but overgrown Kudzu vines blocked his view of the forest behind the river.

Tracey thought fast. He flapped his massive wings and leaped into the sky, reaching behind him. He pulled out his throwing stars and threw them forward. The stars sliced the vines and made his view clear.

There was Makenna. She marched on the forest bed and kicked a few stones.

Tracey next leaped all over the area where the vines used to be, like a flittering fly, and picked up his stars. He slipped them into his back pocket and yelled after Makenna, "Makenna!"

"Leave me alone!" she shouted.

"No, Makenna!" Tracey added. "Wait!" He flapped his wings and leaped into the sky, chasing after her. Behind him, green and purple fairy dust trailed.

As Makenna marched through the forest, she mocked Tracey: "'Well, that's more your problem than mine's, right?' Humph, Ninja Boy thinks I don't know my way home. I'll show him who the real boss is when—"

"Makenna!" yelled a sudden voice behind her. Tracey landed before her.

Stopping, Makenna glared and asked, "Why are you back?"

"Makenna, listen to me," said Tracey. He took her shoulders. "Merlin the Great wants to see you. We've waited seven long years for you to become a full-fledged fairy, and we need your help."

"With what?" Makenna asked.

"Well," said Tracey. He let her shoulders go and offered her his hand. "Come with me, and I'll take you to Merlin's Cave, where we'll discuss it."

"Fine," rudely agreed Makenna. She slapped Tracey's hand away. "But get that filthy hand away from me, Ninja Boy."

Tracey pulled his hand back and apologized. He then glared and said, "My name, Makenna, is not Ninja Boy! It's Tracey!"

"Whatever," Makenna said. She clenched her fist again and held it to his face. "Take me to this so-called Merlin, Tracey, unless you want a broken jaw!"

"Don't you dare threaten me like that, Makenna!" Tracey snapped. He pushed her fist away. "You don't want to get into it with me. I'm more knowledgeable about fairies and magic than you think, and cockiness is not an option for a Metamorphic Fairy."

"Oohh!" Makenna scoffed, blushing. She shoved Tracey's chest and knocked him down onto his backside. "Shut up, Ninja Boy, and just take me to this so-called Merlin! I swear, when I get back to Seabrook Island, I'm going to send my dad here, and he's going to beat the chizz out of you!"

"You're a liar." Tracey giggled sarcastically. "You're not going to do that. Admit it, Makenna, you're just trying to cause a scene. You think somebody will hear us and come get you, right?"

"Uh," Makenna stammered, "maybe."

"Well, it's not going to work," said Tracey, "and if you're wondering why, let me elucidate." He stood and brushed himself down. "This island is magical; only a magical being can see it and walk amongst its sand."

"What the—?" Makenna asked. She took a step back.

"That's right, Makenna," said Tracey. "A force field surrounds this island. You wouldn't be here if you weren't a magical being. But you are, and this is the proof. Because I'm here, I'm one, too."

"Dang, Ninja Boy," Makenna said with a shake of her head, "you're even worse than my brother."

"Your brother?" Tracey asked. He crossed his arms. "His name wouldn't happen to be Caleb, right?"

"What the—?" asked Makenna. She glared. "How do you know him?"

"Well," Tracey explained, "it goes back to what Sensei Merlin wanted me to do before the storm."

"Whoa, what?" snickered Makenna. "Sensei?"

"Yeah," Tracey said. "He taught me martial arts and ninjustu. He's my sensei. Before the storm, Makenna—brace yourself—he wanted me to use your brother as bait. He thought maybe if I brought him here to Merlin's Island, you would want to look for him, and your fairy instincts would lead you here."

"You kidnapped my brother?" Makenna shouted. "How dare you! He's only eleven!"

"True," said Tracey, "but keep in mind, Makenna, that I didn't want to kidnap him, but I also didn't want to disappoint my master. He was a good sport about it. He promised he would do everything in his willpower to help you become a Crystal Metamorphic Fairy, and to start, he would let me kidnap him."

"What do you mean 'Crystal Metamorphic Fairy'?" Makenna growled. "What are you talking about, Ninja Boy? I just want my brother back! Where is he? You better not have hurt him!"

Lifting into the sky, Tracey said, "He's fine, but I'm not allowed to give you clues to him. You have to ask Sensei Merlin. He knows more than me."

"Where is this sensei of yours?" Makenna growled. "You better take me to him, Ninja Boy, so I can give him a piece of my mind!"

"Ah," Tracey said, "for once, I like your attitude, Makenna. Come on, I'd be glad to take you to him. It's always nice when two friends work together as a team."

"We're not friends!" Makenna fought. "I don't care about you and this so-called Merlin! I just want my brother back!"

"Aw man," said Tracey, "that hurts. That's gonna leave a scar. We're partners if you don't want to be friends."

"Partners is just fine," Makenna said, "but we will never be friends."

She and Tracey met eyes, and there was an awkward silence. They both felt warm and fuzzy inside and slightly smiled at one another.

Then, Makenna shook her head and glared again. "Don't just hover there, Ninja Boy, take me to this so-called Merlin!"

Tracey bowed. "As you wish." He gestured with his hand, "Follow me," and flew forward.

Behind, Makenna mocked, "'As you wish,'" and groaned. Then she jogged after the young, ninja-like fairy.

They ventured through the forest for a while. Makenna took the lead and walked before Tracey, trying to ignore him.

He flew behind her, running his mouth. "So, Makenna, what's the human world like? I mean, I know there are cities, but is it true that every human has the heart of an angel? I read somewhere that humans made these huge pieces of technology called airplanes that can transport humans from place to place. I also heard of these things called tanks that can blast hello and goodbye. Don't you find the human world fascinating? I mean, I know I do. Isn't there a place called Nova Scotia where everybody who lives there is nice?"

"Every Canadian is nice, Ninja Boy," said annoyed Makenna. "Quiet, please."

"Really?" Tracey asked. "I've never been to Canada. Is it as pretty as people say it is? I've heard that camping is amazing there. Isn't camping when you gather a tent and sleeping bag and stay in a national park?"

"You can also camp in a provincial park," Makenna explained. "And yes, camping is wonderful in Canada. Now, shush."

"What about surfing?" inquired Tracey. "How's the surfing there? Isn't surfing when you gather a board and try to catch oceanic waves?"

"Ninja Boy!" Makenna shouted, doing a facepalm. "Shut up!"

"But I'm curious!" said Tracey. "I've been living as Merlin's apprentice my entire life! I've never had the chance to see the world beyond Seabrook Island! Sensei keeps me busy! I want to know what's—" Makenna grabbed him by the wristband and twisted his wrist as hard as she could. "Ow!" yelled Tracey. "Why would you do that?"

Makenna threw him to the ground. "That's for not shutting your mouth, Ninja Boy! Goodbye! I'll see you at Merlin's Cave!" She turned on her heel and marched into a mass of overgrown Kudzu vines. Makenna gasped. "Ninja Boy, help!" The vines wrapped around her and lifted her into the sky.

Tracey, who was massaging his wrist, jumped to his feet. "Makenna! Oh no! Don't worry! I'll help you!"

"Ninja Boy, hurry!" Makenna yelled as the vines started to wrap around her neck. "Kudzu vines! They're Kudzu vines!"

"Stay calm, Makenna!" yelled Tracey. "I'm coming!" With his eyes glued on Makenna, he sprinted toward her, and—! Tracey crashed into a tree. "Uhh," he said. He fell onto his back. While trying to recover from his fall, a few vines slithered toward him and wrapped around his ankle. "Oh, yikes!" Tracey said as the vines also lifted him into the air.

He soon hung upside-down beside Makenna, with his arms dangling.

Glancing at him, Makenna said, "Ninja Boy, what the heck? I thought you were Merlin's apprentice!"

"I am!" voiced Tracey. "Don't worry, Makenna, I'll get us out of this." He reached into his back pocket and pulled out one of his stars. With it tight in his grip, he reached up and started to saw away at the vine wrapped around his ankle. After a bit, he released it and fell toward the ground but landed on his feet. Once recovered from his fall, he shouted, "Makenna!" at the young Metamorphic Fairy and groaned, turning back into a green blur.

Sprinting toward her, Tracey jumped, and his blur leaped around Makenna. He was so fast that she couldn't keep up with him. When she tried, she grew dizzy.

Finally, Tracey's blur left, and young Makenna peered down at the vines wrapped around her. She gasped when they together sliced apart and fell to the ground. Makenna was free! But how?

She checked her hands and asked, "What in the world?" Then she fell to the ground and landed on her buttocks. "Ow!" Makenna yelled. "My buttocks!" She rubbed her tailbone.

Tracey, still holding his ninja star, hurried toward her but tripped because he wasn't used to walking and fell onto his face. Tracey huffed from where he rested. Then, flapping his wings, he lifted off the ground and flew to Makenna, grabbing her hand and starting to drag her. "Quick, Makenna!" he said. "Let's get out of here! Fly! Flap your wings!" He peered back and gasped when he saw the Kudzu vines creeping toward him and Makenna again.

Freaking out, young Makenna said, "But I can't fly, Ninja Boy! I don't know how to!"

"Well," said Tracey, "you're going to learn, and you're going to learn right here! I won't have any of these dumb excuses, and again, Makenna, my name is Tracey!"

"I don't care!" Makenna shouted at him. "Just take me to your so-called Sensei Merlin, Ninja Boy, and find a way to get rid of these plants!"

Scoffing, Tracey shook his head. "You're a disgrace, Makenna. It's sick."

"Disgrace?" yelled Makenna. "How dare you! You better shut that big mouth of yours, Ninja Boy, or else you really are going to have a broken jaw! I despise people like you!"

Ignoring her, Tracey landed before her and faced the Kudzu vines. With fire burning in his eyes, he shouted, "You Kudzu vines are getting on my last nerve!" Clenching his fists, Tracey glanced into the atmosphere, and green, fire-like magic appeared around him. Yelling again, he brought his hands forward, and a great blast of green magic shot out of them and slammed into the vines, throwing them back and slicing them.

Gasping, Makenna shouted, "Oh, my gosh!" She leaped out of the way of Tracey and dove behind a tree.

Merlin's apprentice continued to attack the vines. While he struck them, a great blast of wind blew his hair, and Makenna gasped again at the sight of his pointy ears. He really was a fairy!

After a bit, Tracey hit the vines one last time.

Terrified, they backed away from him, slithering on the ground like snakes, and disappeared into the forest.

Makenna peeked out from behind her tree and noticed that the green, fire-like magic surrounding Tracey was no longer there.

He cupped his hands and yelled at the vines, "Yeah, and stay away! Humph." He brushed himself down, "Amateurs," and turned toward Makenna. "I'll take you to Master Merlin, Makenna, and hopefully, you will have a different perspective of him and me when you leave." Turning on his heel, he repeated, "Humph," and opened his wings. "You're welcome." Tracey took off.

As he flew, Makenna said, "Whoa. That was some pretty serious sorcery." Then she glared and scoffed, "What a mouth." With a huff, she followed Tracey.