Disney Fairies: Vidia Meets Her Match Read online

  Copyright © 2009 Disney Enterprises, Inc.

  All rights reserved. Published by Disney Press, an imprint of Disney Book Group. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher.

  For information address Disney Press, 114 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10011-5690.

  ISBN 978-1-4231-5925-4

  Visit disneyfairies.com

  Table of Contents

  All About Fairies

  1

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  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

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  9

  10

  IF YOU HEAD toward the second star on your right and fly straight on till morning, you’ll come to Never Land, a magical island where mermaids play and children never grow up.

  When you arrive, you might hear something like the tinkling of little bells. Follow that sound and you’ll find Pixie Hollow, the secret heart of Never Land.

  A great old maple tree grows in Pixie Hollow, and in it live hundreds of fairies and sparrow men. Some of them can do water magic, others can fly like the wind, and still others can speak to animals. You see, Pixie Hollow is the Never fairies’ kingdom, and each fairy who lives there has a special, extraordinary talent.

  Not far from the Home Tree, nestled in the branches of a hawthorn, is Mother Dove, the most magical creature of all. She sits on her egg, watching over the fairies, who in turn watch over her. For as long as Mother Dove’s egg stays well and whole, no one in Never Land will ever grow old.

  Once, Mother Dove’s egg was broken. But we are not telling the story of the egg here. Now it is time for Vidia’s tale.…

  “A LAUGH IS coming! A new fairy is on the way!”

  The cry went up from a scout, who had spotted the glimmer from his treetop perch. A harvest talent fairy heard him. She passed the news to a butterfly herder, who shouted it to a garden-talent fairy. Soon, all around Pixie Hollow, fairies were aflutter with excitement.

  The fast-flying-talent fairy Vidia was lounging on a branch of her sour plum tree when the news reached her pointed ears.

  “A new fairy, hmm?” Vidia said. She sat up and peeked through the leaves of the tree. She saw groups of fairies hurrying toward the Home Tree. Snippets of their conversation drifted up to her.

  “Oh, I hope she’ll be a grass-weaving-talent fairy!”

  “We could really use another caterpillar herder.”

  “She’s a mud talent, I’m sure. I can feel it in my wings.”

  Vidia rolled her eyes. She didn’t care a shred about caterpillar herders or grass weavers or mud-talent fairies. The only fairies that interested her were fast fliers. But it had been ages since one of those had arrived in Pixie Hollow.

  Still, Vidia couldn’t help being curious. It was always an event when a new fairy arrived in Pixie Hollow. Besides, the sight of all the fairies flying quickly toward the courtyard made her want to race them there.

  “I might as well go see the new fairy,” she said to herself. She stood and flexed her wings. Then she sprang from the branch into the air.

  Vidia zoomed down over the meadow. She flew so fast that the tips of the grass bent beneath her like treetops in the wind. She skirted the orchard and did a double loop around the dairy barn, just to scare the mice inside. A dairy talent came out and shouted at her. But Vidia didn’t hear a word because the wind was rushing in her ears.

  Moments later, she flew up to the Home Tree. The courtyard was empty except for a single sweeping-talent fairy. She was tidying up with a twig-handled broom. Vidia whipped by so fast that she stirred up a dust devil.

  The sweeper chased the dust devil with her broom. “What’s the rush, Vidia?” she snapped.

  Vidia arched an eyebrow. “Haven’t you heard the news?” she said.

  “What news?” asked the sweeper.

  Vidia smirked. Not only had she flown faster than the other fairies—she’d flown faster than their gossip! In Pixie Hollow that was fast indeed.

  “A new fairy is arriving today,” she told the sweeper.

  The fairy’s eyes widened. “A new fairy? Today?” she cried. “But this place is a mess!” She began to scurry around the courtyard. She whisked her broom this way and that.

  How pitiful, Vidia thought, watching her. I’m glad I’m not a sweeping-talent fairy. Of course, she knew that sweepers loved to sweep as much as she loved to fly. Still, sweeping seemed hideously boring.

  Soon the others began to show up. The courtyard filled with fairies.

  They were all laughing and chattering.

  Vidia stood away from them. She leaned against a toadstool and folded her arms across her chest. I wish the laugh would hurry up, she thought. She was already sick of listening to the other fairies babble.

  “There! I see it!” Tinker Bell cried, pointing at the sky.

  The crowd hushed. High over their heads, the laugh was coasting in on a quick-moving breeze. When it passed the Home Tree, it dropped down. Just before it reached the courtyard, it exploded in a shimmering burst.

  Everyone crowded closer, eager to get a look at the new fairy. But when the shimmers cleared, they saw…nothing.

  The fairies stared at the empty spot where the new fairy should have been.

  “Was it merely a hiccup?” someone asked.

  Sometimes babies’ hiccups got caught on a breeze and floated all the way to Never Land. But these always vanished as soon as they arrived. Only a baby’s first laugh could turn into a fairy.

  “No, look! Up there!” exclaimed Prilla.

  The brand-new fairy was standing on a branch over their heads. She grinned down at them. At once, the crowd began to murmur.

  “How in Never Land did she get up there?”

  “She must have flown!”

  “Without fairy dust? Her wings must be strong!”

  Vidia took a closer look at the new fairy. If her wings really were that strong, she might be a fast flier after all.

  Someone new to race, Vidia thought. And someone new to beat.

  The fairy-dust-talent sparrow man Terence flew up to the new arrival. He sprinkled fairy dust over her. Then she began to glow like the other fairies—bright yellow, edged with gold. She fanned her wings, feeling fairy-dust magic for the first time.

  Then, with a quickness that made all the fairies gasp, she leaped from the branch. She darted to the ground and landed lightly in front of the crowd. Everyone quieted down. They waited for her to announce her name and talent.

  “My name is Wisp,” the new fairy declared. “I’m a fast-flying-talent fairy.”

  With a cheer, the fast fliers rushed forward to hug her. The rest of the fairies sighed and applauded.

  “The name suits her,” said the garden talent Rosetta. Other fairies nodded. Wisp was tiny, with a shock of wild white hair like a dandelion puff. Even her voice was light and quick.

  But Vidia didn’t care about Wisp’s name or what she looked like. It was Wisp’s talent that interested her. She pushed her way to the front of the crowd. Vidia was taller than most fairies, and she towered over Wisp.

  “Fly with you, darling,” she said to the new fairy. “It seems you and I have a lot in common.”

  “LEAVE HER ALONE, Vidia,” said a fast flier named Leeta. She put a protective arm around Wisp.

  Vidia raised her eyebrows and pretended to be surprised. “Can’t I greet a member of my own talent, dearest?” she asked.

  Leeta scowled. She turned to Wisp.

  “You don’t want to ge
t mixed up with Vidia,” she said. “She’s trouble.”

  Wisp looked at Vidia again. Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

  Vidia just shrugged. She knew that the other fairies didn’t like her. Even the fast fliers usually steered clear of her, unless they had to work together to stir up breezes. But Vidia didn’t care. She was faster than all of them put together. Who needed friends when you were the best?

  Before Vidia could say more, Leeta led the new fairy away. “Come on, Wisp,” Leeta said.

  “Where are we going?” Wisp asked.

  “To the hawthorn tree,” said Leeta. “You want to meet Mother Dove, don’t you?” Mother Dove was the magical bird who watched over the Never fairies.

  As they flew away, Wisp glanced at Vidia one more time. Vidia heard her ask Leeta, “Why don’t you like Vidia? Did she do something wrong?”

  Vidia couldn’t hear Leeta’s answer. But she knew what it would be. Leeta would tell Wisp that Vidia had plucked feathers from Mother Dove. Plucking was illegal, of course. But that hadn’t stopped Vidia.

  Vidia wished Wisp hadn’t left with Leeta so quickly. The child has promise, she thought. With the right training, she might make a half-decent fast flier. She decided to follow them to Mother Dove’s tree.

  As luck would have it, Leeta and Wisp were flying into the wind. Vidia usually hated headwinds because they slowed her down. But right now she was glad. The breeze carried Wisp and Leeta’s conversation back to her.

  “Why did she pluck the feathers?” she heard Wisp ask Leeta.

  “All of Mother Dove’s feathers are magical,” Leeta told Wisp. “You know that, right?”

  Wisp nodded. Like most fairies, she had arrived with some knowledge of Pixie Hollow.

  “Well, Vidia ground up the feathers. She used them to make extra-powerful fairy dust so that she could fly faster,” Leeta told her.

  “Vidia has special dust to fly faster?” Wisp asked.

  “Yes,” said Leeta. “She’s the fastest fairy in Pixie Hollow—and the most selfish.”

  Wisp and Leeta were now passing Havendish Stream. The noisy bubbling of the water drowned out their words.

  Vidia closed some of the distance between them. She didn’t want to miss anything they were saying.

  “What happened to the dust?” Wisp was asking when Vidia caught up.

  “No one knows for sure,” Leeta told her. “Some fairies say she still has it hidden in her home in the sour-plum tree. I heard that a fairy once tried to find it. When Vidia caught her, she grabbed her by the wings and threw her into Havendish Stream. She would have drowned if a water talent hadn’t spotted her!”

  So that’s what they’re saying about me, is it? Vidia thought with a chuckle. Well, at least it keeps them away from my tree.

  Wisp flew silently for a moment.

  Then she said, “I’d like to be the fastest fairy in Pixie Hollow. Wouldn’t you?”

  “Not if it means being like Vidia,” Leeta huffed. Vidia couldn’t see her face, but she could imagine its sour look. “When the scouts caught her stealing feathers, Queen Clarion grounded her for a month.”

  Leeta and Wisp both shuddered. For a fast flier, a whole month of not flying was unthinkable.

  “But if you ask me, she got what she deserved,” Leeta went on. “Vidia is heartless. She’s never done a single kind thing in her life.”

  Vidia knew the other fairies didn’t care for her. But it still stung to hear someone say it out loud.

  Wisp and Leeta were nearing the hawthorn tree now. Vidia slowed down. If one of the scouts who guarded the tree spotted her, she’d be in trouble. Because of the plucking, Vidia was no longer allowed near Mother Dove’s nest.

  But Vidia knew a secret way to the tree through an old groundhog tunnel. She wanted to hear what Mother Dove said to Wisp. Mother Dove often knew fairies even better than they knew themselves.

  Vidia made a wide loop around the tree and flew to the tunnel entrance. She had cleverly hidden it with a large pumice stone. The stone looked heavy, but it was actually as light as a feather. Vidia lifted it with ease.

  She took a deep breath, then darted in. “Ugh,” she said as a few grains of dirt fell into her hair. Like most winged creatures, Vidia was happiest in the sky. The narrow tunnel made her feel trapped. She flew as quickly as she could, shivering when the tips of roots brushed against her wings.

  The tunnel ended at the hawthorn tree. Vidia checked to make sure no one was watching. Then she zipped up the back of the trunk. She hid herself among the leaves.

  Mother Dove’s nest was on one of the low branches. Vidia could see Wisp already there, perched on the edge.

  “Welcome to Pixie Hollow,” cooed Mother Dove. “We’re glad to have you.” Wisp sat up straighter, and her glow brightened. Mother Dove had that effect on fairies.

  Mother Dove studied Wisp. “You’re afraid of nothing. I can see that,” she said. “You’re as quick as the wind—and just as bold. The most fearless flier we’ve ever seen.”

  Vidia peeked through the leaves. Wisp was beaming. But Mother Dove looked more worried than happy.

  “Wisp…,” Mother Dove began. She hesitated.

  “Yes?” said Wisp.

  Mother Dove looked as if she was about to say something. Then she seemed to change her mind. “Please just try to be careful,” she told the new fairy.

  Wisp laughed. “All right, Mother Dove.”

  Vidia had heard enough. She hurried back to the tunnel. As she flew down through the darkness, Mother Dove’s words rang in her mind: Quick as the wind…bold…the most fearless flier.

  Could Wisp be faster than me? Vidia wondered.

  She had to find out.

  Vidia guessed that Wisp would return to the Home Tree. So she flew straight there. She hid behind one of the tree’s twisted roots and waited.

  It wasn’t long before Wisp and Leeta came flying back. “I have to go now,” Leeta told Wisp. “But I’ll show you your room right after lunch.”

  Vidia waited as Leeta said good-bye. When Wisp was alone in the courtyard, she flew out from her hiding place. Vidia landed right in front of the new fairy.

  “Vidia!” Wisp gasped.

  “There’s nothing to be afraid of, child,” Vidia said with a smirk. “I’m not going to eat you.”

  “I wasn’t afraid,” Wisp said. She looked Vidia in the eye. “You just startled me, that’s all. What are you doing here?”

  “Well, I’ve been having such a dull day,” Vidia said casually. “I said to myself, ‘Why don’t I find that new little fairy and see if she wants to race.’”

  Wisp’s whole face lit up. “Race? With you? I’d love to!” she cried. “I hear you’re the fastest fairy in Pixie Hollow.”

  “Mmm. Well, we’ll see, won’t we?” said Vidia.

  Wisp’s wings were already humming. “Where should we race?” she asked.

  Vidia looked around. “From here to that tree,” she decided. She pointed to a peach tree at the edge of the orchard. “To finish, touch the peach hanging from that low branch. Ready?”

  Wisp nodded. The two got on their marks.

  “Set…,” said Vidia.

  They spread their wings.

  “Go!”

  THE TWO FAIRIES shot into the air. Right away, Vidia pulled ahead. But she didn’t want to win too quickly. She wanted to see how Wisp flew first.

  Vidia slowed her pace a little. Wisp was fast. But her flying was wild.

  She hasn’t learned to use her wings yet, Vidia thought. Of course, this wasn’t unusual. Wisp had just arrived, after all.

  Halfway to the peach tree, Vidia sped up. To her surprise, Wisp sped up, too. She pulled ahead of Vidia.

  Vidia poured on more speed. Wisp did the same. They were flying wing and wing now. Wisp was so out of control that her wings were wobbling. But she just kept going faster.

  As they closed in on the peach tree, Vidia was less than a fairy’s length ahead of Wisp. She touched the peach and shot
on past. A half-second later, Wisp smacked into the peach so hard she knocked it from the tree.

  Vidia came to a stop, breathing hard. She looked down. Wisp was on the ground, stuck headfirst in the fruit.

  Vidia gave a shriek of laughter. She flew down, grabbed Wisp’s ankles, and pulled her out.

  Wisp’s face was flushed. Peach juice dribbled off the ends of her hair. But she was grinning. “That was fun!” she exclaimed.

  “Not bad for your first race,” Vidia said. The truth was, it was the closest race she’d had in a long time. Wisp was surprisingly fast.

  Not as fast as me, Vidia thought. But faster than most in our talent.

  “Don’t let that juice dry on your wings,” Vidia told her. She started to fly away.

  “Wait!” said Wisp. “Where are you going?”

  Vidia glanced back at her. “Home, dear child.”

  Wisp’s mouth turned down in dismay. “But…but I thought we would fly together,” she said.

  Vidia shrugged. The race was over. Vidia had proved that she was still the fastest. She didn’t see any reason to spend more time with Wisp.

  But Wisp chased her. “I was hoping we would be friends,” Wisp said.

  Vidia was so surprised, she stopped in midair. She turned around and stared at Wisp. “Why would you want to be friends with me?” she asked.

  “Because you’re the fastest,” Wisp said, as if the answer were obvious. “I want to be friends with the best fairy.”

  Vidia arched an eyebrow. “Really? And what makes you think I’d want to be friends with you?” she asked.

  Now it was Wisp’s turn to look surprised. “Why wouldn’t you?” she said.

  “What do you suppose the other fairies would say if they saw you flying with me?” Vidia asked. “What would Leeta think?”

  Wisp made a face. “Who cares? Leeta is bossy, and she’s boring. She’s not even that fast,” she said.

  Vidia had to smile. She was starting to like this odd little fairy.

  Wisp fluttered up into the air and did a little spin. “I want to go fast, fast, fast!” she exclaimed. “I want to be the fastest thing in all Never Land!”