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

Chapter 7: A Tale of Two Forces

Bobble arrived for work exactly two-and-a-half hours late.

Tink glanced at the sun hanging overhead frowned for the fourth time that morning. She then scanned the clearing, watching as a flock of robins glided lazily past. But something was wrong. Vidia said she'd felt it in the wind, Silvermist in the water, Iridessa said the light had been dimmer than usual. They'd all agreed it was probably just the changing of the seasons on the mainland. It affected them every year at about this time. But Tink didn't think that was it. It felt more...sinister...than anything.

"Morning," she said cheerfully as she slid in next to him with an armload of pots and pans. She was dressed from head to toe for winter, as if she'd just returned from visiting her sister.

"Oh, hey, Tink," he responded tiredly. "Have ya seen Clank?" He searched the clearing for his best friend.

"Fairy Mary sent him out on deliveries this morning," Tink answered as she started to move on. "You and I are working together today." She kept the other part to herself. The part where she suspected Queen Clarion had set the entire thing up.

"Really?" Bobble rested his head on a hand and stared at the pile disinterestedly. "By himself?" He'd apparently only caught the first half of the conversation. Tink came back to the table and set her things down, taking a seat across from him.

"Well, you were supposed to go with him," she explained. "But since you didn't show up on time, she sent him on ahead."

Bobble, surprisingly, gave little protest and only nodded. He looked away from her, seeming only moments away from falling asleep. "Hey," Tink said, reaching across the table and putting a firm hand on his shoulder. "You okay?"

He jumped anxiously. "Aye, I'm fine," he lied weakly. "Just a little...tired." He looked down at the table, refusing to meet her gaze.

Tink frowned. "You seem exhausted," she noted. "Did you sleep at all last night?" She collected up a pan but did no work, her gaze focused on him instead.

Bobble shook his head. "No," he mumbled. "I tried. But every time I did, I was awoken by a strange nightmare. I didn't get any sleep and finally decided to go for a walk. Fawn found me by Havendish Stream this morning and practically drug me here." He chuckled at the memory. "But I don't feel that great. Probably from all of that work yesterday."

Tink frowned. He was a tinker. He did more work than fixing up a roof on a normal day! But, she kept her mouth shut and listened as he went on.

"Oh!" He sat up straight as if he'd just been struck with a bolt of lightning and smiled. "I have somethin' to show ye!" With that, he leaped to his feet and grabbed Tink's hand, pulling her around the table and off toward the unused edge of Tinker's Nook. "After everyone left last night, I stuck around, and look what I can do now!" He let go and spun to face her.

She watched, confused, as he interlocked his hands and then slowly began to separate them. The look of determination on his face was evident, even as the first spark of light formed in his palms. As his hands grew further apart, the light grew brighter, until he was clumsily holding a swirling, glowing ball.

Light-talent. He has light-talent.

He didn't have that before...

"When did you..." she began.

"Last night. And, Tink?" Bobble went on, his voice suddenly dropping to a whisper. "It...it was him. He...he showed me..."

"'He'? 'He' who?" Tink was honestly confused. She hated feeling that way.

"Shade. He was there. I heard him, and...he was the one who...showed me...how to do this." Bobble looked extremely ashamed of his gullibleness and he hung his head, letting the orb of light fade. His wings drooped and he went to sit down on a rock. "And I...I let him."