by Pip Bird
For Justin – RLO
For Pip and Lori – LB
For Tilda – David O’Connell
Cover and interior illustrations by David O’Connell
Special thanks to Rebecca Lewis-Oakes and Liz Bankes
Text first published in Great Britain in 2019 by Egmont UK Limited
The Yellow Building, 1 Nicholas Road, London W11 4AN
Text copyright © 2019 Egmont UK Ltd
Illustrations copyright © 2019 David O’Connell
First e-book edition 2019
ISBN 978 1 4052 9481 2
Ebook ISBN 978 1 4052 9482 9
www.egmont.co.uk
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library
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Contents
Cover
Dedication and Copyright page
Title Page
Map
Chapter One: Back to Unicorn School!
Chapter Two: The School Disco Committee
Chapter Three: Glitter Fever . . .
Chapter Four: Quest Countdown
Chapter Five: The Crystal Maze Mine
Chapter Six: Glitter Slime Gorge
Chapter Seven: To the Rescue!
Chapter Eight: Disco Disaster
Chapter Nine: Friends Together
Chapter Ten: Dave Does Disco!
DAZZLING DISCO QUIZ
UNICORN JOKES
Back series promotional page
It was a cloudy Tuesday afternoon and Mira was dancing around the kitchen with her cat, Pickles. Mira’s older sister, Rani, rolled her eyes as she finished the after-dinner washing-up (her chore for that week), and flicked water at them as they twirled past the sink.
‘Bleurgh!’ spluttered Mira as a washing-up bubble landed in her mouth.
Rani dried her hands on a tea towel and snatched Pickles off Mira. ‘My turn! Right, Pickles, you can be my unicorn,’ she said. ‘I need to practise my moves for the school disco.’
As Rani and Pickles swept past her, Mira had to admit that Rani was an annoyingly good dancer. Rani and her unicorn Angelica were annoyingly good at lots of things. The trophy shelf in their living room was full of all Rani’s medals and trophies from winning loads of Unicorn School quests and competitions. Mira had just two medals so far.
Mira and Rani both went to Unicorn School. It was a magical place where pupils were matched with their Unicorn Best Friend Forever (UBFF) and had all kinds of brilliant quests and adventures!
It was almost time to go back to Unicorn School and Mira was BEYOND EXCITED to see her UBFF Dave. He wasn’t exactly how she’d imagined her perfect unicorn to be . . . he could be a bit naughty. And greedy. And he fell asleep in all of their lessons. But they had so much fun together. And the disco was going to be the most fun EVER. She couldn’t imagine anything better in the entire world than spinning round the dancefloor with Dave!
Later that night Mira lay in bed, too excited to sleep. She took out her diary from her bedside table and started thinking about all of the awesome things she was going to do with Dave. And with Darcy and Raheem – her two human best friends at Unicorn School.
Thinking about Dave made Mira smile. He always made everything super fun, often in unexpected ways. Sure, he sometimes had to be bribed with snacks to do things. And sometimes he caused a teeny, tiny bit of havoc. And he held the Unicorn School record for farting in class. But he didn’t mean to be naughty. Dave was Mira’s UBFF and she loved him.
Mira tucked her diary back in the drawer and fell asleep.
Mum usually took Mira and Rani to the Magic Portal where they could travel to Unicorn School – but today Dad was driving them and they had to explain everything to him. He even nearly forgot to take them to the supermarket to buy treats for their unicorns! (Most unicorns liked carrots and hay, but Dave liked doughnuts best of all.)
‘Stop, Dad!’ yelled Mira. They were about to drive right past the Magic Portal in the leisure centre car park! Dad made an emergency stop as Mira hung out of the car, waving to her friend Raheem.
Rani refused to be seen dead (her words) with Mira at Unicorn School, so Mira had arranged to go through the portal with Raheem. He was just finishing the ten Rules of Safety song with his dad, but did wave back.
Dad was under strict instructions to take a picture of them before they went through the portal. Rani would only pose for a fraction of a second, but the photo of the back of her head would have to do.
‘Bye, Dad!’ Mira blew him a kiss through the car window and made sure she had her bag of unicorn treats. ‘Ready, Raheem? Why have you got your eyes closed?’
‘I always feel sick going through the portal,’ Raheem said. ‘So I’m doing my calming breathing.’
Mira grabbed his hand and pulled them both through the bushes. No matter how many times she went through the portal, it never stopped being absolutely completely magical.
First, her toes started to tingle, then her legs and arms, and then rainbow light burst all around them and they were WHOOSHING through the air before landing with a soft thump on the landing haystack in the middle of the Grand Paddock at Unicorn School.
‘Wow,’ breathed Mira as she looked around. It was autumn and all the leaves in the Fearsome Forest were turning gorgeous shades of red and gold. Children were arriving in a steady stream on the landing haystack and running to find their UBFFs. The unicorns were grazing and playing in the paddocks and fields around Unicorn School. Mira could see their breath puffing in the chilly air as she looked around for Dave.
‘Ta-daaaa!’ a voice sang out behind them on the haystack. Their friend Darcy launched off the haystack and did a spectacular spin in her wheelchair, ending with her arms in the air. ‘Did you miss me?’
Mira laughed and ran over for a hug. ‘Of course I missed you. That was awesome!’
Darcy flicked her fluffy blonde hair back over her shoulder. ‘I know,’ she said. ‘I’ve been practising my moves for the disco. I started a feet-and-wheels dance troop at my other school, because I was kicked off the Murderball team. They said I was too aggressive or something. Anyway, dance is WAY more my thing.’
‘What’s Murderball?’ asked Raheem cautiously.
‘It’s like rugby but in wheelchairs. And more dangerous,’ Darcy replied, looking around for her unicorn, Star.
Raheem looked a little bit lost for words. ‘Shall we go and find our unicorns?’ he said.
Star and Brave were grazing in the Grand Paddock and cantered over as soon as they spotted Darcy and Raheem. Mira couldn’t see Dave.
‘Is that him?’ asked Darcy, pointing to a giant pile of straw by the side of the fence. Some of the Unicorn School teachers were standing around it, poking something on the top of the straw pile with a stick. Mira looked closer and saw that it was a small unicorn curled up, fast asleep.
‘Wake up!’ yelled the PE teacher, Miss Hind.
‘How is he still asleep?’ muttered another teacher, sh
aking his head.
‘He’s been up there for sixteen hours!’ said their class teacher, Miss Glitterhorn.
Dave farted loudly in his sleep.
Mira gave a huge smile. There was her UBFF. And she knew JUST how to wake him up!
Mira reached into her pocket. ‘Dave!’ she called. ‘I’ve got a super special treat for you!’ Mira pulled out a strawberry lace and waved it in the air.
Up on the straw pile she was sure she could see Dave’s nostrils twitching. Then he gave a loud snort, and sat bolt upright. His ears pricked up, his nose twitched and he looked down at Mira.
Dave launched himself off the top of the straw, bounced off Miss Hind’s head and landed in a heap just in front of Mira. Miss Hind muttered crossly to herself but the other teachers just seemed relieved that Dave was finally awake.
Dave snaffled the strawberry lace and licked Mira’s face. She giggled and pulled another strawberry lace out of her pocket.
Dave slurped up the treat, then farted happily. Just then the school bell rang, calling the pupils and unicorns inside. It was time for Unicorn School to begin!
Madame Shetland, the Unicorn School head teacher, waited as everyone gathered in the hall.
‘Welcome back to Unicorn School, my dear pupils, unicorns and teachers,’ said Madame Shetland. ‘Today, I have two very special announcements. Firstly, this week Class Red have a very important quest. Pupils will be travelling to the Crystal Maze Mine to search for Warming Crystals. These crystals heat the school and keep us all warm as the weather turns colder.’
Mira’s classmates in Class Red started chatting excitedly. It took three teachers to shush them. Mira high-fived Darcy, who whispered loudly, ‘Great, but when can we talk about the disco?’
‘And secondly,’ continued Madame Shetland, raising her voice over the noise, ‘as you know, we will also have a disco. This will take place in three days’ time.’
Whoops and squeals of excitement echoed around the hall. Mira grinned happily. A disco AND a super important quest. Amazing!
Two loud taps came over the loudspeakers. Everyone stopped and looked around, wondering what was going on. Darcy had wheeled up to Madame Shetland’s podium and taken hold of the microphone.
‘Attention please! My fellow students, unicorns, and teachers,’ Darcy said. Madame Shetland looked confused and Miss Glitterhorn hurried up to the podium to stop her.
‘I have an announcement to make!’ Darcy continued. ‘I would like to volunteer as Chief Organiser of the School Disco Committee. Together, we can make this a super sensational school disco!’
The pupils burst into applause, as Miss Glitterhorn made it to the podium. ‘Err, is there a Disco Committee?’ Miss Glitterhorn asked Madame Shetland, who shrugged.
‘No . . .’ she said thoughtfully, ‘but why not? Might make things easier for us teachers. That’s enough now, Darcy, no need to start a Mexican wave.’
‘Shall I just do a stage dive and crowd surf to finish?’ Darcy asked the head teacher.
‘No, thank you, Darcy.’ Madame Shetland paused for a moment to think. ‘Each class shall look after one part of the disco preparations. Darcy, you may oversee all the arrangements.’
As the morning bell rang for lessons, Mira led Dave out of the hall to their classroom and gave him a massive hug. It was so brilliant that Darcy was going to be Chief Organiser of the disco . . . even if it was a job she’d just made up!
Darcy didn’t waste any time. At morning break, she gathered the first meeting of the Super Sensational School Disco Committee in the gym. Madame Shetland and Miss Glitterhorn had decided that Class Red would select the music and be in charge of the lighting, and Darcy had decided she would create a super-awesome first dance to get the party started!
Mira and Dave were rushing to the meeting because they were a bit late – they’d had to stop for snacks on the way. They passed Jake and his unicorn, Pegasus, doing some cool break-dancing moves down the hallway.
‘Let’s try that, Dave,’ Mira said, attempting a wiggle that started in her head and went down to her feet.
Dave watched her, and then did a massive burp. ‘We can work on your moves,’ Mira said, pushing the door open.
Inside the gym, Darcy and Star had pushed all the crash mats and benches to the side except for one piece of gym equipment which Darcy sat behind like a desk. Rainbow-coloured climbing ropes hung from the ceiling behind her like a curtain. Darcy’s unicorn Star counted the children and unicorns coming in to the gym and showed them where to sit.
Darcy banged on her makeshift table and signalled for quiet. Freya whispered, ‘Where did she get the hammer?’
‘It’s called a gavel,’ said Raheem.
Mia realised that Darcy was taking the role of Chief Organiser very seriously.
‘Order, order!’ called Darcy. ‘I declare the first meeting of the Super Sensational School Disco Committee open!’ She paused. ‘You may applaud.’
Everyone quickly started clapping.
‘You’re welcome,’ Darcy continued. ‘The first thing we have to do is – yes, Jake?’
Jake was standing up with his hand raised. ‘How come YOU’RE disco leader? I think we should have a vote on who should be in charge.’
Everyone groaned. Jake ALWAYS wanted to be leader!
‘Sit down, Jake, this isn’t a quest,’ called Freya.
Jake went red and started to talk back, but Darcy just spoke over him. ‘As I was saying! The first order of business is . . . the theme for the disco. Star – are you taking minutes?’
Star blushed and trotted back to Darcy. She took out a notepad and a sparkly gel pen.
Zara from Class Indigo put up her hand. ‘What about unicorns from history as a theme?’ he said.
‘That’s fun!’ said Mira. ‘Ooh! Or what about fireworks? Or cats?’
‘Those are . . . ideas,’ said Darcy. ‘I was thinking – Star, drum roll, please – glitter fever!’ Darcy flung her arms out in a big ‘ta-da’ move.
‘What about under the sea?’ said Seb.
Then children started shouting out their ideas all at once:
‘Stars!’
‘Space!’
‘SLOTHS!’ Everyone turned to Flo, Freya’s twin sister, and she shrugged. ‘What? I like sloths.’
Darcy shook her head. ‘Stop just saying things that begin with “S”!’ She tried to continue but was interrupted by more theme ideas.
‘Unicycles!’
‘Umbrellas!’
‘Uranium!’
Darcy banged her gavel and looked cross. ‘Now you’re just saying things that begin with “U”. STOP IT, we’re having a vote!’
Everyone sat back down and Darcy smiled. Mira thought it looked a little forced. Darcy continued. ‘Right, we’ll have a vote on the top three ideas. Everybody close your eyes and raise your hand or hoof for the theme you like best. Star will count the votes. Close your eyes now!’
Darcy called out the three theme ideas in order: space, umbrellas and glitter fever. Mira frowned as she realised that Darcy had decided which three ideas were the best.
‘Do you think she’s taking this a bit too seriously?’ Mira whispered to Raheem, opening one eye.
Raheem shrugged and kept his eyes tightly shut.
‘Keep those hands up, please!’ said Darcy sternly.
Mira thought Star was taking a long time to count the votes. She realised that Star was frantically crossing out on her notepad then looking up to count the raised hands and hoofs again. Mira felt bad for the unicorn. She found counting hard, too, especially under pressure. Sometimes Mira skipped right from 29 to 40 if she wasn’t thinking carefully.
Dave grunted and shuffled out of the line. Mira guessed he was hungry.
Darcy banged her gavel again and told everyone to open their eyes. Mira could see Dave sniffing around near Darcy. He’s probably searching for snacks, thought Mira.
‘I am thrilled to announce,’ said Darcy, ‘that the winner by LOADS of vot
es is . . . GLITTER FEVER!’
Raheem and Mira clapped and a few other pupils joined in too. No one looked quite as excited as Darcy. Freya whispered to Mira, ‘That was totally a fix. Darcy just made up the result.’
Mira frowned. She did agree with Freya that the vote didn’t quite seem fair . . . but she knew Darcy just wanted every part of the disco to be perfect, and she certainly had lots of brilliant ideas!
Just then there was a huge crash behind Darcy. Raheem screamed and hid behind his chair, and the other pupils and unicorns started running around in a panic. When the dust settled, Mira saw Dave, thoughtfully chewing the red climbing rope, with the other ropes in a heap all over Darcy’s desk. Darcy sat crossly amongst the rubble, covered in dust.
Mira ran over to see if her friend was okay.
Darcy was bright red in the face and did not look happy.
‘Darcy, I’m so sorry!’ Mira said. ‘I think Dave thought the red climbing rope was a giant strawberry lace.’
‘It’s fine!’ said Darcy, coughing up some dust. Star trotted around, picking up the disco notes, which had fallen all over the floor.
Mira kept asking if Darcy was okay as they cleared up and Darcy kept saying she was fine, but Mira was sure she heard Darcy muttering ‘nightmare unicorn’ and ‘super greedy’.
The bell rang to end morning break and Darcy and Star left the gym quickly, with Darcy still muttering under her breath.
Dave nudged Mira’s elbow. She pulled out a real strawberry lace from her pocket for him and he gave a happy fart.
Later that day, after lunch, it was time for PE.
Miss Hind, the PE teacher, blew her whistle and called Class Red together. Mira headed to the back of the group, tugging Dave along with her.
‘Now, Class Red, we have a change of lesson plan today,’ barked Miss Hind. ‘As you know, Class Red will be opening the school disco with a special dance routine, which Darcy has created. I am thrilled to be helping you learn your special dance.’ (Mira couldn’t help thinking that Miss Hind didn’t look very thrilled.)