Shannon the Ocean Fairy

by Daisy Meadows

  Contents

  The Dawn Pearl

  Party in Fairyland

  High Tide

  Underwater World

  A Treasure Trail

  In the Coral Cave

  Trouble at Sea

  At the Pier

  Dolphins in the Dark

  Grumbling Goblins

  A Light in the Dark

  From Twilight to Sunshine

  Pearl Power

  Message in a Bottle

  Flooding in Fairyland

  Weird Waves

  Seahorses Save the Day

  The Tide Turns

  “Race you to that tidepool, Kirsty!” Rachel Walker yelled to her best friend, Kirsty Tate.

  “You’re on!” Kirsty replied.

  Laughing, the two girls ran across the beach. Rachel reached the pool first, but Kirsty was right behind her.

  “Your gran is lucky to live in Leamouth!” Rachel panted, gazing around the sandy bay. “It’s so pretty.”

  Kirsty nodded. Leamouth was a little fishing village with winding streets and a harbor filled with boats. Kirsty’s gran lived in a cottage on the cliff, near the beach.

  “I always have fun here,” said Kirsty. “I’m glad you could come this time, too.”

  “Thanks for inviting me!” Rachel replied.

  The two girls wandered down to the sea. The waves lapped at their flip-flops. As the water slid back, it left a large seashell on the sand right in front of them.

  Rachel picked it up. “It’s beautiful,” she said.

  As Kirsty looked, a burst of aquamarine sparkles suddenly fizzed out of the shell, making both girls jump.

  Kirsty gasped. “Fairy magic!”

  The girls glanced at each other, eyes wide with excitement. Their friendship with the fairies was a very special secret.

  Soft music and the faint tinkle of bells floated out of the shell. Quickly, Rachel held it up so she and Kirsty could listen.

  “Hello, girls,” said a small voice.

  Rachel grinned at Kirsty. “It’s the fairy queen!” she exclaimed.

  “We’d like to invite you to a special beach party — a luau — to celebrate summer,” the queen said. “If you’d like to come, just place the shell on the sand right now. We hope you can join us. …” The queen’s voice faded away.

  With a quick glance around to make sure nobody was watching, Rachel placed the seashell on the sand. Immediately, a dazzling rainbow sprang from the shell. Its colors were bright in the sunshine.

  “Let’s go, Kirsty!” Rachel whispered.

  Kirsty nodded, and the girls stepped onto the rainbow. As soon as they did, they were whisked away in a whirl of fairy magic.

  When the sparkles vanished, the girls had been magically transformed into fairies. They were in Fairyland, standing on a beautiful sandy beach next to a glittering turquoise sea. The beach was crowded with fairies enjoying the luau.

  As the girls stepped away from the rainbow, their fairy friends rushed to greet them, including King Oberon and Queen Titania.

  “We’re so glad you could come, girls,” the king said kindly.

  “A party wouldn’t be the same without you,” the queen added.

  “Thank you for inviting us,” Rachel and Kirsty chorused.

  “Come and dance!” called Jade the Disco Fairy.

  Laughing, Rachel and Kirsty joined Jade. Meanwhile, they could see another fairy conducting the musicians, and other fairies cooking food on a barbecue.

  “The tide’s coming in,” Rachel remarked to Jade as the waves crept further up the beach. “Will the party be over soon?”

  Jade shook her head. “No, we’ll be fine as long as we stay above Party Rock,” she replied, pointing to a large boulder nearby. “But Shannon the Ocean Fairy can explain it better than I can.”

  A nearby fairy turned and smiled at the girls. She wore a peach-colored skirt, a top made of aqua ribbons, and a glittering starfish clip in her hair.

  “Hi, girls,” Shannon greeted them. “Jade’s right. The sea never comes past Party Rock, so we can enjoy the party all day long!”

  “Great!” Rachel said happily.

  A little while later, the girls were still having fun dancing with their fairy friends when the music suddenly stopped. Everyone turned to see what had happened.

  “Listen, please,” called Shannon the Ocean Fairy. “I’m afraid that the sea is coming in too far!”

  She pointed her wand at Party Rock and everyone gasped in surprise. The water was splashing around the base of the rock, and the level was still rising!

  “The water never comes in this far,” Shannon declared anxiously. “Something’s wrong!”

  King Oberon frowned. “Maybe Jack Frost is up to no good again,” he said.

  Queen Titania nodded and turned to Rachel and Kirsty. “Girls, would you come back to the palace with us?” she asked. “You might be able to help.”

  “Of course we will,” Kirsty and Rachel replied together. Whenever Jack Frost and his goblins caused trouble in Fairyland, the girls were happy to help their fairy friends!

  “I’ll explore my underwater world and see if I can find out why the sea is rising,” Shannon said, diving gracefully into the ocean.

  Quickly, the other fairies began to leave the beach. Meanwhile, the king and queen led Rachel and Kirsty back to the Fairyland palace.

  “We’ll go to the Royal Observatory,” King Oberon said. “It’s at the top of the tallest tower. The roof slides back so that our telescopes can look out on the night sky.”

  “And Cedric, our Royal Astronomer, guards the enchanted pearls there,” Queen Titania said as they climbed the spiral staircase. “The pearls are magical. They’re very important in Fairyland — and in your world, too.”

  “Why?” Kirsty asked.

  “The pink Dawn Pearl makes sure that dawn comes each morning so the day can begin,” the queen explained. “It also affects the levels of water in the oceans.”

  “The silver Twilight Pearl makes sure that night falls every evening,” the king added. “And the final pearl is the creamy-white Moon Pearl. It controls the flow of water through the oceans and the size of the waves.” He sighed. “I think that something is wrong with the Dawn Pearl, and that’s why the sea is coming in so far.”

  Rachel and Kirsty followed the king and queen into the observatory. The room was painted white, but the sliding roof was deep blue, like the night sky. There were large golden telescopes around the room, and star charts hung on the walls.

  “Cedric!” Queen Titania exclaimed, and the girls suddenly noticed a frog footman sitting on the floor, looking dazed. He was wrapped in a long velvet cloak embroidered with moons and stars.

  “What happened?” asked the queen, hurrying over to him. “Are you all right?”

  Cedric looked very upset. He pointed to a crystal box that was lying open on the floor. “Jack Frost and his goblins have stolen the enchanted pearls!” he told the queen sadly.

  “What?” King Oberon exclaimed.

  “Jack Frost again!” Kirsty whispered to Rachel.

  “Let’s see exactly what happened,” said Queen Titania, pointing her wand upward.

  As magic from the queen’s wand streamed across the ceiling, images began to appear. There was Cedric, studying a large chart, when a blast of wind suddenly swept the door open. Jack Frost and a group of goblins burst in!

  Shocked, Cedric leapt to his feet, but Jack Frost pointed his wand at him. An icy breeze shot toward the footman, whirling his cloak around him and tying him up in knots.

  “Help!” Cedric cried, as a fold of the cloak wrapped itself around his head.

  Jack Frost smirked. “Quick! Get the enchanted pearls!” he shou
ted to his gang of goblins.

  While Cedric struggled with his cloak, three goblins rushed over to the crystal box. They flung the lid back and grabbed the large, gleaming pearls: one pink, one white, and one silver. Throwing the box carelessly to the floor, the goblins held the pearls up triumphantly.

  Jack Frost looked very pleased. “This serves those horrible fairies right!” he cried. “The king and queen banned me from the luau because I haven’t been behaving myself. Well, without the enchanted pearls, their beach party will be a washout!”

  He laughed spitefully. “There’s going to be chaos in the fairy and human worlds without these pearls. Time and tides, daybreak and nightfall — everything will be disrupted!”

  “Great idea, boss!” said one of the goblins. “Where should we hide the pearls?”

  “The fairies always find the magic objects we steal. I’m fed up with it!” Jack Frost said. “This time, we will hide the pearls in the human world — but underwater!”

  The goblins looked terrified. “But we can’t breathe underwater,” they moaned.

  “Fools!” Jack Frost said scornfully. “My magic will soon fix that.”

  He pointed his wand at the goblins and a stream of large, icy bubbles flew from it. Each bubble floated down over one of the goblins’ heads like an old-fashioned diving helmet.

  “Now you can breathe underwater,” Jack Frost said. “And these,” he went on, aiming his wand at the goblins’ big green feet, “will make you super-speedy swimmers.”

  A burst of frosty sparkles swirled around the goblins’ feet. Suddenly, they were all wearing huge black flippers!

  Jack Frost looked sternly at the goblins. “Now keep those enchanted pearls safe, or you’ll have me to answer to!” With another wave of his wand, a freezing wind sprang up and swept the goblins straight out of the window with the enchanted pearls.

  “I’m so sorry,” Cedric said, burying his head in his hands as the pictures faded away.

  “It’s not your fault, Cedric,” Queen Titania said gently.

  “We have to tell Shannon what happened,” King Oberon declared, waving his wand.

  Seconds later, Shannon fluttered into the observatory. “Your Majesties,” she cried, “my underwater world is in chaos! The tides are all wrong, and it’s upsetting the sea creatures.”

  “That’s not surprising,” King Oberon said grimly. “Jack Frost has stolen the three enchanted pearls. He sent his goblins to hide them in the ocean in the human world.”

  Shannon looked horrified. “But that’s going to affect the seas, daytime, and nighttime in the human world and in Fairyland!” she said.

  The queen nodded. “It’s up to you, Shannon,” she said. “Do you think you can get the pearls back?”

  “I’ll do my best,” Shannon replied.

  “We’ll help,” Rachel said eagerly. “Right, Kirsty?”

  Kirsty agreed. “Of course. Except that we can’t breathe underwater.”

  Shannon grinned. “That’s no problem, girls!”

  She raised her wand, and the girls saw two shiny bubbles stream toward them. They felt the bubbles settle over their heads, and heard a POP as the bubbles disappeared.

  “Now you can breathe underwater,” Shannon announced. “Let’s go. There isn’t a moment to lose!”

  “Good luck,” the queen called as Shannon raised her wand again. “And remember, the enchanted pearls will be much bigger in the human world!”

  As magic sparkles from Shannon’s wand sprinkled down around them, Rachel and Kirsty shut their eyes.

  “Welcome to my underwater world,” Shannon said a moment later.

  The girls opened their eyes. To their amazement, they were standing on a sandy golden seabed, surrounded by huge shells and pink coral.

  “We’re under the sea!” Kirsty cried, clapping her hand to her mouth in astonishment. She was breathing and talking normally, as if she was on land! The water didn’t even feel wet.

  “It’s magical!” Rachel agreed, staring as a large fish with an amazing striped mane swam by.

  “That’s a lionfish,” Shannon explained. Then she turned her head to one side, listening carefully. The girls listened, too. They could hear a strange barking sound, which gradually got louder and louder. “Ah, now here are some friends who will help us find the goblins!” Shannon exclaimed happily. A moment later, a pack of sea lions came racing through the water, their sleek black bodies twisting and turning.

  “Hello!” Shannon called.

  The girls watched, enchanted, as the sea lions bounced playfully around them, chattering and barking loudly. They reminded Rachel of a pack of friendly dogs.

  Shannon spoke to the sea lions, then turned to the girls. “Follow me!” she called.

  Shannon darted off, and Rachel and Kirsty followed. As they zoomed through the warm water, Kirsty was fascinated by the schools of fish and the inky coral caves.

  “The sea lions told me the goblins are near this shipwreck site,” Shannon said, pointing ahead at the remains of an old Spanish ship on the sea floor. “It’s a very popular place for divers, so we have to find the goblins before someone spots them!”

  Rachel gasped as a woman loomed up out of the sand in front of her. “Oh, it’s just the ship’s figurehead!” she said, touching the peeling paint.

  Just then, Kirsty spotted a glint of gold on the seabed. “That’s a gold coin!” she said excitedly, pointing. “Look how brightly it’s shining. There’s a lot of light around here.”

  “I know why,” Shannon replied. “This isn’t normal sunlight. It’s the magical light of the Dawn Pearl!”

  “Shh!” Rachel hissed suddenly, putting her finger to her lips. “I hear goblin voices!”

  Shannon, Rachel, and Kirsty quickly swam behind a nearby rock and peeked out cautiously. A moment later, three goblins came swimming toward them — and one was carrying the Dawn Pearl!

  Rachel and Kirsty caught their breath as they gazed at the pearl. It was a beautiful pink color, and it shone with a dazzling brightness that filled the ocean with light.

  Shannon and the girls watched as the goblins suddenly shot forward. Their magic flippers propelled them quickly through the water.

  “They’re very fast swimmers with those flippers,” Shannon whispered. “We won’t be able to catch up if we have to chase them!”

  The goblins began to swim around the wreck of the Spanish ship, holding the pearl out in front of them.

  “They’re using the pearl like a flashlight!” Shannon frowned. “I hope none of the human divers around here spot the light.”

  “The goblins are looking for something,” whispered Kirsty.

  “There’s no treasure here!” the biggest goblin exclaimed in disgust. “Let’s look somewhere else.”

  The goblins moved away from the ship and swam along the seabed. Shannon and the girls followed, staying hidden.

  “Look, a treasure chest!” The smallest goblin squealed, pointing at a tarnished silver chest, half-buried in the sand. He swam down and heaved the lid open. Then he shrieked in fear as a group of brightly colored fish swam out!

  The other goblins roared with laughter. Shannon grinned too, but her face fell quickly. “Oh, no!” she cried. “Girls, this is terrible!”

  Rachel and Kirsty looked around, confused.

  “Do you see that opening in the rocks over there?” Shannon whispered, pointing at a narrow gap in a nearby rock wall.

  The opening was surrounded by vibrant blue-and-green seaweed and amazingly bright pink sea anemones.

  “That’s the entrance to the Mermaid Kingdom,” Shannon went on.

  “You mean, mermaids are real?” Rachel gasped.

  “Yes, but they’re very secretive,” Shannon explained. “They’re scared of being discovered by humans and having their kingdom revealed. Imagine what a mess that would be!”

  Rachel and Kirsty gazed in wonder at the narrow rocky pass. It was lit brightly by the Dawn Pearl.

  “If any divers co
me along now, they’ll spot the goblins — and maybe find the Mermaid Kingdom, too!” Shannon said anxiously.

  Kirsty glanced at the goblins. Suddenly an idea popped into her head. “Maybe we can lure the goblins away with some treasure!” she exclaimed. “If you could use your magic to make some gold coins, Shannon, we could lay a trail for the goblins to follow.”

  “I can do that,” Shannon agreed. “The magic coins won’t last forever, but they should stay long enough to fool the silly goblins.”

  “We could trap them in one of those coral caves we saw on the way here,” Kirsty went on.

  “Good idea,” Rachel said eagerly. “If the goblins are trapped, maybe we can get the Dawn Pearl back.”

  “And I know just how we can trap them!” Shannon declared eagerly. “I’ll be back in a minute, girls.”

  With that, she swam away, returning quickly. “I’ve asked some friends for help,” she explained, winking at the girls. “Now, let me use my magic to make a trail of gold!”

  Shannon waved her wand. The girls saw a trail of shiny coins appear in the sand, leading into a nearby coral cave.

  “I hope the goblins spot them,” Shannon whispered as the three friends hid inside the Spanish ship.

  The goblins were still swinging the Dawn Pearl through the water, searching for treasure. Suddenly, one of the goblins gave a shriek of triumph as he spotted a gold coin glinting in the sand.

  “Treasure!” he yelled, scooping it up.

  Shannon and the girls grinned at each other.

  “I see another one!” the biggest goblin shouted, dashing forward to grab a second coin.

  Shannon, Rachel, and Kirsty swam silently after the excited goblins as they picked up the gold coins, one by one. The goblins paused outside the cave, and Kirsty held her breath.