Morning eventually found its way into a brand-new day on Emilee and Jesse's island and Coutarine Island.
Coutarine woke first. The birds chirped, and the rays of the rising sun scanned the beach.
At Merlin's camp, Merlin slept like a baby in his sleeping bag, snoring, and Selene had her back propped against a rock where she slept.
Makenna, Gina, and Raeven had fallen asleep beside the water.
Makenna begged herself to sleep in, but she didn't.
A muzzle touched her chin and shook it.
Makenna shuffled and mumbled, "Not now, Mom. I need to find the perfect fluffy, fuzzy bunny to take home."
The muzzle shook her chin again, and then it snorted in her face.
"Ugh!" Makenna yelped, waking. Sitting, her barely-opened eyes caught the outline of Harmony standing before her. "Harmony?" Makenna asked, rubbing her face.
The horse appeared to be worried. When she saw that Makenna was awake, she nickered and started toward the hammock Ash supposedly slept in.
Still half asleep, Makenna stumbled after her. "Harmony, lie down. It's too early to play."
Harmony pushed her forward with her muzzle. She led Makenna to the hammock and snorted loudly in her face.
Makenna yelped and leaped ten feet in the air. "I'm awake! What the—?" Her eyes landed on the hammock, and she gasped when she saw it was empty. There was no sign of Ash. The only things in the hammock were his blanket and the fairy oxygen mask. Now Makenna understood why Harmony had woken her. "Where's Ash?" she frightfully questioned. "Horse, where is he?"
Harmony let out another concerned nicker.
Ash wasn't the only one missing, though. Silvey was, too.
"What about Silvey?" Makenna yelped. "Horse, I don't speak your language, but if you can communicate telepathically, that could make things so much easier."
Harmony couldn't, though. She had no idea how telepathy worked. She kept nickering and nudging Makenna.
Makenna finally took her muzzle and whispered, "Don't worry. I'll find him."
Harmony nodded understandingly.
Makenna released her muzzle and backed up a few feet. Her wings flapped, and she picked herself off the beach. She had almost forgotten that she was a Merfairy. As she flew away, she peered over her shoulder at Harmony and waved.
The horse responded by flipping her mane.
Turning back around, Makenna inhaled and began her morning flight for Ash. Her wings took her down the beach, under the rays of the still-rising sun.
Makenna cupped her hands around her mouth and called, "Ash! Ash!" Why had Ash taken off when he had a concussion? Dr. Snugglekins was supposed to run by that morning and check on him, but if Ash wasn't there when he reached the camp, then Makenna had no idea what to do. First, Tracey disappeared, and then Ash.
Please say the Octopus Man hasn't gotten them, Makenna begged. Just staying on Coutarine Island to find a so-called Wizard Fairy and to deliver a parcel to Merlin delayed everything. It was time for Makenna to fly off on her own, but she had to let Ash know.
"Ash!" she again called. Makenna waited a bit, then heard him.
Ash yelled in a way like he was training, and it came from the jungle.
Just hearing her friend gave Makenna some confidence. Was he okay? She had to find out.
With a flap of her wings, Makenna soared toward Ash's voice and landed in the jungle. As soon as she did, she slipped behind a tree and peered out. Beside a river before her were Ash and Silvey.
Ash wore a blue, medieval-style hood over his head and a quiver of arrows and his bow on his back. Crusader was clutched tightly in his left hand. The change was incredible. That fairy oxygen mask and Crusha Fruit really worked.
Makenna knew Ash was still recovering from his concussion, though, but she hoped she hadn't given him a permanent brain injury.
Silvey hopped from side to side as Ash swung Crusader.
While he trained, Makenna heard him say, "I can't let Selene and Merlin down, Silvey. I just can't."
What did he mean by that? Who was Ash?
After a bit, he looked around and asked, "Silvey? Where are ya?"
Silvey stood before him. That was weird. Why couldn't Ash see her? Was it because of the hood? No, it couldn't have been—the hood didn't cover his eyes.
"Oh no," Makenna whimpered. "Please say I didn't give him a permanent brain injury."
Silvey barked to let Ash know where she was, and he finally saw her. "Oh, there you are. Sorry, girl. Do you think you can move out of the way while I practice my lunge?"
Silvey nodded and glided aside. She watched as Ash lifted the sword and leaped forward for a lunge. Unfortunately, though, he crashed into a tree.
Makenna yelped and smacked her palms over her mouth.
Silvey hid behind her feelers.
Ash landed with a thud on the ground and groaned.
"Ash!" Makenna came out of hiding and soared toward him.
"Huh?" he asked, bending his knee. With Crusader still in hand, he looked up from examining his other one and turned his head to see Makenna flying toward him. "Makenna? Is that you?"
"It is," Makenna frightfully answered, landing. "What are you doing here?"
"Makenna?" Ash asked again. "Whe-Where are you?" Crusader dropped from his hand and landed beside his ankle. Ash stood, and his head started to roam.
Makenna was really scared now. She took Ash's shoulders and turned him around so their eyes met. "I'm right here. Don't you see me?"
Ash answered by lifting his hand and waving it before her. "It's kind of hard when you're nothing but a blue blur." He reached forward and patted her arms, then lifted them toward her face. "Okay, here are your arms." He soon reached Makenna's face and patted her cheeks. "Aye. I found your face."
Makenna grabbed his wrists and pulled them off. "Ash, what is wrong with you?"
Silvey crept up on Ash from behind and sat beside his sword.
"I-I'm sorry," he apologized. "I don't have my glasses."
A question mark appeared above Makenna's head. "Your glasses? Wait, you wear glasses?" Her body finally started to relax. That was good. It didn't look like she had given him a permanent brain injury.
"Aye," answered Ash. "I never told ya, but I have terrible eyesight. I was born with it as well as my father."
"Bu-But," Makenna stammered, "I've never seen you with glasses."
"That's because I wear contacts."
"Oh." That made sense, but Ash's inability to see gave Makenna something new to worry about.
He held his hands out to her and said, "Keep the heid. I'm all right."
"I have no idea what that means," Makenna admitted.
"Keep the heid is a Scottish way of saying, 'Stay calm, don't get upset,'" explained Ash. "Which reminds me, I want to ask you something."
"What?" Makenna questioned, and Ash continued:
"Aren't you searching for some kind of Wizard Fairy who will help you get started on your journey to the Bermuda Triangle?"
"How do you know?"
"Selene told me," Ash responded. "Lucky for you, Makenn, I know the fairy she's talking about. That's because I've lived here for a while. If you want, I can take you to him."
"Seriously?" Makenna asked, but another worried look washed across her face. "Bu-But your head."
Ash smiled. "It feels fine now. Besides, I think it'd be best if I take you to the fairy now vs. later. He's usually gone in the afternoons."
"You can't see, though," Makenna argued. "Also, the doctor's supposed to drop by soon and check on you."
Suddenly, a voice was heard off to the side. "Go with him, Makenna."
Makenna, Ash, and Silvey quickly whirled around. Selene had appeared.
"Selene!" Makenna gasped. "Where-Where did you come from?"
Selene placed her hand on her hip and approached them and Silvey. "I heard you guys talking. It probably is best for you to meet the Wizard Fairy now vs. later, Miss Delling. The doc's not going to be here for a while. You guys have plenty of time."
Makenna pointed her thumb at Ash. "But I'm worried about Ash. He's still recovering from his concussion, and he can't even see!"
Selene reached behind her. "Which is why I brought these." She drew the pair of blue glasses and offered them to Ash. "Here you go, Ash."
"My glasses!" Ash excitedly called out. "Thank you, Selene! Thank you!"
Makenna merely stared. It turned out her friend really did wear glasses.
He took them out of Selene's hands and slipped them on. Once he saw how clear it was and the debris from the storm, he said, "Whoa! Somebody trashed the island."
Selene explained to him, "Well, a tropical storm blew in yesterday. You may not remember, though, my dear. You were kind of out of it yesterday, but you look a lot better today, and that's the most important thing. I believe you can escort Makenna to her next destination."
Makenna butted in. "Who is this Wizard Fairy, though? What makes him so important? We have more pressing priorities right now: Tracey, the Octopus Man, the Bermuda Triangle, and Ash getting better."
Selene snickered and glanced at her. "Only the Wizard Fairy can answer your questions, Miss Delling. Don't worry, you won't regret the visit. After you meet the fairy, I can guarantee that you will have a better understanding of how you can save Tracey and our two worlds with your Merfairy powers."
"I hope you're right, Selene. I hope you're right. Well, are we going, Ash?"
"Yeah. Just let me take this off." Ash reached up and clutched his hood, pulling it down. "Selene, can I take Harmony?"
"Oh, why certainly! She definitely would like to see the Wizard Fairy, too. Harmony!" Selene turned and stepped toward the beach. She rested her hand on the trunk of a palm tree and whistled down it.
Ash used his forefinger to adjust the bridge of his glasses and knelt to his sword, picking it up.
Makenna got down on his level and worriedly peered into his face. "Are you sure you're going to be all right?"
"I'm sure," Ash responded in a confident voice. "Trust me, I've experienced much worse than this."
Still.
"Here she comes!" Selene's voice echoed from down the beach.
Harmony appeared and nickered happily at the sight of Ash, who waved. The two of them hurried to one another and embraced.
Makenna couldn't help but smile, but it instantly vanished when she heard something off to the left in the jungle. It sounded like a voice—a spellbinding yet familiar voice.
Makenna recognized it—"Tracey?"—and stepped forward. "Tracey, is that you?" The voice did sound like him. Did he need Makenna's help? There was some panic in his voice. "Tracey?" Makenna questioned again.
"Makenna, follow my voice," Tracey spoke. "Follow it to the heart of the jungle. That is where I'll meet you."
Makenna instantly became excited. "Tracey!" she cried, flapping her wings. Lifting into the sky, she started forward and left Ash, Silvey, and Selene behind.