Chapter 10

10 Mina and Zora held the Thunder Maker out so Hana could examine it. This wasn't easy when they were all hovering in midair! Plus, Hana still had Beebi balanced on her back. But hang on… was that a space in the center of the machine? Yes! The drum had to go in there! Carefully, Hana fitted the drum into the gap.

Immediately, the drum popped back out of the machine and into the air! "Oh NO!" yelled Mina and Zora. "Go, Hana," urged Beebi. "Catch it!" She darted forward, just managing to catch the flying drum. But what should she do now? Hana knew it would be easier to try to fit the drum into the machine on the ground. But that was not an option. The Chaos Critters were down there, just waiting to attack and confuse everything. No, the Thunder Maker had to be fixed up here, in the air. "You can do it, Hana," Mina said, her gleaming tail swishing back and forth as she flew in place. "You absolutely can," agreed Zora, in her soft, comforting tone. "And we're going to hold this thing steady for as long as you need." Hana took a breath and tried again. This time, she pushed the drum until she heard a satisfying click. The drum gave a little shiver. Would it stay

in place? Hana held out her claws, ready to catch the drum if it decided to fly out again. This time, the drum stayed put. "Yay!" cheered Mina. But still the thunder boomed in its wild, out-of-control way. Zora reached over and turned the machine's little handle. Instantly, the cogs whirred and the model clouds spun. "Nothing's changed," groaned Hana. "It's still moving in that random way." Hana's wings were starting to feel heavy. Hovering in the air was tiring. She could see from Mina's and Zora's expressions that they were getting tired, too. Hana was so frustrated with herself. Back in her normal life, she was good at fixing things! Why couldn't she repair this machine? Hana felt Beebi nuzzling the back of her neck. "You have to make it start yourself," he said. "You're the Thunder Dragon. Use your thunder-force!"

My thunder-force? Hana had never heard of this. But somehow, she understood what Beebi meant. Filling her lungs with air, Hana let out all her frustration, worry, and determination. The roar that burst from her wasn't as loud as thunder. It was much, much louder! The leaves on the trees shook. Beebi, still clinging to Hana's back, shook. Even the air around them seemed to shake. The Thunder Maker gave another click and stopped moving. Hana held her breath. Had she somehow managed to BREAK the Thunder Maker? The machine let out a gentle whir, and the cogs and little metal storm clouds began to move in a smooth, steady rhythm. The storm clouds each made one full circle and then, when their paths aligned, they stopped. Instantly, the thundering around the Dragon Girls stopped as well. The remaining clouds

melted away, and the sky became a brilliant azure color. "You fixed it!" cheered Mina and Zora. "No, we fixed it," Hana said, beaming at her sister and cousin. "The Thunder Maker feels lighter," Mina commented.

"I guess that's because it's working now," said Zora. Hana nodded. "Let's take it back to the Thunder Theater." The Storm Dragons made their way down through the treetops, guided by the find-o-meter. Beebi rode on Hana's back, snuffling delightedly. He clearly enjoyed the feeling of the gentle breeze ruffling his fur.