2. Bubble Trouble

Bubble Trouble "Thank you, little crab," Rachel said. She crouched down and stroked the top of the crab's shell. The crab waved one claw at her, then dived into the water. He sank to the sandy bottom and disappeared under some seaweed. Kirsty peered into the tide pool. "Can you see the Blue Fairy, Rachel?" she asked. Rachel shook her head.

Kirsty sighed, disappointed. "I can't, either." "Do you think Jack Frost's goblins found her first?" Rachel said. "I hope not!" Kirsty shuddered. "Those goblins will do anything to stop the Rainbow Fairies from getting back to Fairyland." Just then, Rachel and Kirsty heard a sweet voice singing a song. "With silver bells and cockle shells, and pretty maids all in a row . . ." "Oh!" Rachel gasped. "It's so pretty! Do you think it's the little crab?" Kirsty shook her head. "His voice was all gritty." "You're right," Rachel agreed. "This voice sounds tinkly — more like a fairy!" "I think the singing is coming from that seaweed," said Kirsty, pointing into the tide pool. Rachel peered into the water. She could see something unusual in the rippling seaweed. "Look!" she said. Just then, a huge bubble came bobbing out of the seaweed. It floated toward the surface of the pool. Rachel and Kirsty watched with wide eyes. There was a tiny girl inside the bubble! She waved at them and fluttered her rainbow-colored wings.

"Oh!" Kirsty gasped. "It's her! I think we've found Sky the Blue Fairy!" The fairy pressed her hands against the curved sides of the bubble. She wore a short, sparkly dress and knee-high boots the color of bluebells. Her earrings and headband were made of little stars.

"Please help me!" Sky said. Her tiny voice sounded like bubbles popping. Suddenly, a cold breeze swept through Rachel's hair. A dark shadow fell across the tide pool. The glowing blue water turned gray. It was as if a cloud had covered the sun. Rachel looked up. The sun was still shining brightly overhead. "What's happening?" she cried.

Kirsty heard a strange hissing sound. She glanced around in alarm. A layer of frost was creeping across the rocks toward them, covering the beach in a crisp, white blanket. "Jack Frost's goblins must be very close," Kirsty said, feeling worried. Inside her bubble, Sky shivered as ice began to cover the tide pool.

"Oh, no! She's going to be trapped," Kirsty cried. Sky's bubble had stopped bobbing in the water. Now it hung very still, frozen into the ice. Rachel and Kirsty could see that Sky looked very scared. "Poor Sky! We have to rescue her!" Rachel exclaimed. "But how can we melt all that ice?" "I know!" said Kirsty. "Why don't we look in our magic bags?" The Fairy Queen had given Rachel and Kirsty bags with very special gifts in them, to use for helping fairies in trouble.