9 Pix Power

9 Pix Power "Quick! Let's hide!" Sprite said. He flew behind a tree. Violet followed. Sprite peeked at the playground. It was crowded with children. "What's Pix doing?" Violet asked. "It looks like he already tapped the kids in the playground," Sprite said. "They're under his spell."

Violet looked out from behind the tree. Children were playing and laughing. They swung on the swings. They slid down the slide. They went around and around on the merry-go-round.

Pix sat on one end of a seesaw. A little boy sat on the other end. Pix laughed as the seesaw flew up and down. Violet turned to Sprite. "I don't get it," she said. "They all look like they're having fun." "Look closer," Sprite said.

Violet looked again. Then she understood. The kids didn't look happy. They all looked tired. Their eyes looked glazed, like they were sleepwalking. "That's not normal," Violet said. A mom ran up to a little boy on the swing. She tried to pull him off. But the little boy cried and shouted. The mom looked worried. Pix hopped off the seesaw. He snuck up behind her and tapped her on the head.

Then the mom laughed. She sat down on another swing. "Let's play!" she said. Violet frowned. "Pix is going to have everybody under his spell! How can we stop him?" Sprite looked down at his shoes. "I'm not really sure," he said. "Not sure!" Violet said. "I thought you were a Royal Pixie Tricker." Sprite blushed. But he didn't blush pink. He turned a brighter shade of green. "I am a Royal Pixie Tricker," he said. "But there's so much to remember. It all gets mixed up in my head."

Violet sighed. We have to think of a way to break Pix's spell, she thought. "I know!" Violet said. "What if we get everybody to turn their hoodies and jackets inside out? And wear them backward? It worked before." Sprite looked troubled. "That could work. But I'm not sure." "It's worth a try," Violet said. "You can whisper in the kids' ears. You can tell them what to do—just like you whispered to me in the fountain." "All right," Sprite said. "I'll do it!" "Wait a minute," Violet said. Sprite flew back to her. He landed on a tree limb.