Power Play by Titania Woods

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    Chapter One
    Twink Flutterby felt very grown-up as she and her younger sister Teena flew through the bright spring afternoon. For the first time, their parents were allowing her and Teena to fly to Glitterwings Academy on their own. Twink was a fourth-year student now, and they knew they could trust her to be sensible.
    Her fourth year at Glitterwings! Twink shook her head in wonder. It hardly seemed possible that she’d been attending the famous fairy school for so long.
    â€˜Oof! I liked it better when Dad flew with us,’ moaned Teena. She was flying along slowly, weighed down by her oak-leaf bag. With her long pink hair and lavender wings, Teena looked a lot like her older sister – apart from her expression, which was very cross at the moment!
    Twink grinned as she swooped to avoid a yellow butterfly flitting past. ‘We’re almost there,’ she said. ‘Look, there’s the hill!’
    The two sisters skimmed over the grassy slope and Glitterwings Academy came into view: a massive oak tree with tiny golden windows spiralling up its trunk. At its base sat a pair of grand double doors, open in welcome. Returning fairies hovered about the tree in rainbow clusters, laughing and chatting.
    Twink sighed happily as she and Teena touched down on the front lawn. It was glimmery to be back – especially in the springtime, which meant a new Fledge season! Twink had been a member of the school Fledge team since her second year, and her wings tingled at the thought of playing the high-speed game again.
    â€˜There’s Zuzu,’ said Teena, spotting her best friend. ‘See you later, Twink!’ She sped off towards the second-year section.
    Twink smiled as she caught sight of her own best friend, Bimi Bluebell. She was standing beside a tree root, talking to a fairy called Kiki. Grabbing up her oak-leaf bag, Twink skimmed around the tree root and landed at her side. ‘Hi, Bimi!’
    â€˜Twink!’ Bimi spun towards her. ‘Hurrah, you’re here!’
    The two friends hugged, bouncing up and down. Bimi had long, midnight-blue hair, and silver wings with golden swirls on them. Though easily the prettiest fairy in the school, she was very down-to-earth and not vain in the least.
    â€˜Hi, Kiki,’ said Twink as she and Bimi separated. ‘Did you have good hols?’ It was strange to think how jealous she’d been of Kiki when the violet-haired fairy first arrived at Glitterwings – now she thought she was one of the nicest fairies in their year.
    â€˜Glimmery!’ said Kiki. ‘Have you checked in yet? We were just about to.’
    The three fairies flew over to the fourth-year check-in area together, chattering about their hols. The fourth-year head was Miss Petal, their Flower Power teacher, and she greeted them warmly.
    â€˜Welcome back, girls,’ she said, ticking them off her clover-leaf list. ‘You’re all in Bluebell Branch this year.’
    Twink nudged Bimi with her wing. ‘That’s perfect for you , isn’t it?’ she teased.
    â€˜Bimi Bluebell in Bluebell Branch!’ giggled Bimi. ‘Yes, that sounds about right. Shall we go up and have a look?’

    â€˜You two go ahead; I’m going to see if Ivy has got here yet,’ said Kiki. Ivy was Kiki’s best friend, a green-haired fairy as artistic as she was.
    â€˜OK – we’ll see you up at Bluebell Branch!’ called Twink over her shoulder as she and Bimi flew off. Skimming through the arched double doors together, the two friends swooped into the school.
    As always, Twink found herself smiling as she took in her surroundings. The inside of Glitterwings Academy was a tall, golden tower, filled with light. For as high as the eye could see, fairies darted in and out of the tree’s branches like brightly coloured birds.
    Twink and Bimi spiralled quickly upwards, passing sleeping branches and classrooms filled with red-spotted mushroom