Jenny was a little Fairy in Ether Forest. She was small, bright, and a bit shy. Her wings went flutter-flutter when she felt brave.
One morning, Jenny woke up and gasped. “Oh!”
The forest looked pale. The mushrooms were gray. The flowers looked sleepy.
Toy, her friend, rolled up beside her. Toy was a little walking toy made of soft wood and cloth. Toy was funny and loyal. Toy said, “Boing! Jenny, where did the colors go?”
Jenny held Toy’s tiny hand. “We will find them. Step-step.”
They walked past tall trees that whispered, “Hush… hush…”
In a blue-clear pond, the water was not blue. It was plain.
Toy peeked in. “I miss blue.”
Jenny nodded. “Me too.”
A rustle! A pointy hat popped from behind a fern.
It was a Wizard.
The Wizard frowned and waved a stick. “No colors! I want quiet, dull days.”
Toy squeaked, “That is not nice!”
Jenny’s voice was soft. “Please give them back.”
The Wizard said, “Only if you can open my Color Box. But it is locked-locked!” He laughed and vanished in a puff.
Jenny and Toy found the Color Box under a root. It was small and shiny, with a tiny keyhole.
Toy tapped it. “Tap-tap. Where is the key?”
Jenny listened. She heard a little tink sound, like a bell.
“Follow the tink,” Jenny whispered.
They followed the sound through ferns and soft moss. Tink. Tink.
A squirrel ran by with an acorn. A beetle waddled. A tiny owl blinked.
Toy waved. “Hi-hi!”
The tink led them to a hollow log. Inside was a little key, stuck in sticky sap.
Toy tried to pull. “Ungh!”
Jenny took a deep breath. “I can do it.”
She was shy, but she was brave.
Jenny sprinkled fairy dust. “Warm and gentle.”
The sap softened. The key came free with a pop.
Toy clapped. “Yay! Pop!”
They hurried back. Jenny put the key in the Color Box. Click.
The lid lifted. Whoosh!
Colors flew out like ribbons. Red-red! Yellow-yellow! Blue-blue!
The mushrooms blushed pink. The pond turned bright again. The leaves sparkled green.
The Wizard appeared, eyes wide. “Too bright!”
Jenny said, “It is happy bright.”
Toy giggled, “Bright is right!”
The Wizard looked at the glowing forest. A small smile slipped onto his face. “Hmm. Maybe colors are… kind of nice.”
He waved his stick, not to steal, but to help. Sparkles settled like soft rain.
As a reward, the Color Box made one more gift.
Plink! Out popped a tiny paintbrush wand for Jenny, with a rainbow handle.
Toy bounced. “New wand!”
Jenny held it carefully. “I can paint colors back if they ever hide.”
She drew one little swirl in the air. A star of gold light appeared.
The forest animals cheered in tiny sounds.
Jenny smiled big. “Thank you, Ether Forest.”
Toy said, “Home now?”
“Yes,” Jenny said. “Step-step home.”
They walked under bright leaves, safe and warm, with colors all around, and Jenny’s new rainbow wand shining softly.