Kitchen Magic and a dear friend

Before Bizzy talks to the Head Kitchen Fairy, I've got to show off what my dear buddy Marie got me for Christmas.

Marie is just the sweetest woman alive, ya'll. And she's the only person I know who's got more Christmas spirit and cheer than me! When I save up enough to get to England one of these days, I'm going to go close to Christmas. I think it'd be an absolute ball.

Well, I'd have to go in the summer too, for all the castles and such.

I best get to saving.

Anyway, dear Marie sent me a box full of goodies.


First, we've got this fabulous little gingerbread light. Don't tell Ben, but I'm going to try and crawl into it later tonight.



Next, we've got this delicious candle. Not that I tried to eat it or anything. You'd be crazy to try to eat something that smelled that good....



And my favorite, a adorable little book of Christmas recipes! And there are some tasty things in there, too. I'm going to have to hop on the treadmill in preparation of eating them.

I did not drool. That was your imagination.

Thanks so much, Marie! Your gift is on it's way, since the evil post office gave me crap about how it was packaged.

And now, the beginning to the end of Kitchen Magic.....

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"Come on!" Sprinkles shouted, her eyes shining. She grabbed Bizzy and leaped onto a puff pastry that was floating by. Bizzy clutched onto her platter of cookies, shrieking as her heels crunched into the flaky crust. Holding her breath, she slowly lowered herself so she was sitting on the pastry, clutching the pan in her hands.

"I wouldn't do that, if I was you," Sprinkles informed her, eyeing her pants. "You'll get butter stains all over your butt. That won't look good."

Bizzy glared at her. "Whose brilliant idea was it to ride on a pastry?" she snapped. "Couldn't we just walk?"

Sprinkles snorted. "To there?" She pointed up and Bizzy craned her neck. All she saw was the white ceramic ceiling.

"To where?"

Sprinkles smirked. "There." She pointed and Bizzy's heart sank. Of course. Of course the magic kitchen world had a floating kitchen right near the escape hatch. And not just any kitchen--a magic kitchen. The appliances hung in the air as a revolving swirl of food flowed around them. Fairies were scurrying around constantly, pulling out pies and 12-layer cakes. Cookies streamed from two ovens in a rapid fire as one fairy held a large tube connected to a bucket up to it. Ice cream oozed like water from the sink and the microwave spat out strudels.

"Don't you fairies eat anything healthy?" Bizzy asked.

Sprinkles snorted. "If you were magic and could eat anything without gaining weight, what would you eat?"

"Point taken," Bizzy muttered.

The puff pastry floated to the kitchen, where Sprinkles hopped off on a small pink disk. She helped Bizzy onto a green disk. The disks floated to the edge of the kitchen, where an ancient fairy peered down her wrinkled nose.

"What do you want?" she snarled.

"To talk to the Head Kitchen Fairy," Sprinkles answered.

"She's busy!" the ancient fairy spat, her watery eyes bugging out. "Go eat something."

"It's in regards to the One," Sprinkles said in a low tone.

The ancient fairy gasped, her leathery cheeks fluttering as she sucked in her breath. "Go," she whispered, looking around. "And don't tell anyone I let you in."

Bizzy felt her stomach tie in knots as the green disks carried them through the kitchen. "Is this bad?" she whispered to Sprinkles. "Are we about to make a lot of fairies mad?"

"Most certainly." Sprinkles beamed.

Bizzy couldn't help gasping as the disks carried them towards a giant cauldron. A sour-faced fairy with green hair and onions for earrings was floating over it on a swing. As she swung back and forth, she pulled various vials and bottles out of her pocket and flung them into the pot below, ignoring the various explosions and colors that rose.

The disks stopped and the fairy narrowed her eyes. "Sprinkles, what do you want?" she shouted, pulling a purple flower out of her dress and dropping it. Silver sparkles burst into the air.

"I'm here to make a request of the utmost importance," Sprinkles said with a bow. "As a Kitchen Fairy of 347 years, I evoke the Act of Annual Human Magic Borrowing."

The Head Kitchen Fairy slowed her swing to a stop. Curling her weathered hands around it, she peered down at Sprinkles. "You want her to be the one human a year who holds our powers for a day?" Bizzy gulped as the fairy scrutinized her. Her face flushed and her hands and feet turned cold.

"Yes." Sprinkles' eyes were as hard as steel.

The fairy swiveled her head towards Bizzy. "What's your name?"

"Bizzy." Bizzy tried to swallow and peel her tounge from wherever it had gone.

"What did you bring me?" The fairy's green eyes bore into her like lasers. Bizzy held out the pan.

"Did you make them yourself?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"How?" The fairy crossed her long legs, flicking a red fingernail up to examine.

Bizzy forced herself to breathe. "I just thought of the best cookies I ever had and how I would make them and here they were."

"But you can't cook." The words were neutral.

"Not in my world," Bizzy answered. "Here, it was easy. I didn't feel like I was just fumbling about. I felt like I actually knew food." She realized she was rambling and blushed. The Head Kitchen Fairy nodded. She flicked her wrist and the pan of cookies was in her hands. Plucking a cookie off the sheet, she sniffed at it, then flicked her tongue towards one of the chips.

Bizzy bit the inside of her cheeks. Tears welled in her eyes and she hung her head. Why did she even try? Of course she couldn't cook here. Sprinkles was probably just desperate to get fairy points or whatever. She waited for her punishment as the Head Fairy chewed thoughtfully. What did fairies do to humans they didn't like? Maybe screwing up her family's Thanksgiving dinner would be good enough for them.

Sprinkles hummed impatiently as the Head Fairy chewed and swallowed. She picked up another cookie and popped it in her mouth without saying a word. And then another. And then a fourth. And fifth. Bizzy watched in awe as the entire pan of cookies disappeared in less than a minute. Licking her fingers, the Head Kitchen Fairy belched.

"Well," she drawled. "They're certainly not as good as mine, but they'll do. Your request is granted, Sprinkles."

Sprinkles whooped and pumped her fist in the air. Bizzy threw her arms around her and squealed. "You did it, you did it!" she cried.

"No, you did it," Sprinkles corrected. "Just like I knew you could." Tears of joy streamed down Bizzy's face. She barely noticed when a jar of white sparkles appeared in her hand.

"Now, to seal the agreement, you must both agree to the terms of the arrangement," the Head Fairy instructed. "Then you will throw your magic powder into the pot." She turned towards Bizzy. "Bizzy, as a human, you will inherit a kitchen fairy's powers for 24 hours. After that, you will retain all knowledge and skills except for magic, of course." Bizzy started to speak, but the Head Fairy shook her head. "You can not agree until you hear everything."

The Head Fairy turned to Sprinkles. "Sprinkles, do you agree to give up your magic to Bizzy and remain in the kitchen?" Sprinkles nodded. "And you do understand the seriousness of this gift, don't you?" the Head Fairy asked, her eyes full of concern. "Without your magic, you can never return to this world nor teach any other human. You'll spend your days just...frolicking, I guess."

"Wait a minute." Bizzy's eyebrows knit together as she whirled around. "What do you mean, give up your magic? I thought it was just for a day."

"For you, it is a day," the Head Fairy clarified. "For Sprinkles, it is a lifetime. She will never be able to help another human or return here if she gives you your magic. For once is it given, it can never return."

Bizzy looked at Sprinkles. "Why would you want to do this?"

Sprinkles gave her a brave smile. "I promised to help you," she murmured. "This is the only way."

"But you'll lose everything!" Bizzy cried. "What are you going to do in a kitchen all day without your magic?"

"I suppose I could learn to cook like you." Sprinkles gave her a ghost of a laugh.

"I won't do it." Bizzy shook her head. "I won't."

"You have to," Sprinkles urged. "I'll be miserable if you don't. If I don't help someone, I get really depressed." Bizzy shook her head and Sprinkles grabbed her hands. "It's true," she said, searching Bizzy's eyes. "I promise it's true. If you don't cook for your family, I'll always feel like I failed. Do this for me."

Bizzy stared into Sprinkle's wide eyes, her stomach churning and her heart pounding. She tried to swallow, but the words were stuck in her throat.

"What is your decision?" The Head Fairy looked at them expectantly.

To be continued....

Stay tuned, Invisible Friends! Tomorrow is the release of my book and the kick off of the 12 Days of Christmas at the Pond!