Carla the Cheerleading Fairy Read online

  As the other goblins jumped into the argument, hollering and stomping their feet, Rachel and Kirsty slowly backed away unnoticed.

  “That was a lucky break,” Kirsty said, once they were a safe distance away.

  Rachel laughed. “You’re telling me! I couldn’t believe he handed Carmen’s magic pom-pom right to me.”

  “And now that Carmen’s pom-pom has been returned to Fairyland, our routines should go much more smoothly.” Kirsty sighed with relief. “I don’t think I can handle another toppling pyramid!”

  The girls headed back to the gym to meet up with Kirsty’s parents.

  “So what’s next?” Rachel asked, linking arms with her best friend.

  Kirsty pulled open the gym door. “Well, it’s time to check into the hotel and get dinner with my squad. I can’t wait for you to meet everyone! But more importantly … ”

  “ … we have to continue the hunt for Carmen’s other missing objects!” Rachel finished.

  There was no time to waste. If the girls didn’t find Carmen’s magic hair bow and megaphone before the morning, Kirsty’s first big competition was going to be a big disaster!

  Teamwork Trouble

  Hotel Highjinks

  Goblins Take the Cake

  Zipping and Zooming

  Taking a Bow

  “Yum!” said Rachel, rubbing her stomach with satisfaction. “That dinner was so good! I hadn’t realized how hungry I was.”

  “Me neither,” Kirsty said with a sly smile. She dropped her voice to a whisper. “I guess chasing goblins around all afternoon really helps work up an appetite!”

  Rachel laughed. Kirsty was right—running after silly goblins was hard work! As her laugh faded, she glanced around at the rest of Kirsty’s squad. They were all walking to the Cove City Hotel after eating dinner together, and there wasn’t a smile to be seen! All of the kids looked awfully gloomy …

  “Here we are,” said Mrs. Gold, the squad’s coach. She pointed to a large, old, fancy-looking building up ahead. Gaslights flickered on either side of the entrance, and a wrought iron sign over the door read COVE CITY HOTEL.

  Even though they were feeling gloomy, the kids on Kirsty’s squad couldn’t help looking at the hotel in awe.

  “Wow,” Sunny said. “I can’t believe we get to stay here!”

  “We’ll go grab the bags from our car and check in,” Mrs. Tate told Rachel and Kirsty. “Why don’t you two have a look around? We’ll meet you in the lobby in a little bit.”

  “Thanks, Mom!” Kirsty said. This was just the opportunity they needed to explore. Maybe they would even track down another one of Carmen the Cheerleading Fairy’s missing objects—if they were lucky!

  Kirsty turned to the rest of her squad. Everyone was heading inside and up to their rooms. “Good night, everyone. See you tomorrow for the big day!”

  The other kids all tried to smile and wave as they disappeared through the front doors.

  Kirsty paused outside the hotel and sighed. “Everyone has been so snappy and impatient all afternoon. Our squad usually gets along so well! At this rate, we won’t be working together very well for tomorrow’s competition.” She buried her face in her hands. “All our hard work could be for nothing!”

  Rachel gave her friend a hug. “This is because Carmen’s magic hair bow is still missing,” she said. “It controls teamwork, remember? We just have to find it, and then everything will go back to normal!”

  Kirsty took a deep breath. “You’re right.” She stood up tall and squeezed Rachel’s hand. “Let’s go inside. Hopefully some magic will find us soon—we don’t have much time!”

  Together the girls pulled open the large front doors of the hotel and stepped into the ornate lobby. A big wooden desk stood off to one side, lit with old lamps and some flickering candles. Huge, overstuffed chairs around the lobby were filled with all kinds of visitors, chatting and relaxing. Jazz music played on some speakers, and a crystal chandelier glittered overhead.

  “This place is amazing!” Rachel said, turning in a slow circle and trying to take it all in.

  Kirsty nodded, but didn’t say anything. She was too busy studying the crystal chandelier.

  Rachel watched her friend curiously. “It’s a nice chandelier … ” she commented after a moment.

  “It’s not just that,” Kirsty whispered. “Look over on the left side. Doesn’t it seem … extra-sparkly?”

  Rachel squinted, then gasped. Sure enough, there was a glimmering figure perched on one arm of the chandelier. “Carmen!” Rachel cried.

  Quick as a flash, the tiny fairy darted down and ducked into Kirsty’s tote. Fortunately, no one in the busy lobby seemed to notice!

  Carmen peeked over the edge of the bag and grinned at the girls. “Hello again! I hope you’re not too tired from your long day, because I can sense my magic hair bow nearby.”

  “We were hoping you’d say that!” Kirsty whispered.

  “This old hotel has a lot of nooks and crannies,” Rachel said. “The goblins could be anywhere … ”

  “Then we’d better get started!” Carmen cheered.

  Rachel, Kirsty, and Carmen looked around the crowded lobby. There was a lot going on, but they didn’t notice anything unusual or goblin-like.

  “Let’s pick a hallway and start exploring,” Kirsty suggested, pointing to a hall that led off the right side of the lobby.

  Carmen ducked down inside Kirsty’s tote again, and the three friends set off. No sooner had they left the noisy lobby than they heard the ding of an arriving elevator up ahead. The doors slid open—and the girls jumped back! They’d almost been run over by a group of kids leaping and tumbling out of the elevator at full speed!

  “Whoa!” Rachel cried. “Those kids are acting crazy!”

  Kirsty watched the group somersault down the hallway, frowning. “Those aren’t kids … they’re goblins!”

  A tiny gasp came from inside Kirsty’s bag. “After them!” Carmen cried.

  Rachel and Kirsty raced down the hall as fast as their legs would take them, barely able to keep the tumbling goblins in sight as they went around corners and through doorways.

  “Look, one of them is wearing the magic hair bow!” Rachel pointed out, before the goblins ran through a set of swinging doors.

  The girls barreled through the doors after them—and then stopped short. They’d almost run right into the hotel’s indoor pool!

  “That would have been a very unmagical surprise,” Kirsty muttered.

  On the far side of the pool, the goblins were executing perfect cheerleading tosses and heaving their teammates into the water. Each goblin landed with a huge SPLASH, soaking the other swimmers—and all the people on the pool deck, too! The girls watched as the goblin with the hair bow sailed through the air, turning three impressive flips before cannonballing into the deep end.

  Kirsty shook her head. “Those goblins are causing so much trouble!”

  “That’s true, but see how well they’re working together?” Carmen pointed out. “That’s because they have my magic hair bow.” She blinked, squinting at the goblin who had just landed in the water. “Wait—where did it go?”

  “There!” Rachel said, pointing to another goblin at the edge of the pool. “They’re working together so well that they’re also sharing the hair bow—and goblins never share!”

  Suddenly, all of the goblins climbed out of the water and ran back through the swinging doors, leaving a slick trail behind them. Rachel and Kirsty followed, trying not to slip!

  The goblins sped down the halls again, tossing the hair bow back and forth as they cartwheeled and flipped. When they reached the lobby, they all began to somersault in unison. They looked like a row of runaway bowling balls rolling through the crowd! People yelped and scattered in every direction.

  “I can’t even keep track of which goblin has the hair bow,” Rachel said, breathing hard as she ran.

  “Me, neither,” said Kirsty, wiping her forehead. “At this rate, we’ll
never get it back!”

  All at once, the goblins climbed to their feet again and tumbled off down another hallway, clapping and cheering in perfect unison.

  “We’re green!

  We’re mean!

  We’re a top-notch team!

  We’ll cause more trouble than you’ve ever seen!”

  Carmen peeked out of Kirsty’s bag and sighed. “Well, they’ve got that part right. If we don’t stop them soon, they’re going to cause a heap of trouble—not just here, but for cheerleaders everywhere!”

  Rachel and Kirsty skidded around a corner and came to a sudden stop. The goblins had stopped too—and they were standing right in front of the girls! Rachel and Kirsty didn’t want to be spotted, so they quickly ducked behind a potted plant. Carmen fluttered silently out of Kirsty’s tote and perched on one of the plant’s wide leaves.

  “What are they doing?” she whispered, peeking at the group of goblins.

  Kirsty groaned. “I don’t like the looks of this,” she said quietly. “Do you see what they’re all huddled around?”

  “Oh!” Rachel gasped. “It’s a … wedding cake!”

  It was true! The upper tiers of a beautiful white wedding cake towered above the goblins’ heads. The cake was covered with frosting flowers, and the girls could see the small figures of a bride and groom on the very top. The goblins surrounded it, giggling gleefully and licking their lips.

  “That’s the entrance to the ballroom,” Kirsty said, pointing to the doors just beyond the goblins. “And see the sign over there? ‘The Greene and Jones Wedding.’ There’s a wedding reception going on—right now!”

  Carmen frowned, crossing her arms.

  “This time, the goblins have gone too far! It’s one thing to ruin the cheerleading competition, but now they’re going to spoil a wedding, too?” She stomped her foot, and the leaf she was standing on bobbed up and down. “What a bunch of greedy, green meanies!”

  Just then, they heard the goblin with the hair bow speak up. “Okay, team. Here’s what we’ll do: let’s form a goblin pyramid. That way, we can climb up high and snag the delicious top of the cake! That silly bride and groom will never even miss it.”

  Rachel shook her head in disbelief. “Of course they’ll miss it—it’s their wedding cake!”

  But the other goblins all nodded enthusiastically, cheering, “Great idea!” “Take the cake!” and “Goooo, team!”

  They quieted down and listened respectfully as the goblin with the hair bow told them how to form the strongest, sturdiest pyramid. Then they scrambled into position. In no time, they began to form an incredible goblin pyramid right there in the hallway! Five goblins made the base of the pyramid, then four on the next level, three on the next level …

  Kirsty, Rachel, and Carmen all held their breath as the pyramid grew taller and taller. Before long, it was almost as high as the towering cake! The goblin with the hair bow nodded in satisfaction, then got ready to begin his climb. The girls could see that once he reached the top of the pyramid, he’d be able to grab the top tier of the cake easily!

  Suddenly, Kirsty’s face lit up. “Team huddle!” she whispered to Rachel and Carmen. The little fairy fluttered down to perch on Kirsty’s shoulder, and Rachel leaned in close. “I have an idea,” Kirsty went on. “But in order for it to work, we’re going to need a little magic … ”

  Carmen grinned. “You’re in luck, girls!” She held up her wand. “Magic happens to be my specialty.”

  Eyes twinkling, Rachel, Kirsty, and Carmen crouched behind the potted plant and watched the goblin pyramid closely. The girls had to wait for just the right moment to put their plan into action!

  The goblin with the hair bow climbed confidently up each level of the pyramid, while his teammates cheered him on.

  “You’ve got this!”

  “Nearly there!”

  “I can almost taste that cake now … ”

  As the goblin with the hair bow began to climb the uppermost level to take his place at the top, Kirsty gave Carmen a nod. The little fairy took a deep breath. “It’s time, girls!”

  Carmen waved her wand, and a twinkling of magic surrounded Kirsty and Rachel. In the blink of an eye, they both shrunk down to fairy size! Thin, sparkling wings appeared on each of their backs.

  Kirsty fluttered her wings happily. “Being turned into a fairy is the best!”

  “You bet it is!” Rachel smiled, flying into the air and giving Carmen a high five. “Now let’s take down that pyramid … and get Carmen’s bow back.”

  The three fairies darted out of hiding—and not a moment too soon! The goblin with the bow had just reached the very top of the pyramid, and he was about to reach for the top of the cake.

  “Hey!” Kirsty cried, zooming over to the goblins. “That cake isn’t yours—and neither is that bow on your head!”

  The goblin with the bow scoffed. “Finders keepers!” His teammates all laughed and cheered.

  Rachel landed on the goblin’s big nose. “That’s not how it works. An important part of cheerleading is being a good sport and playing fair.”

  She stomped her foot, and the goblin yelped, swatting her away with a wave of his hand.

  “Get out of here, you pesky fairies!” he grumbled. “We’ve been working very hard, and we’re hungry. If you’ll excuse us, now we have some cake to eat.” He stretched out a hand toward the top tier of the wedding cake.

  But before he could reach the cake, Rachel, Kirsty, and Carmen began flying in circles around his head! They zipped and zoomed, dipped and dove. They couldn’t get close enough to grab the magic bow, but they got just close enough to completely confuse and annoy the goblin!

  “Stop that! Cut it out!” he cried, waving an arm to shoo them away.

  The three friends flew expertly, dodging the goblin’s flailing arms. They continued to dart around him like pesky flies—and they couldn’t help giggling as he got more and more annoyed!

  “I mean it!” the goblin yelled, rising to his knees and swatting at the fairies with both green hands. He almost sent Kirsty tumbling through the air with a wild swing, but she dipped away just in time! As she did, the goblin lost his balance and fell to one side, landing on the two goblins below him with a thud.

  “Whoa!” they cried, startled. They began to wobble, which set off a chain reaction down the rest of the pyramid. The whole thing started to sway!

  Rachel, Kirsty, and Carmen watched from the air as the goblins all desperately tried working together to regain their balance.

  “Lean to the left!” one cried.

  Another goblin hollered, “Nobody panic! Hold steady!”

  But even teamwork magic couldn’t save the pyramid. As the fairies looked on, the whole thing tilted, tipped … and then came tumbling down!

  “Ow!”

  “Get off me!”

  “Whose foot is in my face?!”

  The toppled pyramid of goblins lay in a heap, grumbling and groaning. They pushed and shoved while some goblins climbed gingerly to their feet. The rest of the goblins were a tangled pile of arms and legs!

  Fluttering in the air above, Kirsty noticed a familiar sparkle. The magic hair bow! The goblin wearing it had been trapped under some of his teammates when he fell. Luckily, his head—and the hair bow—were the only things sticking out of the goblin pileup. This was Kirsty’s chance!

  Zooming as fast as her wings would carry her, Kirsty made a beeline for the goblin and plucked the bow from his head. Standing on his forehead, she bent over so she could see his face—upside- down!

  “Thank you!” she told him sweetly. “The true owner of this magic bow will be very happy to have it back.”

  The goblin glared at her. His green face turned a furious shade of red … but there was nothing he could do! His arms and legs were pinned down by his teammates. The other goblins were so busy arguing and trying to untangle themselves, they didn’t even notice that Kirsty was escaping with the hair bow!

  “Horrible fairies!”
the goblin spat. “Always ruining our fun.”

  Kirsty grinned and shrugged, then she twirled up into the air with the magic bow in her arms.

  Carmen zipped over to meet her. As soon as the little fairy touched her hair bow, it shrunk down to fairy-size. Carmen turned a series of twinkling cartwheels in midair, cheering:

  “We’ve got the bow!

  And everyone will know!

  Now I have to take it and go, go, go!”

  She waved the girls over, and all three of them landed behind the potted plant again. With a flick of her wand, Carmen showered Rachel and Kirsty with fairy dust. Just like that, they were back to their regular size!

  The three friends watched as the goblins finally untangled themselves and got to their feet, rubbing their bumps and bruises. The rest of the goblins had realized that the magic hair bow was gone—and they weren’t happy about it! In fact, they were all so busy arguing that they completely forgot about the wedding cake. The whole group of goblins limped off down the hallway. The girls could hear them squabbling even after they’d disappeared around a corner!

  “Great teamwork, girls!” Carmen said with a big smile. “I’m heading back to Fairyland now, but I’ll see you soon.”

  Kirsty frowned. “My competition starts first thing in the morning. I hope we can find your magic megaphone in time!”

  “Don’t worry,” Rachel assured her. “If we work together, I have a feeling we can save the competition.”

  Carmen cheered.

  “That’s the spirit!” Then with a wink and a wave, she spun up into the air and vanished.

  Just then, the girls heard a loud rumbling. Oh no—what could it be this time?