Nutlidge ~ Chapter Twenty

Invisibilitea and Honestea

Under the tongue it went and she thought of herself as invisible and instantly she disappeared from humanity’s view. However, the three folk were still standing on her knee, and they could still see her.
“Are you okay Sky?” Asked Yellow Flower.
“Yes!” Said Sky giggling.
“Okay, come on then, I’ll sit on your shoulder until we are in there and then I will keep an eye on you. Perry, Winkle, go and help the other pixies with the cameramen and the telecast set up. We also need two keeping an eye on the guards by the entrance. Off you go, they’re waiting for you in the mouse hole near the entrance doors.”
The pixies disappeared from the cubicle and Sky went to open the door. It was locked. “Oh no!” She said, instantly worried.
“Don’t worry Sky, I locked it so no one would come in.” With that she wiggled her finger to release the lock. Nothing happened. She tried again, and still nothing happened. “Oh, well…” She said calmly, “You may have to climb over the door.” Suggested Yellow Flower. Podsinia hadn’t thought of this. She may have had the powers but she did not have the intelligence to use them properly!
Sky stood on the toilet seat and hoisted herself over the top and into the neighbouring cubicle. Then with Yellow Flower back on her shoulder again, she took off out the door and back into the great hall.
Most of the leaders were already seated except for a couple of odd figures that were taking their time.
The camera crews were set up and ready to go, reporters were checking their tape recorders and chatting quietly amongst them. Helping hands were everywhere flitting from here to there. Interpreters were also seated with those leaders who needed them.
Yellow Flower pointed out to Sky where to start. Standing in front of the long arched bench at one end, in the walkway, Sky got her measure out and scooped some tea. She held it over the top of the coffee mug along with the bottle and as she tipped the tea powder into the hot coffee, she allowed one drop of the potion into the cup also. They instantly sparkled and mixed themselves into the drink by the way of the tiniest bubbles. It was too small for the naked eye to notice.
She did this to the other drink containers and by Yellow Flowers instruction in her ear; she put three lots into the water jugs.
She worked her way along the row until she came to Willy Weed.
“No, leave him for a while,” said Yellow Flower. “Continue the row and come back around the other way. So Sky went and did as she was told.
The fairies were spread in strategic positions around the room ready to create a distraction enabling Sky to do her job without interruption.
The first speaker was of course Tom Coward. He rose in front of the cameras and spoke clearly to the worldwide audience that was out there listening.
“It gives me great pleasure to present to you our World Leaders’ Summit. On behalf of the Australian citizens, I would like to thank all of the World Leaders that have travelled to be here today at such short notice.
“We have gathered for the purpose, of finding a way to discuss the most important issues our world is facing today. Along with topics such as logging and wood chipping and trying to establish sanctions for saving and replanting more forests, more impending issues are present and they involve terrorism. We invite the media to witness our discussions here over the next few hours and trust the people at home will witness the peaceful outcomes of many issues…” He went on and on.

Grace was tuned in and set up for a long TV watch, with morning tea by her side, delivered faithfully by her friend and helper Beverly. She came in to the sitting room to top Grace’s cup up and said,
“And what is it you’re watching there Grace! I didn’t think you were into politics that much!”
“Oh, I just thought I might tune in to this Summit they are having in Canberra and see if they all tell the truth today or not.” She answered, smiling and stirring her tea.
“Oh yes! Well that will be the day!” Said Bev, looking at her boss sideways a little. “And what make you think they are going to be any different today from their normal lying selves?”
“Oh, just got a hunch!” She said in a cheerful tone and sipped the tea. “Why don’t you gather up the others and get them in for a cup of tea. I think they will enjoy this show!”
Beverly looked at her, wondering where she got the idea that it would be entertaining for them, but she would gather them up just the same. “Oh, by the way, you haven’t seen Sky lately have you?”
“Oh yes, I think she is happily playing in the cottage. She has taken quite a new liking to the dolls house.” Replied Grace. “I haven’t seen her since breakfast.”
“My, she had an appetite today! These kids grow so fast!” Beverly fished. She had noticed that Grace had been acting strangely lately and that Sky had also been a little different to her usual self. And where did Sky get that beautiful dress from that she had on last night? She knew that they hadn’t been out anywhere, and she knew that it wasn’t a dress up or she would have surely noticed. Grace had never been so distant before. It wasn’t that she was unfriendly, no; she was the loveliest lady that Beverly knew. But it was like she was off in a dream world that only she could see and Beverly felt strangely left out. Grace usually confided in her a lot. Especially since her husband had died.
She left Grace to watch her television program, and headed out to the herb garden to hang up the washing.
Henry was out there planting more small Comfrey and Basil seedlings and came over to have a chat.
“How are you Bev?” He asked chirpily and moved his hat back on his head a little.
“Great thanks Henry, and you?”
“Good, good. I feel like something good is going to happen today! I can just feel it in my bones!” He said, looking at the sky and stretching his old aching arm.
“Oh! And what sort of good thing?” She said, looking at him sideways while hanging a tablecloth, making sure it was straight.
“Oh I don’t know. I just feel that something is going to change for the better today. It’s just a feeling that’s all.”
Beverly hung out some more clothes and tea towels and listened to the birds.
“You’ve done a beautiful job of the gardens over the years Henry, it really is a credit to you.” She said after a while.
Henry got a little embarrassed but didn’t show it too much.
“Well…I had a lot of pleasure doing it, but I’m only adding to what was already here when I first came.”
“It really is a special place isn’t it?” She said, and stopped for a moment looking around her.
“Oh my yes! This place is special. You can feel it!” He answered.
It went quiet again. Then she said, “Henry, have you noticed anything different about Grace’s behaviour lately?”
Henry looked at her and didn’t say anything for the moment and after thinking about it he said,
“Well Grace knows more about life than she lets on to most people. I’m sure she’s in a world of her own just from being around her granddaughter. That child is reminding her about her own childhood. Sky is a child with a special kind of magic within.”
“You think that’s all that it is though?” She said, not really believing it.
“Well, so long as she’s happy, be happy for her. She has really missed her man over the past few years. Just go with it, I’m sure all will be revealed soon enough.”
“Yeah, I suppose you’re right. She replied and carried on with her job of hanging the washing. “Oh, Grace would like us all to join her for a cup of tea in the sitting room. Apparently there is something on T.V. she would like us to watch. Something to do with the World Leader Summit.” She shook her head a couple of times with a frown on her face.
Henry nodded his head at what she was saying. He had the strangest feeling inside when she said it. He knew he needed to watch it and without hesitation he said, “Come on then, leave that. Let’s go and see what it’s all about,” and he grabbed her arm gently and pulled her towards the house, before she had time to protest.

Meanwhile at home, Fran was just about to open the door to her visitor. She straightened out her outfit, which consisted of a long purple Indian skirt, and an orange velvet top. Her hair was up and she looked stunning.
The guys were in the garden trying to write a song and out the way for the moment.
She took a breath as the visitor knocked again. Fran opened the door nervously and when she saw him, she remembered how relaxed he was and she instantly relaxed herself.
“G’day! How you going!” He said happily.
“Hi! Pretty good thanks. Please, come on in…” She said, and she shut the door behind him. Leading him into the kitchen she noticed that Baize was fiddling with the TV in the lounge room, but ignored him just for the moment.
“So,” She said, “Would you like a drink? Juice, coffee…?”
“Oh, ah, just a juice would be good thanks.” He said, and followed her to the bench.
“Nice place you got here. Must be nice to live so close to the river.” He said, accepting the drink and taking a sip.
“Yes it is nice.” She agreed, “And I also love it because the forests aren’t that far away. It’s nice to have a bit of both.”
The volume on the TV went up loud by mistake and turning it down, Baize looked around to see who he had offended.
“Sorry!” He said, and came into the kitchen to meet Fran’s new friend.
“G’day!” He said, putting out his hand for Jack to shake it.
“G’day.” He replied.
Fran stepped in to introduce them.
“Jack, I’d like you to meet my son, Baize…Baize this is Jack, who generously shouted me to tea last night.”
Jack laughed, and images of the night before flashed in his mind. “Oh! Your Mum’s a treasure! I’d still be on the side of the road waiting if she hadn’t come along!” He said, looking her straight in the eye and didn’t take his eyes away until she did.
Baize could see that they were smitten with each other, and decided to keep it short. They obviously were itching to get to know each other a little more.
“Well, Jack, it’s good to meet you mate, enjoy your lunch. I’ve got a few mates outside and we’re trying to write a song. So I’d better get back to them. I’m just leaving the TV on Mum ‘cause that World Leader Summit is on this morning. We thought we’d get a few ideas from it.”
Fran nodded watching him tune in the ABC, but it turned out that it was on all the channels anyway.
“Hey may be I could have a jam with you some time.” Jack said, pushing the hair in his eyes out the way. “I play a little guitar, bass, sax.”
“Oh yeah! Any time man, that’d be great! I’ll let you know the details and we’ll catch up.” Replied Baize thrilled to hear he played saxophone also.
“No worries.” Said the visitor, and took another sip of his drink.
Glancing at it quickly, Fran noticed that Tom Coward was talking and being uninterested in what he had to say, shut him out and focused on her gorgeous guest, who was dressed in jeans and a shirt and nice boots, which made him look really smart.
Fran’s focus was entirely on him.

Meanwhile, back at the cave, Podsinia had found the potion gone and in a fit of rage had taken off to stop Sky from ruining her plans.

Sky was busy pouring Honestea into their drinks, and had done about half the leaders and their partners. Tom Coward had finished talking and had handed it over to a United Nations Spokesman who was addressing the first issue on the agenda, which was of wood chipping and deforestation.
Sky got around to Willy Weed and then his colleague. When she rechecked her work and saw the bubbles rising she rushed over to Tom Coward and spiked his drinks also.
She made her way around as fast as she could, being careful not to spill any of her precious ingredients. Yellow Flower was darting backwards and forwards between her and the other folk who were helping. The pixies had already changed some of the settings enabling the broadcast to bypass the broadcasting stations altogether and to go straight out there into peoples homes, uncut.
Lobes was doing a last minute check on all the equipment and distracted the odd person in the news room to get to the knobs he needed to change. He had already been to the broadcasting station and changed all the settings there for worldwide satellite coverage.
Every TV and radio station, in every city and town around the world had the opportunity to watch this World Leader Summit. Now the show was fully live, and it had been done in such a way that no one had noticed.
The next person to get up and speak was the president of Norway. In their own language they told the united congregation that they put forward an amendment placing all untouched forests to go on to the World Heritage List.
“This must be done to ensure the forests for future generations.” He had not had any Honestea as yet, and spoke truthfully for his country that had for years, been avid savers of old forests. “We must not cut down any more natural sanctuaries. We must use the recourses we have to plant trees and create more forests.”
Willy Weed put his hand up and spoke next. “You can’t stop felling forests! What are we going to build our houses with? What are the woodcutters’ families supposed to do when they go home and say they have no job? We can’t print the next budget without paper and well, we’d be lost without toilet paper!” His General and a few others laughed quietly at his comment.
The Dutch leader responded, “Members of the congregation, it is an honour to be here in Australia. We do not have to stop the felling and production of timber entirely. But I agree that we should plan to create more forests and rebuild what we have taken. The world is on the brink of dramatic climate change, but there is a window of opportunity to do something about it. If we can turn our thoughts around to love and not fear, it will be possible to find a balance in this.
“More jobs would be created with the planting of hemp and more trees worldwide could be planted on a massive scale. I also encourage the production of hemp for the use of paper and fabric, all the other products this plant can supply. The growth of hemp farms all over the world will cut the cost of wood chipping and paper manufacture. As this plant has been placed in our midst, we should use it as it was meant to be used.
“The cotton industry is another multinational corporation is sucking the earth dry and diverting water away from worthy causes. It costs less to grow hemp than it does to grow cotton, and the variety of uses is endless. Medicinally hemp can be used for many ailments and diseases, yet this plant has been made illegal, creating the substance abuse we now have. It is no worse or better than cigarettes and alcohol. I put forward a motion to legalize hemp farms to save the forests. And,” he added, “They can be grown as you know, without the THC content.”
There was a murmur with in the hall before anyone else spoke. It was a controversial request, but done with truth and sensibility.
Sky was still working her way around, until she came to a rather large waiter blocking the aisle. She had real trouble getting around him and just waited for a moment while he got the order from the Chinese Leader.
Two of the fairies saw what was happening, and as time was of the essence, they flew down to help.
Rosemally and Jasmine pushed up on the waiter’s tray to unbalance him. He went to save his tray and glasses and while doing this managed to step back far enough without completely falling over the leaders behind him. Sky stepped through the gap whilst he saved the glasses he was carrying and apologised quietly and humbly to the leaders around him. Sky continued her journey around the bench pouring Honestea and the potion into the drinks until she had finally done the last one.
With Yellow Flowers instruction, she headed for Willy Weeds drink and found he was drinking scotch! How could he be sensible drinking that! She placed the powder and the drop of potion into his glass and then headed for Phoney Hair’s cup. He had a mug, but in it was brandy! She spiked his cup, frowning at the attitude of these ‘leaders’.
Sky finished the last of the World Leaders drinks, finishing off with Tom Coward and his sidekick. It was time to now focus on the media. The fairies flew around and made sure all the drinks were touched with the Honestea, which they were. It had gone rather smoothly.
The media pool wasn’t so easy because it was very crowded. Sky found herself stepping over bags, feet and wires and slipping in between chairs. The fairies were kept busy here and made sure no one interrupted the young girl but they also kept their ear on what was being said.
No one noticed straight away, but Sky’s foot was beginning to come visible. She had completely forgotten about not eating meat and thinking nothing about it, she had had bacon and eggs for breakfast!
She was finishing off the last of drinks in the section when she heard a woman say,
“Hey! What was that?” She began glancing under the chair in front of her!