A Fairy in His Hands
Suggested Themes:
Main Themes- Green Tambourine from Recess: School's Out, Dear You (Cry) from Higurashi
The Winx Club may have gained a new transformation, Believix, but the Wizards of the Black Circle were still stronger than they were. The problem with the Believix that it requires the Earth people to believe in Fairies, which very few do. There aren't enough people that truly believe, so the girls were still weak. Also, there was another problem that the girls will never think of or refuse to acknowledge. Their current enemies, the Wizards of the Black Circle, would point out that the girls are so weak because the girls don't PRACTICE enough (or at all) with their newfound powers; instead, they rely on luck and shaky belief. However, the girls did realize that their new foes are different from their past foes. The Wizards of the Black Circle were just as power-hungry, arrogant, and evil as the Winx's past foes, but they were very different in other aspects. The Wizards of the Black Circle weren't treacherous with one another or need lackeys like the Trix. It was very surprising for the Winx to see villains act so "brotherly" with each other to the point of defending each other. The Winx Club was used to the backstabbing amongst villains such as Darkar with the Trix, Valtor with the Trix, and even the Trix with each other. To be truthful, the Winx typically benefit from the betrayals that villains have with one another because the betrayals tend to weaken their foes and giving the Winx a better chance to defeat them.
The Winx Club decided to hold a strategic meeting to discuss what knowledge they have on the Wizards and possible solutions to defeat them. The girls invited Roxy to partake in the meeting, which is being held in the girls' apartment. After the girls had their daily dose of sweets and teas made by Flora, the meeting finally begins. First, they list out what they do know about the Wizards. The Wizards of the Black Circles are Fairy Hunters and centuries old. They are very likely to have been born on Earth, which could give them a home field advantage if it wasn't for the fact that Bloom was raised on Earth. Together, The Wizards seem to be immune or at least have some resistance to the girls' magic. Individually, they have their own powers. Ogron, the blood-haired leader, can absorb the girls' magical attacks and use the girls' magic against them. Anagan has super-speed, allowing him to appear before the girls (especially Flora) before they could blink. Gantlos can create seismic waves that are strong enough to cause an earthquake as Flora has experienced. Finally, Duman can shape-shift into any animal and perhaps to any person that he so wishes to be like when he shape-shifted into Artu. The Wizard's main objective is to capture Roxy and destroy the White Circle. Luckily, the Winx Club are here to stop either from happening, even though they have barely survived almost every encounter they had with the Wizards.
"How can we defeat them if we don't know where they sleep or hang out? You know if bad guys can actually sleep." Stella is the first one to bring up the Winx's lack of current information on the Wizards such as their current hideout.
"Maybe one of you should spy on them?" Roxy suggested. Stella frowns about to shoot down Roxy's idea when Bloom decides to gently let Roxy down.
"You see, Roxy, since we're still new with our powers, we still can't cloak our magic that well. The Wizards can detect us more easily because of our magic. We need time before we're comfortable with our new powers to be efficient at hiding them. Plus, the nature of our powers don't exactly blend in with the environment here, so the Wizards can also detect our magic because it is out of place. Also, it's difficult trying to control Believix, you saw how hard it was to maintain our miniaturized forms back Batson's farm." Roxy nods her head understandingly. If Stella told this to Roxy, which would have been worded differently, then Roxy would have gotten very angry and annoyed. The girls continued to spout ideas and such, except Flora. She already has made up her mind on what to do and has decided to not tell the girls because she knows she is the only one who can do this. She knows she should have told Roxy that she was going to use her plan with minor alterations, but finding out where the Wizards live seems like a great way to thank Roxy and apologize to the others. She knows exactly which Wizard to spy on too. She will spy on Anagan.
The reason Flora chooses to spy on Anagan is because she knows one habit of his. Flora always takes a morning stroll through Gardenia Park before the pet shop opens. The first time she took her stroll through Gardenia Park, she felt traces of dark magic. She went back to the apartment immediately. The next morning, she went back to Gardenia Park and she felt the dark magic again but she didn't run away again. Every morning stroll, she would always feel the dark magic. Considering the Wizard's personalities (a common trait is sadism) and powers, Flora is certain that it is Anagan's dark magic. Compared to the other Wizards, he seems like the type that needs to run or walk through somewhere scenic like Gardenia Park. Also, he has a thing for Nature because he flirted with Flora and called her the Fairy of Nature. He seemed almost affectionate when he said that. The morning after the meeting, Flora got up and did her usual morning routine. She walks until she reaches the entrance of Gardenia Park. She transforms and then miniaturizes. Amongst the foliage and Nature, Flora's magic is practically invisible, especially since the girls weren't here. She follows the faint magic trail that Anagan left behind, making sure to stay incredibly close to trees or flowers so her magic trail can be cloaked by Nature.
"Drop your silver in my tambourine,
Help a poor man fill a pretty dream.
Give me pennies, I'll take anything.
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine."
Flora can hear singing and judging by the voice, it sounds like Anagan's voice. Flora still follows the magical trail and finally reaches Anagan. Flora almost loses her grip on her miniaturized form because she was so hypnotized by the scene before her. There is twenty-feet of land, and half of that is just like a field of flowers. The flowers were so different, so unique, and so beautiful to Flora. Some of the flower are shaped like hearts, others are shaped like swans. The colors range from rose red to phlox purple. Some of the flowers were as tall as flowers, while others looked so small that Flora could only see them in her current form. The other half is just a rows of vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and eggplants. There were flowers and vegetables that Flora could not even identify because they were solely indigenous to Earth. Anagan is bent over a head of lettuce, checking for bugs and if it is ready yet. Anagan does not have his trench coat on and his long, red sleeves are rolled up. There is dirt caked on his pants and hands. He must really love Nature, it is the only thing that Flora can think of.
"Watch the jingle jangle start to shine.
Reflections of the music that is mine.
When you toss a coin, you'll hear it sing.
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine."
Anagan's singing is not wonderful or professional like Musa's singing, yet he clearly enjoys the song enough to sing. Flora likes the song, the lyrics were different like they were from a different era. Flora gets a bit closer until she sees Anagan turn his head. Immediately, she ducks into a flower. The flower is what she would call a phlox purple, while Anagan would call it a psychedelic purple. The flower has a long neck with four petals and four pollen sticks coming out of the flower. The flower is known as the four o' clock flower and can only be found on Earth, so Flora knows nothing about the flower. She also does not know that the flower has been altered by Anagan's dark magic. The flower quickly closes up like it is almost wilting. Flora panics and thumps on the flower to let her go, but the flower just keeps closing tighter and tighter until Flora begins to lose oxygen.
"Drop a dime before I walk away.
Any song you want I'll gladly play.
Money feeds my music machine.
Now listen while I play
My green tambourine.
Listen and I'll play…"
Anagan stands up as quick as he can run. He felt a burst of good magic from behind him. He turns around and scans the flowers in the field. He notices that the psychedelic four o' clock flower is closed. Anagan rushes to the flower and pets it gently to open. The flower opens quicker than a lass told by a boy that he loves her. A Fairy is in his hands, and not just any Fairy. The Fairy is none other than Flora of the Winx Club, the Fairy of Nature. He has to admit that Flora must have been pretty sly to get this far without being detected; well, that was until she got into the four o' clock flower. Back when the Earth Fairies still roamed the Earth, Anagan embedded certain flowers with dark magic to be able to capture Fairies just in case some of the Fairies miniaturized and got away. All Anagan had to do was scan the flowers until he spotted a closed. This worked well at first until he Earth Fairies began to wise up, but the flowers were still able to capture Fairies from other Realms that were trying to help the Earth Fairies. The Fairies from other Realms were either interrogated, killed, sent back to their Realms, or Anagan would have sex with them depending on how little the Fairy knew about the Wizards of the Black Circle. Flora does not need to know that, Anagan has firmly decided. Flora's miniaturized form wears off, and Anagan nearly drops her out of surprise. Flora is wearing a pink sweater over a green tube-top with a pink skirt and pink boots. Anagan nearly growls at the sight of Flora's cat-ears headband. He mumbles an incantation under his breath and gets rid of Flora's detestable headband. Eventually, Flora will wake up, so Anagan leaves her in the field of flowers and returns to inspecting his produce.
Flora wakes up with a pair of yellow jonquil staring at her. At first, Flora thought she was staring into the mouth of a strange creature until her vision became clear. She sits up, but doesn't stand up immediately because she wanted to see the flowers that touched her. There are purple asters and magnolias either by or under her hands. At her right foot, she can see an assortment of yellow, red, and pink begonias. Flora knows what a begonia is because that is her mother's name, the flower is like pieces of rose petals sewed together without a center. At her left foot, she could not identify the flowers because they only existed on Earth. The flowers' petals were arranged like a six-pointed star. The flowers have a suction cup that reminded Flora of a disappointed "oh" with some pollination sticks coming out. The flowers are green, red, and pink in color. The name of the flowers are narcissuses. Flora stands up and tries to make sure she doesn't crush any flowers in the progress. Unfortunately, she notices that she has already crushed some flowers with her back when she was unconscious. The flowers look like light-blue mist with stems. Flora remembers Vanessa, Bloom's adoptive mom, having a vase full of these kind of flowers in her house. Vanessa called them baby's breath, and Flora feels sad to have crush them.
"You're about to step on the four o' clock flower." Anagan's voice is in the field with Flora, but Flora could not see where Anagan is. Anagan feels particular mischievous today since Flora was almost able to catch Anagan off-guard. He is actually hiding in a more heavily vegetated part of the park that isn't his garden. He is under a tree with a pomegranate in his left hand and a small, dark orb in his right hand. The orb is transmitting a live feed from his garden where Flora just woke up, it also allows him to project his voice without needing to be there.
"Anagan, where are you?" Flora demanded and tried to trace his magic. Unfortunately, he has cloaked his magic this time. Now, there was nothing holding Flora back from running, but she did not like not knowing where Anagan is exactly.
"Not with you. Now, let me take a guess to why you're here. It's because you either wanted information on me specifically or you're hoping to find out something useful about my brothers and I so you can use it against us. I will give you some merit for cleverness in cloaking your magic. Hiding in Nature does make your magic harder to detect and without your friends your magic is almost invisible. Almost." Anagan busts open the pomegranate, knowing that it probably sounds like he is smashing someone's skull open to Flora.
"Anagan, if you're hurting someone, I will stop you!" Flora is angry. Anagan can tell from downturn of her mouth and the puce color of her cheeks.
"Don't get so mad, I'm just eating a pomegranate. It is a fruit that I believe exists only on Earth. I am just having some breakfast, so no need to be hostile." Anagan eats six pomegranate seeds to mock Flora. Flora does not lower her guard.
"How long have I been unconscious?" Flora asked with annoyance in her tone. Anagan wonders how long it will take before she transforms and flies away.
"Not a clue since I don't own a watch." Anagan eats five seeds.
"The girls will be looking for me." Flora knows if she doesn't show up to work then the girls will know something is wrong and come looking for her. Anagan knows this too.
"Most likely, but you did cover your tracks pretty well. The girls might think you're just with your girlfriend, Helia." Anagan eats four seeds and watches as Flora frowns deeply.
"Why do you feel so much animosity towards Helia? You know nothing about him!" A bad guy like Anagan only knows the weakness of people, not who they are. Flora thought adamantly.
"He is a year older than his fellow Specialists. His grandfather is Saladin, the headmaster of Red Fountain. He spent a year in an art school. His grades are pretty good. He is stronger than his fellow Specialists. He was born on the second of September." Anagan eats three seeds and watches as Flora's eyes widen into almost cartoonish lengths.
"How do you know that? How could you possibly know that?" Flora grits out. Unless Anagan has been following Helia since he was born, there should be no way for Anagan to know any of that! Flora is sorely tempted to transform and try to weed him out. Fortunately, she doesn't know that many tracking spells, or at least spells powerful enough to find Anagan.
"Ogron is an efficient hacker. We have files on all of you, but to be honest we just skimmed through them. I paid particular attention to your file, Flora. I must be honest with you because it seems like Nature won't. You lack substance. You are almost superficial like Stella is vain. Yet, you have the greatest potential out of all your superficial friends." Anagan eats two seeds. Flora seems muddled now, not entirely sure what Anagan meant by that. The girls and I have saved the magical universe over and over again, we have been getting stronger and stronger, we graduated from Alfea, we have wonderful boyfriends for the most part, we run a pet shop, and we are trying to protect the last Fairy of Earth. How is that superficial? Flora demanded inwardly.
"Is it because I'm not as old as you? Or is it because I am not evil like you?" Silence follows without even a crunch of a pomegranate seed from Anagan.
"Neither. You can be young and good to be enlightened in this world. Psychedelic rock taught me so. You are young and you are good, but you are not enlightened. Do you have any plans for the future? Because eventually you're going to run out of villains." Anagan eats one last seed and drops the pomegranate on the ground. He knows he should have given it to some homeless man in Gardenia, but frankly he doesn't give a damn.
"I'm going to marry Helia. We're going to live in Linphea and have wonderful children." Flora is not certain if future meant a job, but currently that are her plans for the future. She hears Anagan sighs like she has wasted her life. Anagan drops the orb and watches it shatter. Some of the glass pieces end up in the pomegranate, almost like an aftermath of a car crash. He wants to explain everything better to her, and to do that he must meet her face to face. Anagan teleports by dark magic to appear in front of Flora. Flora does not jump back to her credit.
"You have nothing else? You have always dreamt of marrying Helia since the day you were born? Don't you have childhood dreams? Dreams that involved exploring other Realms? I know Nature Fairies are almost born with the innate habit of trying to know every plant in the universe. Don't want to do that? Or are you sated with the small garden you have? Does your garden have all the flowers mine have? Do you know every flower in this garden? Probably not, since you weren't born and raised on Earth. Don't you want to do something else with your life beyond being a heroine? There is more to life than just being the good girl." Flora feels overwhelm like her brain has downloaded all the information in the world. Anagan feels overwhelmed too for just speaking his mind to her.
"What else is there?" The question sounds simple, but its effect has impact.
"Do something that adds depth to yourself. You are a beautiful girl with an okay boyfriend and…..friends. You fight evil, but it feels stale like it is some endless element to a shitty kid's show. You need time on your own to be your own person and not one of Bloom's friends or Helia's girlfriend. You can become an adventurer and explore all the Realms if you prefer danger and unfamiliarity. You can become a Fairy Godmother if you don't mind only using your magic for your assigned person. You can become a Sorceress if you like becoming obscured. You can become an Enchantress, but I would get jealous. You can do so much, but you would rather continue your current role. You can become a 'real' teacher if you want too. Now, I'm going to ask again. What are your plans for the future?" The question is different from his last one, and Flora's answer is going to be different as well.
"My plans for the future are…to defeat you Wizards and bring magic back to Earth. After that, Helia and I will get married, live on Linphea for the rest of our days, and have extraordinary children!" She is confident, passionate, decisive, and proud of her answer, and Anagan couldn't help but crack a goofy grin.
"My fault for asking. I got to get back to my brothers before they worry. You better get back to your pets before they turn into little monsters again without the dark magic. But first, I need to replace your headband." Flora touches the top of her head and finally realizes that her headband is missing. Anagan walks past her and kneels down before his flowers. He snaps the four o' clock flower from its neck. Flora turns around, only to have Anagan stick the four o' clock flower into her hair.
"I bet you have all sorts of questions like why I have a garden here of all places. Consider this like an incentive for you to come back here. We can be enemies in front of our loved ones, but we can be casual to another here. Goodbye, my favorite Fairy of Nature." Anagan disappears through dark magic, while Flora is left standing in Anagan's garden. She is not quite sure if it is right to come back here since Anagan is the enemy, but this place is so beautiful. This place is like a break from reality. This place is just a small garden. The small garden is just an even smaller part of the vast Earth like Flora and Anagan are just two people in the perpetual ocean of life.
