Winx Club Rewrite 2: Shadow of the Phoenix
AN: Here we go, rewriting season 2. I hope you will enjoy it, though fair warning, we have changed things(Probably not a surprise) up a bit and have engaged in creating composite characters. Also, for those who remember talk of a Q&A video at the end of the last story, it should be up now.
Chapter 1: Back to School
It was a bright and sunny day on the planet Harmony, with nary a cloud to be seen. Lush green hills, beautiful rows of trees and great fields of flowers surrounded the Sunny Soul Clinic for Health, a big, aesthetically pleasing white building. A bus slowly floated up the road to the clinic and halted outside at the bus stop. Moments later, a brunette and a black haired girl stepped out.
"Well, this place looks pleasant," Flora commented as the two of them crossed the parking lot. "Then again, so does every other place around here".
"One of the many benefits of living here," Musa said.
The two of them entered the reception room. It was decorated with pleasant pictures of countryside areas and flowing bushes had been painted on the walls. A great disk stood in the middle, behind which a man in white was typing on his computer. He looked up and asked: "Hello, welcome to Sunny Soul. How can I help you?"
"My name is Flora Canto and this is Musa Xenophon," Flora stated. "We are here for Bloom Peterson".
"Ah yes, I can see you have been scheduled," the man noted as he studied the computer. "Very well, it's on the third floor, room 7-C".
"Thanks," the two girls said as they headed for the elevator. Moments later, they exited on the third floor, which was decorated with pictures of smiling people and garden parties.
"They go for a very calm atmosphere," Flora noted as they made their way down the hall. "Now, room 7-C. Let us see. 3-C. 4-C".
"I think it's the one buried in foliage," Musa commented.
Flora looked ahead and noted that there was indeed a door, buried behind piles of flowers of all sorts. "Huh. That is indeed room 7-C," she said as they entered the door.
Inside was a similar mess, piles of flowers, stacks of chocolate and more teddy bears than you could shake a stick at filled up the room. By a bed in the middle, Bloom was busy packing her clothes. The redhead looked up and greeted them with an ecstatic: "Hi, girls".
"Hi. When did you get so many admirers?" Musa asked as they looked around.
"They are get-well gifts from... Well, a lot of people I don't even know who are," Bloom said and opened a cupboard, letting an avalanche of get-well cards fall out. "Take whatever you want. I've already donated half the things to everyone else in the clinic".
"Ah, that explains the newspaper article," Flora noted.
"The what?" Bloom asked.
"It went 'New Dominian Princess Demonstrates Generosity: A Possible View into Future Politics'," the brunette quoted.
Musa facepalmed and groaned.
"Well, I just had more than enough," Bloom said. "I mean, I like chocolate, but even if I could somehow eat all this, I'd turn into a size zeppelin. And I really don't need enough teddy bears to bury a behemoth. Not to mention all the clothes I got. I had to get Stella and Techna over here to help me sort it all out. It's ridiculous".
"Welcome to the world of politics," Musa added dryly. "Enjoy your stay".
"Plus, I've gotten cramps from replying to all these get-well cards," Bloom groaned and rubbed her wrist.
"Well, if you are sharing, then I noted several semi-rare flowers I would love to add to my collection," Flora said.
"And I know a couple of places where you can donate toys so they go to those who don't have a lot," Musa said. "So since you're offering, I'll be taking some of those".
"Knock yourselves out," Bloom said as she closed a suitcase. "Although, be careful about taking things from the bottom of the piles, or you will literally knock yourselves out".
"Duly noted," Musa said. "So, looking forward to moving back to Alfea full-time?"
"Very much. It's been fun here, but commuting has been a mess," Bloom said. "I hope I haven't missed too much".
"Only a class or two. I'm sure the teachers will help you catch up," Musa said. "Come on, let's head out. We wanna get on the next bus".
...
On the planet of Magix, deep beneath the ground, in a massive dark cavern, lay the forgotten castle known as Shadowhaunt. It was a long abandoned building, left to rot and relegated to a place in myth. Or at least, it was supposed to be abandoned.
Inside the castle's prison, a girl sat in a dank and dirty cell. She was wearing what had been a nice green piece suit, perfect for a meeting out in the sun. But that meeting had taken a rather grim turn. Now she sat in the cell, unsure of what to do. She glanced into a pool of stagnant water that had formed on the floor, observing her dark skin and curly brown hair. Both had been absolutely flawless when she had shown up at the meeting. Both were now in shambles. Her clothes and skin were torn in several places, revealing grim looking wounds, and her hair was tangled and dirty. The brunette had never been in a situation like this and was at a loss for what to do. Feeling a tinge of hopelessness, she looked up from the pool and stared out the bars of her grimy cell. And that's when she noticed it. The bars were absolutely covered in rust. The girl wasn't certain, but if she remembered correctly, rust was a sign that the bars were weakened. And if that was the case...
She concentrated on the pool of water and extended her magic. Her body and spirit ached at this exertion of force, but she knew she had to. She was well aware that nobody back home knew she had been brought to this place. Slowly, the water lifted from the pool. The girl concentrated and with a grunt, she splashed it against the cell door with considerable force. With the sound of tearing metal, the door was knocked off its hinges and landed loudly on the floor.
The girl quickly gazed around the prison, wary of the possibility of guards, before running off in a random direction. She ran up and down stairs, passed through more or less empty rooms and made her way down seemingly endless hallways as she desperately looked for an exit. Her legs throbbed with pain and she was certain she had reopened some of her wounds. In the distance, she could hear unwholesome sounds, which made her even more determined to get out. She charged up another flight of stairs before storming into a room. The sides of the room were decorated with grim looking figures that all starred at the centre, where a vertical beam of amber light shone. Inside it, four small winged girls floated around, the lot of them very much aware of the girl's sudden entrance. Pixies.
One was dressed in fine, if somewhat old fashioned clothes and had elegantly set up grey hair. Another was dressed in stereotypical black and white prison clothes and had long flowing red hair. The third had blonde hair tied up in two pigtails and was wearing what could be taken for a green cheerleader uniform. The last wore relatively normal clothes in a pink and green colour scheme and had red hair in a bowl cut.
"Ah, your majesty," the grey haired one said. "You managed to escape your prison".
"Barely..." the girl gasped. "I'm... I'm so... Weak right now".
"Well then, hurry and get us out," the blonde pixie said. "Before that big mean bully and his slimetastic ugly minions come back".
The girl stared at the amber light, before asking: "How?"
The one with the bowl cut pointed at one of the figures on the wall that had a massive tusk and said: "It's a switch".
"Okay... So... I pull it?" the girl wondered aloud, before doing so. Immediately, the light went out and the four pixies tumbled to the ground.
"Alright, breakout time," the blonde said, jumped up in the air and fell down again. "What the hay? My wings".
"Yeah, remember when we got slimed? The stuff is still sticking to our wings," the prison clothes clad one said. "We're not going to be able to fly for a while".
"Princess, if it is not too much a burden, could you please carry us?" the grey haired one asked. "Without our flight, there is no way we can keep up with you".
"I guess," the girl said with a shrug. She lifted three of them into her arms and let the one with the bowl cut into a pocket.
"Hey, Glim, is it comfortable for you?" the blonde asked.
"Uhuh," the one with the bowl cut replied.
"Alright... Now where's the exit," the dark skinned girl said as she ran out of the room. "There's gotta be an exit".
...
"Escape," a dark voice echoed in the very centre of the keep. "There is no escape, little girl. Run wherever you want, but you will find nothing but dead ends and my awaiting minions. Your little breakout will come to naught, because you do not have what it takes to face my brilliance". After a pause, the owner of the voice turned to his assembled monstrosities, sighed and said: "Alright, you guys are the best minions one could wish for, but you are a terrible audience. Oh well, one hopes that this little heroine will be a much better conversationalist. Speaking of her," he continued, before switching to a much more dramatic tone. "Go forth and stop her, my minions. No one escapes from my castle of doom".
...
The girl forced a door open. Behind was a room filled with various pieces of furniture, most of it slowly rotting from long time exposure to the humid environment.
"Exit?" Glim wondered aloud, pointing at a door in the other end.
"Possibly," the girl replied and started crossing the room. Suddenly, the furniture on one side exploded and the girl fell to the floor with a scream. Towering over her was a massive creature. It had a basic humanoid shape, with grey, slimy flesh that emitted a foul stench. Its head was elongated and ended in a massive oversized mouth filled with several rows of teeth of various size and shape. The girl scrambled away with a tight grip on the pixies as the creature's massive maw snapped at her.
Another side exploded and another horror stepped forth. This one was of quadruped build, roughly the size of a pony, with rows upon rows of bony spikes protruding from its slimy flesh. The girl dove behind an armoire as these spines were fired from its hide. One of them dug into her shoulder and she screamed as pain exploded in her shoulder. As she tried to pull the spine out, the prison clothes clad pixie yelled: "BEHIND YOU!"
Around the corner, a third creature slithered forth. It also had a quadruped build, with a long serpentine neck and a body covered in massive bony plates, giving it the look of a turtle gone horribly wrong. It reared its head and spat a wad of fluid from its toothless maw. The girl ran from her cover as the sticky substance splashed against it. She charged for the door and bashed her way through it, desperately trying to get away from the roaring horrors behind her. And then she stopped.
She was outside, on a massive balcony on the castle's side. She hadn't gotten a look at the castle when being brought here, being kind of unconscious at the time, but now she could see it in its full and terrible splendour. The castle of Shadowhaunt was built into massive stalactites that hung from the ceiling, the different buildings connected with stony bridges. The castle itself was decorated with statues, most of them of birds, but one massive one on the central structure in the shape of a massive and terrifying dragon.
"You have done well to come this far," a voice echoed and the girl looked around. "But I really can't allow you to take the pixies away so soon. Would make me seem incompetent and remove all tension".
"Remove... What?" the girl asked.
"Ah, but I should probably introduce myself," the voice continued. "After all, our previous meeting did not really involve much of an introduction. BEHOLD!" it yelled, as a massive bird of obsidian flames flew up from the edge of the balcony. It dove into the platform and exploded, before the flames shifted into the form of a man. He was clad in a dull, rust coloured suit of armour decorated with spikes. The helmet was vaguely reminiscent of a bird's beak, behind which his face could be seen, dark and dry skin illuminated by glowing red eyes. "The lord of Shadowhaunt, the master of darkness, wielder of the black flame, the one and only Shadow Phoenix, Darkar," he announced with dramatic flourishes of his arms. After a moment, he asked: "Well? Was that proper menacing?"
"Yeah. Definitely a ten out of ten on the making me crap my pants meter," the prison clothes clad pixie said.
"Most excellent," Darkar declared happily.
"Why... How... What does that matter?" the girl asked dumbfounded. "You kidnapped me, why do you care whether I think you're scary or not?"
"Some people," Darkar sighed. "Isn't it obvious? I have to play my part well, or the show is ruined".
"Your... Part?" the girl questioned, completely at a loss.
"The gruesome spikes, the glowing red eyes, the name Darkar," the Shadow Phoenix said as if trying to remind her of something. "Doesn't that ring a bell?"
"Eh... No," the girl said. She was not sure what to make of the display.
Darkar groaned and exasperatedly said: "I'm the villain of course. Dear Dragon, you people are hard to work with. I might as well be talking to a mirror. Or a wall. Oh well, enough chit-chat, we better get back to our confrontation". He cleared his throat, extended his hands and demanded: "Hand over the pixies and I may spare your life".
"Ha, she's never going to hand us over," the blonde pixie declared.
"Certain?" Glim asked.
"Yeah... Well, reasonable certain," the blonde continued, looking up at the girl. "You're not going to hand us over, are you?"
"Well... No... I don't think I should," she said uncertainly.
"Really? You don't think you should," Darkar echoed. "Put some effort into it. This wishy-washy thing you got going is ruining the dramatic mood". He sighed again and said: "I swear, this is the problem with working with newbies. Oh well, if I can't get proper dialogue out of you, I will see action".
A ball of dark fire appeared in his hands and he flung it after the girl. She barely managed to avoid a direct hit, but the ensuing explosions flung her across the balcony, sending most of the pixies flying screaming in every direction. She landed hard on her shoulder, forcing the spine even further into her flesh. Darkar menacingly advanced and lifted his hand, the fingers on his gauntlet sharpening into menacing points. He swung it, only for the girl to barely block it with a shield of water.
"Pathetic performance, I'm sorry to say," Darkar declared as he grabbed her neck with his other hand. "You make for a pitiful heroine. There is no fun in fighting you". As the girl writhed in his grip, he rubbed his chin and said in a kinda sad tone: "Maybe you just don't have it in you to be a heroine. Perhaps you were always just a civilian, a side character". He seemed to ponder the question some more, before speculating: "Or maybe this is just the start of your journey and you will become a opponent worthy of fighting me later. But how to be certain?" His dry lips twisted into a grin and he declared: "I have an idea". He dragged the girl to the edge of the balcony and held her over the dark abyss below.
"Stop. Don't hurt her," one of the pixies pleaded.
"What... Are... You... Doing?" the girl asked, panic clear in her strained voice.
"Either establishing my villainous nature or proving you a worthy heroine," Darkar declared. "Enjoy the trip". Then he let go and she fell screaming into the darkness below. "Now, how to increase the odds?" Darkar pondered. He seemed to get another idea, cleared his throat and menacingly declared: "No one could survive a fall like that". He turned, only to notice the three shocked pixies on the floor. "Weren't there four of you before?"
"There was," the blonde said angrily, tears in her eyes. "And you might just have killed her".
"Oh, so she was with the girl," Darkar realised. "Well, that just makes the odds of her return even greater. Most auspicious. And as for you, it's time for you all to go back in your cage".
...
"Ahhh. It's good to be back," Bloom declared as she walked into the common room, she, Flora and Musa carrying the luggage. "I've so missed... Techna?"
The scarred girl was currently sitting on the sofa, blocking her ears with pillows. Bloom put down her luggage and walked over to the girl, suddenly noticing the sound of furious rambling coming from Stella's room. She poked the magenta haired girl's shoulder and Techna looked to the side, before her face lit up in a grin. "Firetop. Good to see you back. How was the funny farm?"
"Actually, it was very pleasant," Bloom replied. "But... What's with the pillows?"
Techna sighed and said: "Suntop's gone over the deep end. Getting ready for the First Year's Dance has snapped her brain like a twig".
"I see," Bloom slowly said. "I better go check on her". She crossed the room and knocked on the Solarian princess' door. Seconds later, Stella ripped it open, eyed the redhead and declared: "Bloom. Good you're back. I tots need your help and I need it now". Then she dragged the confused redhead into her room.
"Should we assist?" Flora asked.
"Staging a rescue mission seems more necessary," Musa commented.
Inside Stella's room, clothes had been strewn all across the floor, flung over chairs and thrown on the bed. "Wow, it's a mess in here," Bloom commented as she saw it. "So I heard from Techna that something's wrong".
"Everything's wrong," Stella more or less wailed. "I bought this new dress for the night. But after I washed it, it shrunk. Now it's a size too small".
Bloom looked around, before suggesting: "Maybe wear something else then".
"That's the problem," Stella frantically declared. "I'm not sure which of these dresses I haven't worn before. Brandon's here tonight, so I cannot, like, afford to screw up. I need to look amazing".
"Don't you always?" Bloom asked. "I mean, except when you wear the stuff you've made yourself".
"Not now," Stella grumbled. "I need to find out what I have, like, already worn for our dates so he can tots see my radiance in something new. I need your help to sort all these clothes and go through my calendar so we can categorise what I was wearing when. It may take a couple of hours before we're done, but in the end, it will... Bloom? Bloom, where are you going? Bloom, come back here, I need your..."
Bloom closed the door to the blonde's room and released an exasperated sigh.
"That bad?" Musa asked.
"She wants to show off for Brandon, but she wants to do it while wearing something he hasn't seen before," Bloom explained. "And that's got her completely unwound".
"Well, if that is her biggest problem at the moment, I suppose things are going well for her," Flora commented.
"Don't think that's how she sees it," Techna said. "She tried roping me into helping her. Said that's what friends do. I offered her my smelling stick so she could see how much each piece of cloth smelled of her, would probably make it a lot easier, but no, apparently that's yucky".
"I suppose most people are more comfortable with remaining ignorant of exactly how much of their body they leave in their clothes," Flora mused.
"Well, there's no way I'm wasting time going through her clothes," Bloom said. "I think I wanna go check out Alfea, see if I can remember how to get everywhere".
"Re-familiarising yourself with the layout. A excellent idea," Flora said. "I will go check up on when I can expect my new flowers".
"Gotten some gifts from Firetop too?" Techna asked.
"Indeed. What did you choose?" Flora asked.
"Loads of high quality candy for my neighbourhood," Techna replied. "Boy, were people happy. Most of them have never tasted fancy pants chocolate before".
"Well, then I suppose I shall go practise my music," Musa said. "Hopefully, any impromptu orchestra we set up will be better off than the one last year".
"Oh, come on, that was great," Bloom insisted.
"It was a mess," Musa said firmly.
"Well, good luck with your horn blowing," Techna said and eyed Stella's room. "Once Suntop really gets going, I can't even hear my own work. Makes it really hard, ya know. There I am, building my new cooling system, and all I can hear is WAAHHHHHHHHH, CLOTHES, CLOTHES, CLOTHES!"
"Hopefully, she will calm down soon enough," Flora said slightly concerned.
"Don't count on it," Techna added.
"Yeah, I am most definitely going somewhere that is not here," Bloom said as she got up. "See you all at the party".
...
Bloom walked down the halls of Alfea, trying to find something new. She had visited the rebuilt wing, but that was pretty much the same as it had been before being rebuilt. So instead, she went farther into Alfea, going down corridors in areas she didn't usually visit. And suddenly, she found something. Something she hadn't seen before in the halls of Alfea.
"A dead end," the redhead stated, before dryly adding: "How exciting". She sighed and started walking back while saying: "You'd think a school of magicians would have all kinds of cools secrets for students to sniff out, but no, all I find is... Is..."
Her eyes fell upon a picture on the wall. It was a painting of the exact same hallway she was in, making it seem kinda redundant. And yet, something was off. After comparing the picture with the hallway around her, she suddenly realised that there was a door on the picture that wasn't in the hall. Or was it?
Bloom was familiar enough with the concept of illusions that she knew better than to trust her eyes alone. She started patting the wall where the door ought to be. After a few moments of getting touchy-feely with the masonry, she felt a doorknob in her hand. She pressed it down and the wall before her opened, revealing a hidden room.
Curiosity awoken, Bloom stepped inside. The room was tall and round, probably the inside of one of Alfea's towers. And every part of the walls where dominated by shelf after shelf of tomes, books and scrolls.
"Well, I doubt you are supposed to be here, young lady," a light but strict voice declared. Down from above descended a pixie. She had blonde hair set up in two buns, wore a pointy hat and robes, both blue. She also wore a little set of glasses.
"Well... No," Bloom admitted. "I was just wandering around and I saw the picture outside.
The pixie sighed and said: "Yeah, that happens. Well, I guess there's no need to be rude. My name is Concorda".
"Bloom," the redhead greeted while giving a slight bow. "Wait, I think I heard about you. Aren't you Alfea's... Guardian pixie or something?"
"That is my title, yes," the pixie confirmed. "Though in practise, I mostly guard this, the restricted library".
"Oh. I guess that's why it's kept secret," Bloom said. "Why not just lock it?"
"Have you ever tried unlocking an invisible lock? It's not easy," Concorda explained. "Honestly, we weren't even supposed to have that picture outside, but after one teacher got stuck in the hallway for three hours, we decided to make things a little easier".
"Huh. I was wondering," Bloom said. "Do students often stumble in here?"
"Occasionally. Some are allowed in my Faragonda, others find it like you. Most are nice enough to not blather about this place to everyone they know," Concorda said. "I hope you are one of those".
"My lips are sealed," Bloom replied, mimicking the zipping of her lips.
"Much appreciated," Concorda said gratefully.
Suddenly, what looked like a big, winged seahorse flew down from above, before, to Bloom's surprise, saying in a very stuffy voice: "Concorda, it would appear that the student who lent 'The Workings of Memory Alterations' has forgotten to deliver it back in due time".
"Let's just give him a day more. Might just be busy because of the party," Concorda said.
"Hmm, very well, if you think we can allow that, then I suppose that's how it's going to be," the seahorse said, sounding somewhat displeased. Then he flew off again.
"He's a great assistant," Concorda said moments after. "Dedicated, hard-working and in possession of an excellent memory. Also, a little uptight".
"Not to be rude, but what was he?" Bloom asked.
"A pixie of course," Concorda said. "Or maybe you thought that we were limited to humanoid forms?"
"Actually, yeah, I did," Bloom admitted. "I really don't know that much about pixies".
"Hmm, well, is there anything you'd like to know?" Concorda offered. "Obviously, it's a subject I know very well".
"Well, I was kinda curious. I heard that some pixies are bonded to a place, but what does that mean?" Bloom asked.
"When a pixie bonds to a place, and the size of that place very much depends on the strength of the pixie, they tie themselves to that domain and are stronger within it," Concorda explained. "Think of it like your knack. You are stronger when you operate within it".
"Makes sense," the redhead said.
"Of course, this boost is determined by the state of the place," Concorda continued. "This is of course the subject of a very complicated and much debated definition of the word state. It varies a lot, you see. The conditions for a good state for a house is vastly different from a tree. So it gets rather complicated".
"I guess," Bloom said. "Kinda like how people are debating how exactly knacks work. Like, I have fire. But it also gives me some control over heat and smoke. Despite that both aren't fire, but a product of it".
"Exactly," Concorda said. "Enough to give anyone a headache".
Bloom nodded in agreement and checked her watch. "Well, I better get going. The party is starting soon," she said. "Goodbye".
"Goodbye," Concorda said as the redhead fairy left the restricted library.
...
"Does it sit well? There aren't any holes or spots I've missed?" Stella asked as she frantically circled herself. She was wearing a beautiful, glimmering dress the colour of a sunset.
"Does your clothes normally fall apart from exposure to fresh air?" Musa sarcastically asked. "No? Then stop freaking out". She was dressed in homemade clothes decorated with her characteristic colourful laps of fabric.
"Hopefully, her boyfriend will show up soon, so we can have them exchange some mouth-water for a while," Techna commented. She had gotten some new, stylish clothes. Not that any of the pieces matched, to absolutely no one's surprise.
"What I think they are trying to say, is that you should relax," Flora tried diplomatically. As usual for such an occasion, she was dressed in fine, but functional clothes.
"Hey, am I late?" Bloom asked as she hurried up to the group, dressed in the same blue dress as last year. They were standing outside the banquet hall, awaiting entry.
"Bloom, that's the dress you wore last year," Stella gasped.
"Wow, sounds like we got some long term memory up and running," Musa snarked.
"Oh, do shut up," Stella snarled.
"Anyway, to answer your question, no, we are still waiting," Flora said.
"Okay, Then I've got time to go get some fresh air," Bloom said before heading for the entrance. When she noticed her friends followed, she asked: "So, how do you think the decorations will be this year?"
"All over the place," Stella said. "They always are".
The five of them made their way outside, where the sun was slowly setting. Suddenly, they heard the characteristic sound of aircycles, moments before three shapes sharply turned and drove into the courtyard. Moments after braking, the lead aircyclist jumped off, ripped off his helmet and triumphantly declared: "Aha. See, Sky? I'm still the best aircyclist around, period".
"Alright, you won the race," the Eraklian prince admitted as he got of his aircycle. "But only because you are a complete nutjob. Seriously, when you cut me off, you could have gotten us both hurt".
"It's called a high risk manoeuvre," Riven said proudly. "And you're just jealous because every time you try to pull something like that off, it always ends up with the rest of us having to hold your spine together long enough to get to a healer".
"He's got you there," Brandon commented as he walked past. "Hi, girls. Me and the kids are here".
"Where's Timmy?" Techna asked. "In fact, the heck are everyone else?"
"They're coming, don't worry," Brandon stated. "But Ego 1 and Ego 2 here needed to let some testosterone loose before the party, so they decided to race each other. I just followed to make sure they didn't get any booboos".
"Ha ha, very funny," Sky commented as he walked by. "So, has the party started yet?"
"They weren't letting anyone in when we last checked, but we might as well... Oh, I think the others are coming," Musa said.
Through the sky flew one of Red Fountain's larger vessels. It landed outside the courtyard, letting dozens of students loose. As the many people made their way into the building, bringing along this year's gifts, Timmy broke off and headed over to the others.
"Did anyone get hurt?" was his first question.
"No. We got lucky this time," Brandon replied.
"Has something happened lately?" Bloom asked curiously. "Because I kinda get the feeling that something happened".
"Sky here got it into his head that he could equal me in aircycle racing," Riven said. "And I'll admit that he has gotten better. Not as good as me, but still, better. Though it did cost him a lot of broken bones and a minor concussion when he kissed a tree at high speed".
"Ouch," Bloom commented.
"So, hey, there was a party somewhere. Let's go see to the party," Sky interrupted as he hurried into the school, eager to let the subject drop. "Come on, there's a party".
"Can't argue with that," Techna declared happily.
...
The party reminded Bloom very much of the last one. The decorations were, as Stella predicted, all over the place, including cute teddy bears and dishes with demonic pictures emblazoned on them. The music ranged from soothing violins to dirty limericks set to speed metal. And as usual, the witches crashed the party, setting off a ton of pranks all over the place.
Among the arriving witches was Lucy, who immediately sought out Mirta and gave her a big hug, before joining the rest of the group. "Been a while, Mirta. You aren't forgetting your old pal, are you?" the gangly witch teased.
"Of course not," Mirta hastily said. "I would never dream of... You're messing with me, aren't you?"
"Oh so much," Lucy said with a grin. "But seriously, where you been all summer?"
"Well, I saw a brochure for a summer camp for magi," Mirta said. "So I joined up. Then I visited my family for a bit before coming back to Alfea".
"I've also been to a summer camp," Musa added. "Specifically, Improv' Isles. It was the cheapest we could find, but still fun".
"It's only cheap because of the noise and smell," Lucy commented. When she noticed the quizzical looks of the others, she added: "Improv' Isles, as the name indicates, are a couple of privately owned islands set aside for improvisational arts. So as you can imagine, it involves a lot of self-styled artists banging away at stuff without any sense of tone".
"Alright, that much is true," Musa admitted. "Still, it was several weeks dedicated to exploring my own talent".
"That does sound fun," Bloom added. "I've spent most of my time in a clinic, slowly getting buried under a mountain of chocolate".
"True story," Techna added. "Okay, it was more like a hill, but still, tons of candy".
"A bit excessive, in my opinion," Flora said. "But I suppose they want to make an impression on the newly discovered soon to be regent of Domino".
At this comment, Brandon suddenly nudged Sky in the ribs. The blond looked thoroughly confused, until he caught his squire's gaze and said: "Oh, right. That". He cleared his throat and said: "Bloom. There's something I should tell you before you hear it from anyone else. Because... Well, that didn't go so well last time".
"And what is that?" the redhead asked.
"My dad has kinda... Well, he more or less ordered me to get our relationship functioning again," the prince admitted, although it clearly made him uncomfortable. "So I just wanted you to know. I still would like to hang out, but if we do, it'll be because I want to, not because my father says I should".
"Didn't he want you and Diaspro to get hitched?" Bloom asked.
Sky looked more and more uncomfortable, as he continued with: "Well... Yes. Yes he does. But he also thinks we should get together. Because it could benefit us politically".
Bloom sighed and pinched her nose.
"You did the right thing," Brandon said and patted Sky on the back. "We don't need a repeat of last time".
"I'm going to get some more roast. Maybe then I won't feel so tempted to light your father on fire," Bloom grumbled as she got up from her chair.
"I hear a lot of people feel like that," Riven commented.
As the redhead went for the meat, she noticed a young looking fairy going for a very familiar bowl.
"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but do you know what that is?" Bloom asked her.
"Ehm... I kinda assumed it was some sort of juice," the girl said.
"Yeah, I thought so too last year. It's actually alcoholic," Bloom said. "So unless you want to end up like I did last year, I'd be careful with that".
The fairy thanked her, and Bloom went on with enjoying the party and participating in the good times.
...
The blond pixie screamed as jagged black lightning surged through her body.
"Feeling talkative," Darkar asked as he let the surge stop. "You only need to tell me what I want to know and all these unpleasantries will stop".
"Why are you being so mean?" the long haired redhead pixie asked, now wearing a 'Down with Darkar' T-shirt.
"Ugh. What part of 'evil villain' is it that you people don't get?" Darkar asked in an exasperated tone. "If we have to go over the basics every five seconds, we're not going to get anywhere, are we?"
"That doesn't mean you can just torture us, you brute," the grey-haired pixie declared.
Darkar rubbed his helm in frustration, groaning: "I need better people to play off. Why should I not torture you? I'm a malicious villain and you have the info I need. Speaking of that, where is Pixie Village? I know you have part of the Codex".
"We will never tell you," the blonde pixie weakly but defiantly declared.
"Good, splendid. This is more like it," Darkar joyfully declared. "Heroic resistance". He cleared his throat and threateningly said: "You will break soon enough, pixie. Everyone does eventually". And then he let the lightning flow from his hand again.
...
Later that night, the party at Alfea was starting to cool down. The sun had set and the stars were visible in the warm summer night.
"I'm so happy to be back at Alfea," Bloom repeated herself.
"Well... We are... Happy to have you... Back," Flora said, choosing her words carefully. Her face was slightly flushed and a sleeping Mirta was currently using her shoulder as a pillow.
"How's everyone else?" Bloom asked.
"Suicidal," Riven said tonelessly.
Besides him, Stella was going on and on about the fashion choices of her contemporaries, comparing hat colours and talking about which sort of belt buckle was fashionable. Even Brandon was wearing a stiffened mask of attentive listening, his brain clearly preoccupied with everything but fashion.
"Guys. Cordatorta said that if we want to go home today, then it's going to be now," Sky said as he walked up to the group.
"No way. You mean I have to miss out on Little Miss Sunshine's fashion bonanza?" Riven asked in mock shock, causing the Solarian blonde to huff in annoyance. "What a tragedy that has befallen me".
"We could always just leave you here," Brandon suggested, finally paying attention again.
"I'll shoot myself," Riven declared. "But not before I shoot you two for abandoning me".
"Duly noted," Brandon said with a grin. "Now, where's Timmy?"
"I think that's him," Musa said and pointed.
"Come on. One step at the time," Timmy advised as he slowly supported Techna down the road. "Easy does it".
"I would ask if she's drunk were the answer not so obvious," Musa commented as they got close.
"Ahm stjill ready fur more," Techna slurred, swaying back and forth. "And I cjan stjill walk, ya know".
"Alright, just be careful," Timmy advised and let the scarred girl go. "So, what's up?"
"It's time to go home," Sky said.
"Aww, but we having sho much fun," Techna groaned. "Ah well, come 'ere, Databoy". She planted a sloppy, wet kiss before asking: "Djid... Djid you do shomething tyo yarself? Did you gjet taller?"
"No, I'm just Brandon," the brunette said, wiping saliva off. "I'm afraid you got the wrong boyfriend".
"Oh. Shorry. Oh well, might ash well share a gjood thing," she slurred, before managing to give Timmy his kiss.
"And now you smell like alcohol," Stella sighed, before giving Brandon his goodbye kiss. "Just make sure to boil that chin when you get home".
"I really doubt she's that poisonous," Brandon chuckled while getting up on his aircycle. "See ya".
"Bye bye," Sky called.
"Later," Riven said, as the three speeded off.
"Well, I better get going too. We'll talk," Timmy said as he left.
Minutes later, most of the guests had left and the school became almost quiet.
"Ah, that was fun," Stella said. "But also tiring, so I'm going to... Can you hear something?"
The girls looked at one another, before noticing someone saying: "Little further. Come on, somebody's there".
"Sounds like... Somebody is... Coming," Flora noted.
"Probably another student who's had one too many drinks. Like someone else," Stella noted, while looking at Techna.
"Ahm not more drunk than Ey canna handle," the scarred girl declared.
A shape stumbled out of the woods and into the light of the lamps. The girls gasped.
It was a girl, dark skinned and dressed in the sad remains of a dress. She was wounded, bruised, soaking wet, and shaking and quivering. She was accompanied by an equally soaked though less injured pixie with red hair.
The girl managed the ghost of a smile when she saw the girls, before she collapsed.
"Help?" the pixie pleaded.