Mirta's Transformation
By Marion Caesius
Mirta tried to hold the tears in her tightly closed eyes as once again she hid in a stall in the girl's bathroom. The teasing and put downs from Spika were particularly hard this time around following a class on advance conjuration of local fauna and related spirits where, like so many other classes she was once again was showing more difficulty than the rest. Spika gloated silently with her clique sitting around her up until the time class was dismissed, when in the crowed doorway Spika moved close enough to whisper into her ear, "you will never be a fairy like us" and faded in her back into the herd of classmates melting back in the crowd that hurried to the next class.
It hurt so much because it was true. Mirta closed her eyes tighter as other bottled feelings of uncertainty slowly rose with her need to cry. There was no escaping the fact that she was predestined to become a witch and it pained her every time that Spika and clique pointed it out every time it took Mirta three or more attempts before she could cast a basic spell that took Spika an other predestined fairies once to get right.
The urge to completely break down subsided with an anger that began to overcome her emotional tenderness. The witch within now plotted to of a way to get even with the likes of Spika and her gang of shallow friends. Mirta's thoughts ran the gamut of methods she could use to torment Spika as badly or worse than what she received on a daily basis from her. How it would feel so good make their pretty long hair fall out or to have them all suffer some terrible skin rash to scar their skin so badly that no amount of make-up they could layer would hide it.
Mirta took a deep breath of the cool air, which seemed just much colder after this bout with her hot anger. Her urge to break down was gone in the instant she noticed the dull reflection of light from the small cherry colored tiles. She could never do anything like that. If she had any intention to leave behind her past she would have to control the unique witch pride that was the only thing left that prevented her from being becoming a fairy.
Mirta left the stall for the large wall mirror and washed her has so that no on else would question what was wrong. Actually, she knew that one would even if she tears ruined her eyeliner. Looking into her reflection in the mirror, she took note of her eyes and despite a little redness she as okay enough to go to her next class.
Spika, flanked by her friends of this week, Lian and Kesenia, walked confidently down the hall to their lockers. As a group, the crowd of students yielded to the distinct sophomore trio.
"Spika", kesenia asked as she shuffled books with between her arms and her locker, "I don't think that I'll be able to join you tonight. Professor Dufour has planned an impromptu field trip to meet the water nymphs and our class will not return till around 7:00". She waited a moment for a reply. "Spika?"
"What!" Spika burst as she turned to face the direction her annoyance. Kesenia widened her eyes in surprise at her reply and noticed that Lian too was looking at Spika.
"I told you not to wait up for me tonight," Kesenia said as diverted her attention to finding her notebook for the upcoming class. "Are you letting that witch get to you again?"
"Alright and no, I am not letting that witch get to me" she replied sternly as continued focus her attention at her own cluttered locker, "Do you think I would waste my time with that loser?"
Kesenia looked at her for a moment and closed her locker, "okay I will see both for lunch" and went her separate way to her class.
"You are letting her get to you, spika" Lian commented as she closed her locker.
Spika turned around to face, "Hey, you know as well I know she doesn't belong here."
"I know but don't obsess about it like you do."
"Look", spika said scolding "If you know then don't get all high and mighty with me. She's a witch! They tried to take over the world starting with our school! You're not going soft on me, are you?"
Lian began to regret about caring for Spika and forgetting about the viciousness of her moods. "Alright, Alright, I'm sorry I brought up the whole thing." Lian began to think about who obvious her discomfort was in this whole situation. "I was just saying."
Spika closed her locker and positioned her notebooks between her arms and stomach and looked coldly in Lian's green eyes. "So are you are getting soft on me. From the time you were paired with Mirta in Professor Avalon's class I knew you liked her."
Lian raised her brow in surprise that Spika found out. "But I didn't have choice! I had to work with that witch and pass or else my parents would take away my mobile phone!"
"Then you should have failed." Spika replied coldly.
"But Spika, I couldn't!" Lian interjected.
"Look I don't have time for this, you're not my friend anymore" she said glancing at her watch noting that she only had two minutes to walk across the campus to her next class on advanced elemental transmutation. "I have to go" she said and began to walk away.
"Spika, this isn't right! You can't do this!" Lian said in higher voice to the back of Spika's head, covered in long shining red hair. Lian's anger began to build. "Alright, fine!" she said and stormed off in the opposite direction her class on plant summoning and application.
The thinning crowd parted both ways to allow each to pass and Lian could feel most of stares of disbelief on her.
Even at the rather shallow height of seventy-five feet in the air. The campus of Alfea was impressive sight, a distinctive colorful assortment of pink and blue buildings surrounded by large dark green forest every which way, but the crowd of flying witches traveling in general direction to Alfea were completely oblivious to modest sight and to a lot more since a day and half ago.
A day and half ago Baltor came to Cloud tower as part of his quest to recoup his power what invasion and capture of several scrolls. This is was the part that needed him to be at the Cloud Tower School for witches. While his plans were merely to get in and get out with the scrolls from the vault and archives, his dislike for the teachers and students that fought back grew to a vengeance and this plan changed in brilliant possibility: Since his next target was the Alfea School for Fairies and they would surely be waiting for him, why not just use the student body? Simply overwhelming them, he could either create a diversion or completely conquer it and either it way he could get the scrolls, Baltor thought. Baltor's plans was now in motion as the entire population of students steadily made their way to grounds of Alfea and were moments away from arriving.
Mirta raised her head at a familiar yet odd feeling: another witch was close; no, a lot of witches were close. She stared out window of the second story room to the horizon beyond looking for its source: Nothing. What were witches doing here, in broad daylight?
"Mirta, can you explain to me the general theory of physical manipulation of microscopic particles?" Professor Planck asked in voice a bit louder than usual.
Mirta suddenly turned her head to the professor and the faces that look at her for the answer. "Uh, I'm sorry professor, can I you repeat the question?"
A few giggles were audible as Professor Planck continued, "Mirta, please try and closer attention to the lesson as there will be upcoming test on subject". Some of the giggles turned to groans
"I will Professor Planck, I'm sorry" Mirta replied.
"There is no need for apologies, only your attention. Very well class, as I have just stated, there is pending test and you will be required to perform certain objectives if you wish to join your friends in the intermediate telekinesis course in next year. I would like for us review the flow chart on…"
An alarm blared, interrupting his instructions. "This is Principal Faragonda and we have emergency". The intercom said, "All pre-selected teachers are to proceed to their posts. We have just detected several witches on their way to our school and they are not responding to any our directions. For time being, teachers assigned to protect students are to stay where they are and wait for further instructions, but ready to evacuate at a moments notice."
Almost immediately, the class broke into murmurs as dozens of whispers were exchanged between the all girl class and dubious glances were taken of Mirta in the middle of classroom. Mirta felt the worst unease in her life and could feel the subtle of stings of suspicion, made worst by ever-present awkwardness of being the only witch on all fairy school.
"Settle down class, settle down," Professor Planck said in voice louder than the hum the conversations taking place between students making his way between down the aisle to his office in the back of the classroom, "I am one the teachers assigned to keep you safe but you will have to meet me half-way. I would like for you all to gather your things and get them out of the aisles. Luna and Erika, please lock the windows while I fetch certain items from my office. Luna and Erika did as they were told it and when they heard that click of the locking mechanism that both of them saw two witches float not noticing the two girls behind the window. Both of them slowly back way from the large windows as the witches flew beyond their perspective in the windows.
"Uh, Professor Planck", Luna said in an unsteady voice, "I just saw two witches fly by our window." Erica had already turned around and noticed a faces in wide gazes after seeing what has happening.
Professor Planck had his back turned them as he cast spell to lock the door to turn around. "Understood," he looked out the same window the unchanging view of the forest. "We will stay here until we either have no choice but evacuate or … Well, lets disregard other possibilities. Needless to say, class will be cancelled until further notice from me or our principal."
Mirta saw the two witches and while she did not know them, she remembered them as being nameless faces from the cloud tower student body. What is going on? She wondered; if the witches wanted to cause trouble, why would they be so obvious?
The intentions of the witches became clear when a commotion broke out from a classroom several doors down the hall: the shattering boom of window was quickly followed by panicked screams of a witch breaking in and instructions by the teacher to get out into the hallway. Some the class turned in the direction of the din; Mirta and others looked at the professor who stood still but did not appear to be a paralyzing fear.
"Listen well everyone, I can sense that most of us here are getting a bit claustrophobic. So as per previous drills, let us make our way to the court yard in a calm and orderly manner", the professor said, putting an emphasis on "calm and orderly".
Mirta felt the same witch empathy in a new intensity and closer proximity and diverted her attention from her teacher to look out the window once more. She thought she saw Lucy but couldn't be Lucy; the girl outside looked like Lucy but she was floating taller and appeared ridged by the way her arms were held tight at her sides, and her eyes glowed a brilliant white with . Mirta mouthed "Lucy?"
Lucy responded by quickly raising her arms in front of her and unleashed a whitish-blue light that Mirta had never seen before cast by witch. The energy cracked the enchanted windows pane which was only designed to resist minor hits and prevent interference magic that was practiced outside. Instantly the classroom was thrown into chaos as students closest the windows as jostled each other over the desks and aisle to get way. "Everyone out and wait outside while I deal with our guests. Class leaders, it will be your responsibility to maintain order in the meantime!" the professor shouted to be heard above the clamor. Even without any order, Mirta and the students crowded to get outside to the corridors.
Professor Planck stood across on an opposite wall debating his options. He too had never seen that type of power demonstrated by such a young and inexperienced witch but it did not matter. He took a vow he would protect his students at any cost but hoped that it never came to it. He rolled his broad shoulders and crossed his arms in an "X" formation in from his chest. "Encasus negativii," he looking into the face of the witch hovering just outside window and isolating bubble seemed to barrier seemed to have the desired effect keeping her place but he quickly noticed that something was very wrong as the blue hue of the bubble quickly began to red, telling him it was failing fast. Within the bubble Lucy raised her right arm as a dark sphere grew. Two more witches arose into view and they too were preparing their own attacks. Planck quickly chanted a few syllables of the most powerful defensive spell he could think of before being consumed in a terrible roar and dark rainbow of lights.
It seemed that every classroom had been emptied into the hall to proceed as if to go to the class but he crowds were even more disordered. The few professors that were in sight clearly had no control over the sea of young girls that were crying, shouting to get the attention of friends, and were changing into their fairy mode out of panic. Mirta had no choice but be part of the crowd that scrambled to get out of the building. As a witch trying to become a fairy, her destiny to become a witch left her unable to become aware and unable to absorb or create her own winx energy; the little that could tap into was quickly used up in the daily class instructions and her own negative destructive energy was useless in magic that required love and creation.
Despite the warning by Ms. Faragonda and evacuation drills conducted in the past, Mirta saw that most of the practice fell on the wayside by looks of panic on the faces of some students and courage in others as they fought with the every increasing number witches that had the same appearance of possession that Lucy did. Shouts of attacks echoed in the hallway as fairies fought with witches she once knew.
Mirta finally spilled out the campus outside and stopped her quick pace when she could no longer feel the warm bodies that wanted to push her out of the way and looked up in disbelief at the sight of what seemed the entire campus of both schools in odd form of aerial combat with: witches floating stiffly and slowly firing at fairies that were fluttering about madly avoiding the bursts of dark energy fired on them. What do I do? What can I do? she thought as she saw a sphere of pink light miss witch by almost a meter.
"Oh my gosh! Someone help me!"
The plea for help derailed her train of thought. The voice, it sounded familiar. She someone she knew was off in the distance dodging large explosions of dark light doing to fight back. The desperate cry was from Lian and she was being followed through the air by Lucy.
"Lucy! Leave her alone!" Mirta shouted as ran to follow both of them. "What is wrong with Lucy?" she wondered and another thought came to mind, "what can I do stop her?" The distance seemed to be growing between the two. Lian changed her course suddenly to Mirta's directions. As Lucy raced towards mirta in a panic, Lucy seemed to change her tactics by slowing down and moving her arms in from of her with her palms following Lians path through the air. Mirta noticed Lucy's gesture and immediately recognized it as powerful homing attack used mostly the advanced seniors of cloud tower and staff. "Lian!" Mirta shouted at fairy whose fear was obvious as in sheen of sweat, wide eyes, and gaping mouth "Look out! She is getting ready to shoot out of the air!" Lian looked back and noticed the dark energy gather around Lucy's hands.
As Mirta ran to put herself between Lucy and Lian, she cast an inversing spell that should reflect or at the every least absorb most the impact and effects. "Could it stand up to Lucy's spell?" she wondered as soon completed the verbal spell. There no time to think about it think about as Lian seemed to intent on crashing into her. Mirta ran past her and stopped when she was no more than twenty feet away from her. "Lucy! Don't do it!" Mirta shouted as she raised her arms, trying to distract her. Lucy fired a big orb and quickly followed the same path Lian flew and now was in its path. "Stop it Lucy! This isn't you!" she shouted as now she moved to stop the orb. "I Think I have one chance" she thought cast the similar spell that Lucy had used. Placing herself in the orb and saying a few syllables under her breath was all she managed to do before she felt a terrific shock.
She was had been lectured a few times about the effects of the spell Lucy had used but this was incredible. The force of being hit and having all that negative energy going through her was the most terrifying thing she ever felt. "Did my best friend kill me?" was her last thought before her image of Lucy and her world faded away.
Mirta felt a painful tenderness that seemed to come from every part of body is what woke her up. A bright light seem to equal the pain in her head. A large green bristles scratched her half of her face, arms, and legs. The bright light and green lines came into focus as sunlight and grass. Muffled explosions were in the distance and all around her. She curled her fingers.
"Mirta! Are you okay? Please get up!
Mirta slowly moved her left arm over the side of her body and was it flopped to her side beyond her center of gravity, she slumped on her back. This time she noticed flashing lights and silhouette of head appear in her vision.
"You have to get up Mirta! C'mon, awake up!" Lian begged as she took Mirta's hand and held tightly and looked into her eyes.
The warm feeling of her touch passed over body like Lucy's attack but this was wonderful. Her sensitivity to everything disappeared and she felt a happiness and peace that she did not think was possible. Mirta felt herself rise from the ground higher and higher until her feet could almost stand on Lian's head. She closed her eyes and on impulse she slowly motion she moved her arms in front and above her head, feeling a tickling sensation from her back and what could only be describe as a cool light covering her body.
Mirta opened eyes and looked down at Lian, who just stood there, stunned by the surreal event. "You're a fairy like me" Lian said.
Mirta smiled and moved head see the changes: A new short skort and top ensemble of a dark pink cloth with teal edges. She moved her legs from under body and wiggled her feet in her new teal calf length boots with soles that matched the color of her top and sparkling satin teal gloves that went the length of her forearms. In her peripheral vision, she caught sight of her greatest endowment, a pair of translucent fairy wings with concentric pattern of pink and light purple arches.
Mirta slowly floated down all the while being tracked Lian. "She's so beautiful", Lian mouthed as met with Mirta's eyes. "I know this a really, really bad time to ask," Lian said with a hint of hesitation in her voice, "but do you think you could ever forgive me for the way I treated you? I knew it was wrong but I only did it because of Spika."
"I know you did," Mirta replied, "I honestly believe you. I never knew that fairies could feel the emotions of other fairies", Mirta's smile grew, "especially when there're as true as yours." She raise hand hoping that Lian would hold her hand; she so wanted to make sure that her that she could not be wrong. Lian slowly raised her hand.
A blue-white lighting strike no more than ten feet away stopped Lian's progress and they both twisted their heads at the explosion. "I know what I can do," came immediately into mind as she flew into the ongoing combat of fairies and witches.
She flew around everything that seemed to get in her way to Lucy: witches being knocked out of the sky, fairies and witches following each other in a mad chase through the air all the while trying to find Lucy. She stopped suddenly to avoid being hitting a spark launched from the ground but a body was pushed into her the millisecond she did.
"Hey! Get out of the way!"
Mirta recognized that voice and stabilized her hovering; beside her, with a scowl on her face was Spika. Both girls met eye to eye and just stared at one another; Mirta everything about Spika now, her anger, a hate, her pride, it was all almost overwhelming. Spika eyes squinted ever slightly before she raised her nose to her and dart way upwards into the sun.
Mirta's eyes followed her until the light of the sunset was overpowering and flew off in the opposite direction zipping across the campus ground to a group of sophomores that struggling to avoid the lightning attacks of girls she knew as Beatrix and Ursula. As she changed her course to help, she felt ripple of explosion of winx being release. It came from the ground and she lowered her head down and caught sight of Principal Faragonda and other teachers within a growing dome of plasma. It was a magical force field capable to repairing the one that had been overwhelmed by the zombie witches and now was able to filter out witches from the fairies.
A dark spark grazed head and automatically she responded with her own orb of energy and barely managed to miss the stiff body of Cassie from her dark summons class at Cloud Tower. Mirta stared at her for moment before she noticed something odd, instead of trying to attack her or at least chase her, Cassie was floating away. Mirta began shifting her attention from all the ground to the sky searching for her and noticed that Cassie was not the only one appearing to retreat. Around her, dogfights slowed down and stopped; lightning attacks quieted and sunlight slowly became the brightest source of light. Mirta began to feel frustrated: "Where are you Lucy!" echoed in her head.
She zoomed across the campus to a group of longhaired witches that were as tall as Lucy. None of them were her. To her left, a pale girl in a white tank top floated backwards. It wasn't her. The shield below was growing bigger and faster. In the corner of her eye, she saw the small figure in the distance of pale girl in a tank top, gaining speed as she flew backwards. It was her profile, her shoulder length hair tangling in the wind. It was Lucy.
Flying across one hundred feet between the two never seemed so far away. She flew directly ward at the diagonal angle that separated them. The white green glow of the force field was no more than ten feet below her. Keeping her eyes on Lucy she grew smaller as the distance between them grew. Zooming as fast as she could, she could begin to feel of power of the magical barrier at her feet. Mirta noticed that Lucy stopped shrinking into the distance. The barrier was now at her waist. She felt the power come over her. It was above her. A dozen feet ahead of her. She slowed down and hovered at the inside edge of barrier and once again Lucy shrank into the horizon in the direction of cloud tower.
Did the last month really happen? It all seemed surreal as many incredible events came together: Baltor had finally been vanquished and winx club was the only thing anyone wanted to talk about. C'mon did anyone only expect anything less from them, she thought with a small smile.
Did Lucy really about show an emotion outside of indifference? Mirta caught up with Lucy after Baltor had abandoned to school explained to her what happened. Lucy remembered the entire event but that it all seemed like a nightmare to her and begged for mirta to forgive her. Mirta hugged her and assured that it wasn't her fault; for the first time in a long time, not only had Lucy allowed herself to held, but returned the gesture.
Looking into the palms of her hands, she though about her abilities that would soon show themselves. Shortly after the end of invasion, she sought the advice of Ms Faragonda who explained her switching from witch to fairy and vice versa was a rare occurrence and could not really be studied. The only thing that she could be sure of was that she would be getting new stronger powers based on a neutral force instead of the elements that were endowed to witches and fairies. She also warned her, she could revert to witch if used them in ways a witch would. Mirta promised to Ms. Faragonda, but more to herself that she never would.
"Mirta, you're up next. Fly and maintain a hovering position at fifty meters at hundred." Professor Planck called out.
"Yes professor" Mirta replied as she quickly took off into the sky as part Planck tests and lessons in advance aerial combat. The last month had not really been a dream after all she thought looking down at her classmates and teacher. She looked at the horizon ahead of her noticed just how green and large the surrounding forest was.
"Very good Mirta, maintain your position" the professor yelled, "Now is one is bit a curveball, you are to maintain your position and try to stop in midair. Are you ready?"
"Yes I am!"