Hi there! so sorry to everyone out there who was waiting for this story to get off the ground, but i was having some serious problems with adding chapters to my story

so, like the sensible person who breaks an iPod because its tiny buttons made them mad (i LOVE Madagascar 2!) i ended up deleting the first story in, i guess you could say 'protest' or 'a fit of agrivation'

of course, the minute i do that is two minutes before the thing starts to work again -.- stupid me...

so anyway, i'm back in action and have reposted this story!


Also, i've finally got all my answers i asked for and the story is underway. i'd like to take the time to thank everyone who contributed really quick.

Shairy and Chibi Horsewoman: thank you for pointing out that there was an error with the posting and i hope you like the actual fic (i really did appreciate that)

winxgirlbloom: yep, you diffinatly help me and looked them up promplty (though it didn't give much, it was still enough) :)

Me (not BlueRoseInMidnight; the reviewer named 'Me'): thanks alot! your information was extremely valuable XD

Kyree Winx: thank you so much! XD i had no idea they had so many job, though...that;s kinda sad -.-'

StellaBrandon: thanks alot, that;s just what i needed! XD

winxelover: not exactly what i asked for, bit still really appreciated. i'd love to watch the season 4. thanks for the link ;)

thank you all for your contributions to my fic. thanks for putting up with me for this long and taking time to help a fellow writer out. it's you guys who make this site worthwhile! XD

so, just for you, i'll shut up and give you the story!


Standard Disclaimer: Winx Club is not owned me in any way, shape, or form.

But i do own Metro, Pastel, Prince Charming, Carrot, and Pixel

i also own the Character Ruby Rascal, but the name was lended to me by Zadien , taken from her story "Memory Box"


Chapter 1-What could have been

"Sky, table two has customers!"

"Oh, okay."

"Brandon, clean up that spill by table seven!"

"Um, sure…"

"Riven, the group by the window wants more of the blueberry-cherry twister"

"Alright, just-"

"Nabu, Helia! You two help Roxy. The blender's on the fritz again!"

"Hold on for a sec-"

"HURRY!"

"ARGH! (x5)"

Later that afternoon…in the Boy's Apartment

"Argh, that was horrible!" Sky cried loudly, slamming the refrigerator with more force then necessary.

"I know right?" Brandon agreed, taking the cup of juice Sky offered him, "Klaus has been running us ragged all week. It's like the bar can't get any fuller than this."

"Well, it could be worse" Helia pointed out from his spot on the couch. He had carried fourteen trays of juice in under two hours and his arms were so cramped up, he couldn't move them.

"Yeah, how?" asked Nabu from the other side of the couch, trying to magically repair the damage done to his hair by the blender. Note to self: long hair and busted kitchen appliances with blades do not mix. (A/N: ain't that the truth. i found that out the hard way -.-')

"Well, you could be Timmy" Riven provided, sitting rather stiffly on the floor. He had had a rather rough few days like the rest of the boys, but what had caused it was a secret between him, Nabu, and Klaus (1).

As for the Timmy comment, it was pretty obvious why. Computers had always been Timmy's life and greatest passion (second only to Tecna) so he usually didn't complain. But in just one day, he had been swamped over with two hundred crashed hard drives, seventy-eight screen replacements, and thirty two computers with viruses consisting of a dancing walrus and a bottle of two percent milk (2).

Point was, it had been hell on earth and the boys could easily say the Tim-meister had had a worst day then all of them put together. Said specialist was laid out on the floor behind Riven, spread eagle and not looking like he'd make any effort to get up soon.

There was a long silence after that before Sky spoke up "Hey guys, ever feel like we've...wasted our time?"

"What do you mean by that?" asked Riven, looking up from the television set.

"Well, I mean, we're Red Fountain graduates. We're supposed to be out in the universe, fighting crime and being, you know, heroes. But instead we're..."

"Hanging around on a magic-free planet with only a bunch of Believix fairy girls for company?" Brandon supplied.

"Well...yeah..."

"Actually, yeah, I do feel like that sometimes" Riven admitted "I mean, I love Musa with my whole heart, but sometimes I do wish I had stayed in Magix to find a heroes carrier."

"Well, it's good to see you're passionate about some things, Riv" Helia smirked, before wincing in agony when Riven deliberately punched him in the arm and set off his cramps.

"I know what you mean" Nabu put in, trying to prevent a further argument before it started. But at his remark, the other five boys turned to gaze at him. "What?"

"Well, no offense Nabu" Brandon addressed the wizard "but you're not technically a hero."

"What? Yes I am."

"No, Nabu, you're actually not" Timmy said, speaking for the first time in over an hour bu not leaving his place on the floor, "You never went to Red Fountain or any other heroes school. And Magix law says that you need at least four years of official heroes education before you can apply for any jobs like the Elites Specialists or anything like that."

Nabu smirked at this then, setting down his hair brush, turned to face his friends. "Actually, I have. See, over on Tides, I had to do something else with my magic. I mean, what if I lost my powers some day, then where would I be? So I started private lessons since I was sixteen. Also, didn't you wonder where I was over the summer while you guys were working on summer classes?"

"Yeah" answered Riven. They were supposed to go surfing on Tides together that summer, but Nabu had cancelled on him, saying he had something important to work on.

"Well, I was at the Corellas Realm" Nabu informed them. When they only gave him blank looks, he continued, "I applied for a Red Fountain graduates diploma. I had the years' experience, but I needed an official test of skill to prove it. I was on Corellas with Codatorta on my survival/capture-and-retrieval-the-troll graduation exam. I passed, so now I'm just as much a hero as the rest of you."

"You know, that's the same kind of thing I had to do to get in three years late" Helia commented, "though mine was an easier mission to pass the second year graduation."

"Okay, but how come I haven't seen your Heroes' Badge yet, Nabu?" Brandon asked, finding it hard to believe all this went on for their friend without anyone, not even Riven, Nabu's best friend, being aware of it.

"I just never had much reason to use it" Nabu shrugged, "I mean, I used it in my exam, but it's not much use to me if I still have all my magic to use." Just to prove a point, Nabu reached into his pocket and pulled out a medal shaped amulet, topped with a lavender gem.

"Awesome" Sky complemented him, "how does it feel to finally have one of those?"

"Pretty cool actually. Now I see why you guys like them so much."

The other boys joined in on the laughter, though Helia's and Timmy's wasn't as strong as the rest of them. They all knew how important those gems were to a Red Fountain student. It was those gems that not only contained their uniforms to magically incase them, but also contained their weapons.

Riven, Timmy, Sky and Brandon could clearly remember their second week at Red Fountain when, after proving their skill, they reached into that enchanted chest and pulled out their Heroes Badges. Professor Saladin had informed them that each Badge was made for only one hero and the badges chose the hero, not the other way around. (3)

It had been the same way with Helia two years after that, then Nabu only a year later. It stood for everything that made them specialists. It was like a reflection of their inner heroes.

"Okay, so you're a specialist, too" Riven said, wanting to get the conversation back on track, "but that just means that you're in the same boat as the rest of us: spent so much time becoming a hero, just to have it ripped from you so you could go to some dead-beat planet to be over worked in a juice bar and nothing to show for your training."

The room was silent then. There wasn't anything more to say. Riven had said it all.

Just as Brandon was about to make a comment, Sky's phone went off. Slipping it from his pocket and glancing at the caller ID, the instant smile that came to his face was enough to tell the others exactly who it was.

"Hey Bloom," Sky answered her with a cheerful voice he hadn't had a few moments ago, "How's it go-"

There was a long pause. The others could hear the mumble of a voice on the other side of the phone, but couldn't make out what it was saying.

"What was that, Bloom?"

...

"She's there?"

...

"You don't know why?"

...

"Sure, we'll be right over. Tell her to wait. Love you, too. Bye."

"What was that about?" asked Helia, finally regaining enough feeling in his body to sit up.

"She said we have to get down there, fast."

"Why?" asked Timmy, rising off the floor. This was sounding serious.

"Because. Athena's at the Love and Pet Shop."


(1) that's a reference to a smal side story i'm working on, to be published way off into the future

(2) a little inside joke between me and some of my friends ;)

(3) that's a reference to another side story that i'll write at some time in the future

Well, that's the first chapter. For reference, i just made up ll that stuff about Heroes Badges and Nabu's Specialist training, but since everyone calls the boys "the Specialists" i figure he should be one too, so now he is.

now you know why i asked about their jobs, and the animals i'll get to probably in the chapter, but no promises.

also note, this is set after the Dark Circles defeat and the guys are still hanging around. and Nabu has nagically come back to life somehow...

stick around for the next chapter coming sooner than this one did, and drop a review of you don't mind. Critique is an authors greatest tool!