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Title: The Secret Princess
Summary Plot: What if Bloom had known all along about the magical world, about the Dragon Fire, who she was and also, what she had lost? Now, thanks to her sister, with a suitcase in her hand, in front of Alfea's gate, she is ready to face her heritage and reclaim what she had once lost.
"An invasion of an armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come." - Victor Hugo.
Chapter 1: Alfea
Bloom sat by the window. Her gaze hefted on sky, as it began to be filled with yellow orange and pinkish red streaks, announcing the turn from night to day. People were still lying in their bed, probably peacefully caught in their slumber, she guessed it counted for Vanessa and Mike as well. She should have probably been in there, too and if she had been any other normal girl, then she would surely be still sleeping.
But oh, how could she? How could she possibly sleep, when such a magnificent sight was transpiring in front of her. Watching the orange golden color spread across the sky, filled her warmth, for it reminded her of the light of her life.
Daphne.
Bloom sighed, placing her hand against the cool glass, her finger tracing the golden linings. So, before she even noticed, the sun had fully risen across the sky, daylight filled the city and people were slowly waking up. Bloom turned around to look at her little pet, Kiko, who started to rise from his sleep as well. She smiled and opened her arms, so that he was able to jump into them.
She embraced him tightly and starred back through her window.
"Bloom, you are already awake?" Vanessa walked in, surprised to see her daughter already awake.
"Yeah, couldn't really sleep," Bloom replied, still with her absent mind.
"Did you dream of her again?" She walked towards Bloom, taking a seat at the window.
"No, it was a nightmare. I dreamed about - well..." She looked at her adoptive mother, who offered her a smile, the only thing she knew she was able to offer Bloom.
"Oh darling," she stretched her hand out, slowly stroking her hair in a comforting manner. She looked at the floor, books and all kind of things lied scattered around the room, pages, sticking out of books, on walls and flying around could be found, but there is one particular that peaked her interest. She picked the one who rested on the top of the book, which was next to Bloom's bed.
She knew that her daughter was quiet talented, when it came to her drawing skills and frankly, she was each time amazed at what her little finger were able to draw. The lines on the paper were wild and fuzzy, some lines were blurred but the image remained painfully clear. It was in plain white and dark.
"She is beautiful," Vanessa remarked. "Just like you."
"Thank you," Bloom smiled looked at the image she had drawn of her sister. "Come, let's go downstairs. I bet father is hungry." Bloom joked and stood up, dusting herself.
"That's a good idea," Vanessa stood up as well, of course not after having placed the picture carefully on the table, so that it was safe from getting wrinkled in any case. "You can help me with the dishes, but no magic!"
"I'll try," Boom giggled, leaving the room, with Kiko hot on her trails.
Bloom and her adoptive parents were sitting around the table and eating their breakfast, while happily chirping about their plans for the day and the beginning of summer and Bloom's summer vacation. However, no matter how much Bloom tried to smile, laugh and pretend that she was just as excited as her parents, she could not help but feel a heavy weigh on her shoulders, especially depressing the place near her heart, pulling it down.
"So Bloom, do you have anything special planned for this summer?" Vanessa asked her daughter.
"No, nothing particular actually," Bloom admitted with half-lie.
"That's great, because we wanted to-"
"Mom! Dad! I need to talk to you about something!" Bloom slammed her hands on the table. It had not been her intention, but in that moment, she had collected all her energy, determined to let it all out.
"Bloom!" Vanessa spoke surprised.
"What is the matter, darling?" Mike asked his daughter, trying to clean up the coffee he spilled.
"I ... I need to talk to you about something." The couple shared a worried look, wondering what could have triggered such reaction from their daughter. They waited, as Bloom struggled to find the right words. "It... It concerns my..." She tried to find the proper word.
"You know you can talk to us, Bloom, about anything," Vanessa tried to encourage her.
"It's about my heritage."
She was waiting for her parents to say anything, but as she refused to look up and try to determine what was on their mind, she starred at her folded hands. This certain topic had always been a particular sour topic. For Bloom it did not change anything that those two were not her real parents and vice versa, but it did not mean that they often talked about it regularly like they did with the weather.
One of the main reason was that neither of them knew how to handle it. They knew nothing about the magical world, the one Bloom was supposed to be born into. When Bloom was younger, she used to gush about this topic, talking about it like it was the most normal thing for Mike and Vanessa as well. As time passed, she had begun to learn that it was actually not the case and this was when she began to talk less and less about it.
She never tried to hide this from her parents, she knew who she was and they did as well. But this did not change the fact that they had not talked about this for a long time and thus, it was hard for Bloom to tell how their reactions were going to be like.
"And what exactly was is that you wanted to talk about?" Vanessa began in a gentle voice. Bloom looked up, relieved, although she did hear the slight shake in her voice, indicating uncertainty.
"I know that this is a difficult topic for you, but I am very glad that you are here, for everything."
"Of course, we love you. You are our daughter," Mike assured her and held her hand. Bloom smiled.
"Well, as you know Magix is a magical dimension, very different from our's." Both of them nodded in understanding. "Last year, you might remember that Daphne gave me a few books about Magix, the magical world and Domino, my home planet. Daphne herself told me that in Magix, there are three different schools. One of them is Alfea, the school for young fairies."
The fiery girl took a deep breath and made a pause, anticipating that both of them would need this. They probably know by this point where this talk was heading to.
"Bloom..." Vanessa wanted to say something, but she was too confused to find out exactly what it was.
"I know this is sudden and that you had not planned this, but... but I though a long time about this."
"What would it mean if you were to go to that school? What is it for a school?" Mike asked.
"Alfea is school for fairies. It is the only school in Magix that is dedicated to educate young fairies, actually, it is the only one in the whole magical dimension. I would be taught how to control my power, spells, how to fight evil... and it's a boarding school."
"But... What about your life here? Your education? Can Daphne not teach you all of these?" Mike asked, slightly worried and surely confused by this conversation. When he woke up this morning, this was the least what he had expected in his mind.
"Dad, I know it is hard for you to understand this, but I really want to do this. I am a fairy! I have powers, actually, one of the greatest in the magical dimension and I have to learn how to control them! I could do so much more with them and Daphne cannot always be here... you know that."
Just like magic was a sour topic, Daphne was even less approached. Bloom had explained what had happened with her older sister, her rescue, Daphne's death. It was unreal at first, so hard to imagine, but what was even harder was the distress and mourning of Bloom over a sister they never knew.
"Was this Daphne's idea?" he asked her.
"What? No!" Bloom did not intend to shout, but she could not stand it when Mike asked in that, according to her, accusing tone.
"Bloom, just calm down. I am sure your father did not meant it in that way." Vanessa stood up and stroked Bloom's back.
"I know that," Bloom sighed. "But please, Daphne has nothing do to with that. Actually, she doesn't even know. You are the first I had approached and believe, I have really thought about this for a long time, this isn't just a sudden idea that came to my mind."
"We know that, Bloom," Vanessa insisted and kept soothing her daughter.
"But Bloom, what about your education? Your future? Your life in Gardenia? Do you want to throw it all away?" Mike asked.
"Dad, I... I know it's hard, but I just have to do this. I have to go to Alfea!" Vanessa frowned, there was something in Bloom's voice that led her believe that there was a bigger story behind this.
"Is that all that you want?" she asked.
Bloom starred at her mother in surprise. Vanessa kept looking at her with a knowing look.
"It was around my 16th birthday. I thought about how next year, I am going to be 17 and then 18, the number goes on. It was around the same age that Daphne ... that this battle had begun and everything started. I want to do something, anything. I know, everyone keeps saying that this is not my fault, because it doesn't change the fact I want to do something. Daphne, the state she is in, is all because of me." Her parents wanted to protest, but Bloom shook her head.
"She had risked her life for the sake of mine, nothing you say could change this fact. Do many years have passed and now, I want to help her. I want to be able to talk with my sister, not through my dreams or projections of her, but to really see her. I want to touch her, I want to know what it feels like to hug her and for her to take me in her arms."
"Oh Bloom..."
"I also want to search for my parents, my other parents, Marion and Oritel," Bloom added. She might as well let everything loose. "Please, don't misunderstand, I love the both of you, very much. You are wonderful parents, don't ever think that you are not or that you aren't enough! Because you are!" Bloom looked at them pleadingly, hoping that they believed her.
"We believe you, Bloom," Mike smiled placably. Bloom sighed in relief.
"They disappeared 15 years ago, since the battle and most of them believe that they are dead, but that's not true. I can feel that they are not. I want to search for them. Daphne had loved them very much, they are her parents. And I... I ... I just-"
"We understand, Bloom, it's just something you have to do." Vanessa understood and she also understood her daughter's reasoning. She found it noble of her daughter to try to help her sister and she felt proud of her.
"Does that mean...?"
"Bloom, no matter what you do, just like we have to know that you will always love us, you have to know that I will always support your decision, no matter what," she explained.
"Thank you, thank you so much, mom!" Bloom went and hugged her mother. She was grateful for her and she felt relief and happiness wash over her, as she received her mother's consent. She let go and looked at Mike, remembering that she needed his' as well. "Dad?"
Mike starred at the table, surely considering his answer.
"You know," Bloom began, "you don't have to answer me now. It must be shock for you. Just please, it would be a great chance for me and I really want to get to know that place, the magic, the people, and-"
"Bloom," Mike held out his hand. "I already have made a decision. But in the end, you have to go and ask Daphne." He sighed in defeat and looked at his daughter.
"You are saying yes?"
"I could never deny you anything," Mike smiled and opened his arms, as his daughter threw herself at him. He wrapped his arms around her, knowing that he would get that chance often anymore. The prospect of letting her go, into another dimension, the one she was born from and living without her, everything seemed ... too much. Above the question whether she could handle everything, he wondered whether he was able to.
But as he held her in his arms and looked at his wife, who smiled encouragingly at them, he knew he made the right decision.
"But everything about this school, fees, books and whatever, you have to talk with Daphne about that!" he said in a rather strict voice, but the women just laughed.
The sky was beautiful, filled with orange and warm red colors. The sky was clear and the few clouds were also tainted in heartwarming colors. Bloom was sitting in a pavilion. This must be a garden, she concluded, given the green wonderfully planted flowers, trees and hedges.
"This was mother and father's favorite place," a deep, sultry, but still gentle voice tuned in.
"Daphne!" Bloom cried in excitement. It had been so long since they were able to talk. She always felt elated whenever she had the chance to see her sister. "I have missed you!" she ran towards the golden figure, in order to be closer to her.
"My precious little angel, how are you doing?" Daphne opened her arms and Bloom would have loved to jump into them, if it were not for the fact that this is a mere projection of her sister. But even if she stood in front of her, she knew, she would never be able to touch her.
"I had something to ask you. Well, actually, this has been on my mind for a long time and I just wanted to know what you thought about that...?" she asked uncertainly, whilst playing with her finger.
"What is it?" Daphne asked worriedly.
"Well, you remember how last year you gave me a few books about Magix as my birthday present?" Daphne nodded. "And I know that there is this school for fairies, actually you have mentioned it a few times as well. So, I was wondering..."
"You want to attend Alfea?" Bloom nodded eagerly, hoping this would be able to persuade her sister, since she heard a tad of doubt in her voice. "Bloom..." The long sigh that followed afterwards was not a good sign. Bloom heard the alarm in her head ring loudly.
"Daphne, please, I think it's a great opportunity."
"What would you possibly want in Alfea?" She knew that Daphne did not mean to sound so... mean, but it still hurt a bit nevertheless.
"Maybe the fact that I am supposed to attend this school last year? I should have gone last year, but I didn't, because you did not bring it up and I didn't wanted to either, if you did not. But Daphne, please understand, it's a great opportunity -"
"You know how dangerous it can be," Daphne interrupted her with a frustrated sigh, and accusation in Bloom's opinion.
"Daphne, it had been 15 years! You said yourself that those witches have not been seen since the last battle with the Company of Light. They disappeared along with-" Bloom stopped herself, knowing she would regret the next words. She knew what the mere mention of their parents would cause Daphne. She may not have known them, but from what Daphne told and how Daphne's eyes shone, how her smile grew even bigger than when they were together, she knew that she must have loved and have been loved very much by their parents. She also knew that they were still a sour point for her sister. "I am sorry," Bloom whispered, after her sister did not reply.
"No, it's fine. You do have good points. What does Mike and Vanessa say?" she asked, hoping to perhaps gain support from Bloom's adoptive parents.
"They were not happy, as you can imagine, since it would mean that I would no longer live with them and so on, but they still agreed. Because despite everything, they do know that this is my destiny, my heritage. I have a right to go there, Daphne, to learn how to deal with my powers, to strengthen them and learn how to become a great fairy."
Daphne sighed and turned away.
"I understand how you feel, after all, I, too, have visited this place once. I can still remember the good times I have spent there, how wonderful that place is and I am sure you would love this place, just like how I learned to love and cherish it."
"But then why? Why will you not let me go?" Bloom questioned. Daphne turned back to her, floating towards Bloom, her hands folded together in a begging manner.
"Bloom, dear sister, please understand that everything I do, I am doing it for you, for your sake and well-being. I just want you to be protected." She held out her hand, visibly cupping Bloom's cheek and caressing it softly.
"I know," Bloom whispered. She felt empty, when she leaned into her hand. "I know that, I know all of that. I can see it!"
The both of them starred into each other for a while, both relinquishing in that small moment, when they were so close.
They were so close.
"Daphne, I know that you would give everything up for me, I know that! And... I can't blame you for not wanting me to go, I know that you just want to protect me, but please." She tried to hold on to her sister's hand. "Just this time, let me be the one to help you! I want to go to Alfea, I want to learn more about magic, I want to help you."
"Oh Bloom..."
"I know I can do this, Daphne. I am sure of that, I can learn... I promise, I will do my best and then... then I can help you," Bloom reached out her hand, trying to place her hand over Daphne's chest, but as she expected, her intention was in vain, as her hand moved past her, never once reaching her. "I can search for our parents, I know- we know that they are alive, we can feel it, you told me that once, right? And then I will be able to help you..."
"Bloom..." It was touching, yet so sad to see her sister like this. She was happy to know that her sister cared so much for her, to go to that extend, but still... "It's not worth it, little sister. The only thing that matters now is that you are alive, ... if I lost you, if we lost you, then there will be nothing left anymore..."
"It doesn't have to be like this." Daphne sat down and patted on the place next to her.
"When mother and father left, they ordered me to protect you." Bloom choked. "And I did. I never regretted it, I was so very proud of myself, when I sent you through the portal, even when I faced the Ancestral Witches, I didn't feel any regret, because I knew that you lived. The only thing I could regret is that I don't get to see you as much as I would love to, to not to hold you. But in the end..." She tried to patch her sister's head, when she heard her tears fall.
"Daphne..."
"Bloom, I never regretted my choices, despite their consequences..." She looked down on herself. "And now look at you, you have grown so much, and I have to thank Mike and Vanessa for this, for raising you into this beautiful young girl, so headstrong, yet so brave and noble. You are everything our parents wanted for you to be. I don't know if they could forgive me if I..." If she could have, she would have kissed her temple, Bloom knew that, but she also knew that they both were aware that Daphne was not able to do that. That just made her more determined.
"I know that you don't regret this, you have told me that so many times, but Daphne, if I don't do this, then I will regret this," Bloom declared in a strong voice. "I love you, I love you much. I am thankful for everything you have given me and I know that I would never be able to give it back, but please, let my try."
Daphne listened to her little sister beg her. It broke her heart to see her sister's distress. If she had just asked for something else, anything, anything else and she would have given it to her. She loved her sister, but...
She looked back to Bloom and for the first time, she really looked into her pleading blue eyes, and despite their color, it reminded Daphne of her mother's own eyes. A memory flash across her eyes, as she remembered the last time she had seen her. She, too, had locked with that painfully pleading look in her eyes at Daphne, while she begged her daughter, already a powerful fairy on her own, to stay at the palace, instead of joining her parents in the last battle.
Just like that time, she was not able to resist the wish.
"Just please, promise me to stay save. And never tell anyone our secret, never reveal yourself as the Fairy and Keeper of the Dragon Fire. Nobody shall know that you are the last surviving Princess of Domino." Daphne warned.
"Daphne..." Bloom realized by her words that this was a way of her to relent and approve her decision. She wanted to thank her, but she was denied that chance, as she felt the world around her crumble
"Daphne!"
Bloom shouted, but after her next blink, she would wake up and she would find herself back in her room in Gardenia, Earth.
A/N: In case you were wondering, there are a few reasons that I started working on this story. For one, I was always into the what-if stories, and especially with similar twists like this. The other -and one of the main reasons - was because I found it interesting and of course, I did wonder what would have happened, if she indeed knew all about her past. What would be different, what would change, but also what would still be the same.
This is just my take and my thoughts of what would/ could have been and perchance, for some it would actually be a different case.
The biggest in this story is actually Daphne. In most of her scenes, she is portrayed as rather serious, very calm, almost emotionless, as described in some of her personality profiles. For me, she was almost the most interesting character, mostly due to the mystery that surrounded her, I guess. Bloom's story, personality, relationships were done again and again. Maybe it is the mystery, the so many possibilities that was so attractive about Daphne as a character. so in this story, Daphne is able to draw more powers (I actually thought that in retrospection, her magical abilities never made sense, since they seem to grow with each season, yet she seemed to be almost non-existent during the first season, not to mention how she also got to play a bigger role along with with number of seasons (okay maybe not in the fourth, but the fifth made up for all of that!))
Also, since Daphne's abilities are increased, she is able to get more in touch with her sister through dreams or projections or whatever. Frankly, I think those are going to be my favorite scenes^^.
Besides, I was always interested in the workings of their relationship, considering that Bloom was never raised in knowledge of her heritage, her status as a princess or heiress - of one of the most prosperous kingdoms by that - or just the thought of another family, so this must be all new. I know that this a cartoon for kids, but seriously, it was a bit too - let's just say - unbelievable that she did not suffer from any doubts, typical teen angst or insecurities.
Okay, up until now, this is so far what I have to say and what I got to explain. So, until next chapter then and thanks for reading
love you guys
