Hey, everybody (or Butterflies, as I have started calling you all)! This is a rewrite of my story Double Sirenix, which was not my best work. (I'm sorry to anyone who read that!) Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! Here's Chapter 1!
Disclaimer: Winx Club belongs to RAI and Iginio Straffi.
(3rd Person POV)
Bloom watches numbly as the others walk away from the site, no one saying a word. She hates that this is how the group would meet up again, but she knows no one gets the power to control fate. She stops staring out at her former classmates and turns her attention back towards the casket in front of her. The snow falls heavily around and on top of the tent. She is tempted to open the casket and tell her beloved friend farewell a final time, to kiss her friend a final goodbye. But she cannot, and she will not. She fears touching the body of her friend because she does not want to remember her friend that way, nor does she want to feel the cold touch of death. She wishes she could have done something or at least been there to say goodbye, but the past is in the past.
Someone's arm wraps around Bloom's shoulders and pulls her away from the casket. But Bloom resists and longs to stay by the casket forever. The person stops trying to force Bloom to go, but the person takes Bloom's hand and squeezes it. It will be a difficult road to closure for Bloom, even more difficult for her than the rest of them, because of what the deceased meant to Bloom. Bloom starts crying all over again, and her tears freeze to her face as she does so. Nothing in the world can ease the pain or the hole in her heart. She wants nothing more than to bring the deceased back, but she knows that is impossible. Even the power of the Dragon Flame cannot undo death.
"Bloom, it is time to go," the person whispers.
"No. Please, let me stay with her. I cannot go back to Alfea. I cannot assume the position," Bloom cries.
"The students need you."
"I know, Griselda. I know." Griselda leads Bloom away from the casket and through the wet snow to Alfea. Upon their arrival, students and teachers alike race out to greet the two. Teachers embrace Bloom and assure her that she is making the right decision. Bloom is unsure, but her grief is too strong for her to care. All she wants is for the person in the casket, which is probably being buried now, to come back to life. With mournful thank-you's, Bloom enters the grand school and slowly walks the long walk to the headmistress's office. When she gets to the door, she presses her hands against the door and cries as she pushes it open. The room is cold and dark, so different from when the deceased occupied it only days before.
Bloom turns on the lights and looks around. All of Headmistress Faragonda's belongings are still in the office, but she knows they will soon be removed and given to her family. Silently, Bloom sits down at the desk and stares at the computer screen and the unfinished paperwork. And yet somehow she always made time for us, for me. Bloom brushes her hair out of her tear-stained face. There is a small knock on the golden doors, and a young freshman enters looking disheveled and sad. Bloom rises and approaches the young fairy. They embrace each other, and Bloom lets the fairy weep. When they pull back from the hug, the two smile encouragingly to each other. How could this little freshman do so much for Bloom without uttering a word? Then the student thanks Bloom and leaves the office.
Alone again, Bloom begins her work as the new headmistress of Alfea. Before long, tasks are piling up faster than Bloom is able to keep up with, and Griselda comes to help Bloom. By the end of the day, the work is done, but there is still a gaping hole in all of Alfea. Then Griselda leads the way to the headmistress's apartment, where Bloom will be living from now until she hands the position off to someone else. The apartment is empty and bare, save for basic furniture and utilities; the family must have already gotten the items here earlier in the day.
"Headmistress," Griselda starts.
"Do not call me that, Griselda. I am, and always be, Bloom."
"Bloom, if you need to talk to someone or need help, I and many others are here for you. It may be now, or it may be ten years from now, but our doors are always open."
"Thank you, Griselda." Then Griselda leaves the apartment. Bloom stands in the doorway and takes it all in. It is a rather large and spacious apartment overlooking Alfea courtyard. The walls are the same shade of purple as Ms. Faragonda's gloves always were, and there is a kitchen directly behind the foyer. To Bloom's left, is a white double door that, after looking behind it, leads to the master bedroom and the master bathroom. To the right of the foyer, is the guest bedroom and bathroom, and there is another half bathroom just off the kitchen. Also off the kitchen is a small dining area. There is also a visiting area in the foyer.
So this is where she will be living? What about she and Sky after they get married? He is a king after all. Surely the queen cannot live on a separate planet as the king, and it is basically goes without saying that a king needs to live on the same planet as the one he rules. Bloom sighs, she will cross the bridge when she gets there; right now she needs to focus on the present moment.
She glances at the clock on the wall, the one item that was not furniture that the family left, and notices it is almost time for dinner. Bloom goes into her new bedroom and sees the bags of clothes Lockette must have brought up earlier. Bloom changes out of her funeral dress and puts on a more professional-looking black suit. Next, she ties her hair back into a low bun and starts on her way to the dining hall. Something does not feel quite right. Still, this is her new job, and part of that job is welcoming students and teachers to meals.
The last student comes running to the dining hall doors, and Bloom smiling sweetly and welcomes her. They enter together, and Bloom takes her place at the teachers' table, where she gives a quick welcome to dinner and honors the late Ms. Faragonda. She gives some quick announcements then sits down. Griselda takes Bloom's hand and tells her good job and that it will get easier with practice. Bloom thanks her as the food is brought out.
After dinner, Bloom returns to her new apartment and takes a long shower. The water feels nice on her skin, and it seems to wash away the day's hurt. Once she finishes, she changes into her nightclothes and prepares a cup of tea. Now is the one time she needs to talk to Ms. Faragonda, but Bloom knows she cannot talk to the deceased about her death. Bloom starts to feel a lump form in her throat. Suddenly, Lockette flies into the apartment. Lockette gives her bonded fairy a great pixie hug and asks if Bloom wants to talk.
Yes, I do. "No, Lockette. I think I am okay. But thank you for asking." The two talk for a long time, until Lockette starts falling asleep. Bloom smiles as her bonded pixie starts dozing off. Carefully and tenderly, Bloom scoops up her friend and takes her to the little pixie bed she made for Lockette years ago. Lockette falls into a deep sleep before her head is even on the pillow. Bloom, unable to bring herself to sleep in the same bed Ms. Faragonda once slept in, grabs a blanket and pillow from one of her boxes and curls up on the couch. As she falls asleep, Bloom hopes that the next morning Ms. Faragonda will be there, but that sliver of hope is dashed by the reality that hits her before she is fully asleep.
The next morning, Bloom is awake before her alarm, but she only stares at the ceiling for a good fifteen minutes. Then she forces herself to get up and get ready. She has the whole week to get through, and she refuses to start today like this. First, Bloom washes her face and brushes her teeth. Next, she brushes her knee-length red hair and pulls it back into a french twist before securing it with a black clip, followed by doing her makeup. After that, she gets dressed in another black suit and is ready just in time to greet the students and teachers for breakfast.
After breakfast, Bloom goes to her new office to work on paperwork. Man, how she wishes she could find a letter or something from Ms. Faragonda, but alas, that only happens in books and movies, never in real life. Bloom sighs and rests her head on the desk. How does anybody expect anybody to function? Heck, Ms. Faragonda just died all of a sudden, and everyone is expected to carry on as if nothing has changed. Ms. Faragonda was so dear to Bloom. How could anybody expect her to just get over it in an instant? Bloom's watch goes off. She had better run if she is going to make it to her class on time.
"Class, your homework for tomorrow is look up the history of your powers. I suggest asking family and elders from your home planets if possible," Bloom calls as the class exits in a rush out the door. Bloom erases the board by hand. It will take longer, she tells herself.
Back in the headmistress's office, Bloom finishes up sorting the paperwork when Palladium comes in. Bloom smiles; he is the one professor she loved almost as much as Ms. Faragonda.
"Headmistress Bloom, I -"
"Please, Professor Palladium, call me Bloom. I am not sure I am ready to hear my name with the word headmistress yet."
"Bloom, I came to check on you. You seem to be taking this a lot harder than the rest of us."
Thank you for noticing, Professor. It means a lot to me. I wish I could tell you everything I am feeling, "Thank you, Professor, for checking on me. I greatly appreciate it, but I can manage on my own." Then Bloom sends the professor out. She drops her head on the desk with a dull thud. What am I doing? I keep pushing others away when they offer me the one thing I need- help. I have never been like this before. Why do I feel so obligated to don a brave face? Is this how Ms. Faragonda felt?
The rest of the day rolls by in an utter blur. Bloom does not remember much of it by the time she retires to her apartment for the night. She remembers coming back, showering, making tea, and talking with Lockette, or was that the night before? She no longer knows what was today what was the day before. Time itself has begun to mix together.
The rest of the week plays out in the same manner until Friday rolls around. After classes, Bloom disappears into her apartment and unpacks. But instead of claiming the master bedroom as hers, Bloom claims the guest bedroom and locks the master bedroom. Bloom changes nothing about the apartment and only adds her belongings to the things already in place. As she sits in the living area, Bloom wonders if Ms. Faragonda made her bed the day the day she died, if she knew what would happen the next day when she went to bed the night before, if she ever had music playing her apartment. All these questions and more cross Bloom's mind, and that is really when Bloom takes a good look around and notices that somehow the colors seem less bright and vibrant. After she finishes unpacking, Bloom collapses on the couch, exhausted. One short nap never hurt.
A loud knocking wakes Bloom up, and Bloom rushes to answer the door. It is Griselda.
"Thank heavens you are alright! When you did not come for dinner, we were all very worried you had done something rash and drastic." Griselda looks as if her nerves are shot.
"I apologize, Griselda. I must have fallen asleep after unpacking all my belongings," Bloom explains apologetically.
"Ms. Faragonda did the same thing too her first Friday on the job."
"Good to know."
"Bloom, the teachers and I have discussed this, and we believe that you would benefit from some time off and potentially seeing someone when you return."
"Why?"
"Bloom, we have all noticed how you barely interact with anybody and how you push us away when we try to help you."
"Griselda, I am fine. I am just trying to catch up on all the work Ms. Faragonda left behind." Bloom pauses. "Again, I am sorry for missing dinner and scaring you all. Now, goodnight, Griselda."
The next morning, Bloom remembers her meeting with Headmaster Saladin and Headmistress Griffin, so she races to prepare for that. She ends up wearing a navy blouse with a black skirt and matching blazer, black low heels, and a french braided bun. Then she races off to her new office.
"Headmistress Bloom, I and the rest of Red Fountain send our condolences. It is such a shame Faragonda died so suddenly."
"Thank you, Headmaster Saladin. It means much to everyone here at Alfea."
"And, Headmistress, Cloud Tower sends their condolences as well."
"Thank you, Headmistress Griffin."
The three have a rather long meeting and discuss how things will be run between the three schools now. After the meeting, Bloom lingers in her office. It is lunch time, but she is not hungry, despite the fact she missed breakfast. Still, she needs to be there to greet the others.
On her way over to the dining hall, Bloom thinks about Ms. Faragonda's death; she replays how she found her that morning over and over in her mind. Ms. Faragonda was so sweet and loving. She seemed as if she was in perfect health too. Then all of a sudden after breakfast one morning, she died. The coroner said it was caused by old age, but it could not have been old age. Bloom stops dead in her tracks.
"It was murder!"
Thus ends Chapter 1. I hope you all enjoyed it, even though it was sad and dragged on a bit. Anyways, I hope to have the next chapter posted pretty soon, so don't forget to follow, favorite, and review! I love you all so much, and thank you for reading! Bye!