Chapter Four- In Which People Pass Out
A/N- Okay, first, big thanks to GoldenDiamond1995 for being my first reviewer! Virtual huggles to you!
Second, I'm sorry, Roxy fans, but Roxy will have a bigger part in my sequel then she will here. So, Roxy will show up, but she won't be a main character (I'm trying to include a lot of characters from all over the show and seasons). Sorry!
Last, I do own Winx Club! *Puts on glasses and looks at script* Wait. Never mind. I don't own Winx Club. :( Now, if you've bothered to read this far, just one more thing before the story: My rule about flames: they make me laugh. I write for people to read, and if you read and then tell me to go drown in a bathtub, at least you read.
Now, Chapter Four:
"What are they?"
"Tell us, Mrs. F!"
"Yeah, spill!"
"Alright, girls, be patient. You may not know this, but every Believix fairy has her own bonded jewel. If you could find your own special jewel, you could get your Jewelixs, a step up from Believix. You could also find another power, you see. Let me show you something."
A slideshow projector appeared and the girls turned to look. It had a picture of a violet Ethereal Fairy. "This is Mercei. Her sisters, Swete, Darka, and Nata are the Ethereal Fairies you've met before." It showed a picture of a golden door with holes cut inside.
"The Wizards of the Black Circle imprisoned Mercei. If you can open this door, you can get her out and get the last Gift of Destiny. The door will open if you use all six of the gems."
"Where are these jewels?" asked Stella. "You know I love bling."
"That's the thing, girls. These jewels are hidden in the human world, and not Gardenia."
"But how will we get the jewels if we can't go to Gardenia? Where else will they be?"
"I can't tell you, girls, but I can tell you what you will be looking for. Flora, you will look for the Nature Opal. Layla, you will search for the Ocean's Sapphire. Tecna, you are bonded to the Digital Diamond. Stella, your jewel is the Sun and Moon Topaz. Musa, you must find the Song Amethyst, and... Bloom needs to find the Fire Ruby."
"But how are we going to get Bloom to come back?" Stella said quietly. Faragonda sighed.
"I'm not sure, but if you can find all the jewels, you will be able to free the last Ethereal Fairy."
"How will we find a way to even get a rough idea of where our jewels are?" Musa asked. Faragonda sat down at her desk. "Musa, do you know what you were doing when you meditated to find the White Circle's true purpose?"
The girls nodded, and Flora responded, "We were using our Traceix wings to see into the past."
"Well, girls, your Traceix wings will also help you sense your jewels. They can be revealed all at once or one at a time. The jewel chooses."
"Here we go again with all that 'when the time is right' stuff. Why can't you just say, Layla first, then Flora, then Tecna, then Stella, Musa, Bl—" Stella cut herself off, looking a bit embarrassed and sad.
"Okay, let's do this. The only thing is...what do we do when we find these jewels?" Layla asked. Faragonda took a sip from her teacup before replying. "When you come into contact with your jewel, it will activate your Jewelix. The jewel will always be with you, almost always around your neck as a necklace."
Stella cheered at this, making the other Winx Club girls laugh.
"Okay, girls. We have to use our Winx Traceix wings to find our jewels. Everyone, get in a circle." commanded Tecna, sitting down. Layla, Musa, Flora, and Stella followed suit. "Winx Traceix!" As their wings appeared, the girls held hands and closed their eyes, concentrating on the jewel. 'My jewel. My jewel. My jewel.'
"Well, well, well. Meditating fairies are such an quick shot." a well known voice came from above them. Everyone looked up, scattering.
"Bloom!"
"Yes, it's me." she seemed sad for a moment before saying quietly, "You can still join us, you know. Baltor will make us all great! I know he seemed evil, but we all have ambitions! He didn't understand how badly destroying my parents would hurt people. He can still help us all."
"You know we can't join him!" Flora called desperately. Bloom's voice contorted in fury, hands curling into fists and uttering three short, clipped words. "So. Be. It."
"Winx Believix!"
"Winx Disbelievix!"
"Bloom, I'm sorry!" Layla called. "But...Morphix Ball!" As the pink magic hurtled towards Bloom, she dodged it and laughed. "For you, Layla, a spell from Baltor from the desert Dryrad realm. They don't like water." she hurled her own spell at Layla.
She dodged, but it chased her until it caught her. She fell to the ground, enveloped in a pale cloud. Looking weaker and weaker until she passed out, Musa growled at Bloom. "Friend or not, you're asking for it! Face-boost!" Bloom deflected the musical fairy's attack with flaming armor. Another spell was shot at Musa.
She deflected it with an Echo, but it hit her from behind. She cried out—rather, tried to. No matter how she screamed, nothing came out of her mouth. She tore at her ears, thus demonstrating that both hearing and voice were gone—and if she couldn't hear music, then how could she get her powers from it?
"It's only logical to assume that this will cure her." Tecna said, floating up to her exfriend. "Perfect Order!" As Tecna worked her magic, Bloom grew quiet and still. "Now, Bloom, come back to us." she said, quietly. Bloom looked torn before shaking her head. "That may have worked better if I was being bad over something petty, but, my dear Tecna, for once, I'm right, and you are wrong. A gift for you too... You may enjoy it."
Green energy similar to Tecna's magic began to form in her hands. She threw several of them before she was able to get past Tecna's Firewall. As the spell took affect, she clutched her head, screaming in pain. "System Overload! Crashing...crashing...meltdown..." Her voice trailed off as she, too, passed out.
"Summer Thunder!" shouted Flora. As Bloom bounced her own attack back on her, Stella flew to the ceiling. "Alright, Bloom. You've got it coming."
"Well, Stella, so have you." snapped Bloom. "I've got another one. Optical Darkness!"
"Tha—you stole Darcy's magic!" Stella shrieked, before she fell to the ground, tearing at her eyes. "Bloom! What about Vanessa and—augh—Mike?" Bloom laughed.
"Here's the thing when you live on a different planet then you parents—you don't have to write them every week with info. Later, losers."
She flew out of the room and down the hall, looking for the invisible door. When she found it, she stepped inside. The psychic pixie was alone, and Bloom grabbed her around the middle and clapped a thumb over her mouth. "I'm not gonna hurt you! Quit squeaking." snapped the fairy.
"Baltor?" she pointed at the wall. A portal opened up and the wizard walked out from the wall. "You got her. Good. Now we may be able to get some use out of her. She should know where the ancesstress are, with her powers. Now, talk!"
"I'm not going to tell you anything, Baltor. And as for you, young lady, are you under another dark spell? Because if you are.."
"No way, ma'm." Bloom said in a sweet tone. "I'm just on the right side of things now!" The three of them disappeared. "Wonderful. Alfea, the building, still thinks you're one of them, and your magic still works here." Baltor said. Bloom grinned.
Chapter Five- In Which Icy Has A Flashback
Back inside their room, Bloom's spell wore off quickly and all the girls slumped to the floor. Amoree and Digit came flying in. "Stella, Stella! Something's wrong with Lockette!" Amoree cried. Lockette shivered and clutched her head. "Oh...I sense that the physic pixie isn't in the Secret Archive anymore! She's gone.."
Surprised by the monumental lack of enthusiasm, Digit shook Tecna. This is when she realized that they were all unconscious. "Amoree, get Faragonda. Lockette, get some other fairies." As both of them flew out to get help, Chatta began jumping up and down on top of Flora.
"Flora, if you wake up, I swear I will write you a brand new cheer! One two three wake up, Flora!" Mrs. Faragonda, Amoril, and Jenni walked into the room. Avalon followed closely. All looked worried. "What happened to them?" asked Avalon. Mrs. Faragonda frowned.
"I'm not sure, but I have a hunch." She passed her hand over Layla. Layla opened her eyes slowly, and groaned. Amoril gasped. Faragonda showed Jenni and Amoril how to wake up the others, and Avalon use his wand. When all the fairies were conscious, Faragonda helped them up.
"Now, girls, what happened?"
"Bloom attacked us.." Stella groaned. "And then she left." Faragonda frowned, "She must have taken the psychic pixie to find the ancesstresses. I know that would be the first thing Baltor would need."
"What can we do, Mrs. Faragonda?" Flora asked. Faragonda shook her head, sighing.
"I'm not sure, girls, but right now, you should just try to focus on finding the jewels."
"Okay, but are you sure that when we find them, we'll be strong enough to beat Baltor?" Faragonda nodded. "Yes, I'm sure of it." Walking out, she stopped at the door.
"Good luck." The girls gathered in a circle again.
"Okay. Focus now." As they sat, holding hands, eyes closed, Zoomix Wings out, they felt the pressure beginning to build up in the air again. Suddenly Flora cried out, letting go of Layla and Stella's hands and falling backwards. "I think just found my jewel." she said softly.
Tecna frowned, "Are you absolutely sure?"
"Yes! It was white, and shaped like an egg, and covered with blue and pink light glints. There was a pink flower with a green vine winding all around it." Flora replied.
"What happened?" a voice asked. Hearing Icy, all the girls lept up and were in their Believix again before remembering Icy was no longer a threat. She clutched her head before sitting on the floor. "We heard fighting, so we hid under the beds. Was it..." she trailed off, swaying. Flora fluttered over.
"You should not be out of bed, Icy. Wait..did you say Stormy and Darcy are up, too?"
"For a second. Darcy's out under her bed, and Stormy's...I'm not sure..." Icy replied. Flora bit her lip and tutted. Icy grit her teeth, trying not to lose her temper with Flora's 'goody-goody-ness'.
It wasn't that she hated Flora, it was just that...well, witches weren't brought up that way.
"Mother?" a four year old Icy asked, staring as her mother, a model-like witch with long, flowing black hair, red lipstick, and green eyes packed a suitcase. She dressed in a black suit. "Where are you going?" quietly, Icy looked at the digital clock. It was three am, and her mother had just gotten up from the bedroom they shared.
"Go away, Icy. Mother's too busy for you now." snapped Xltoria. Her high heels clicked coldly on the stone floor of their tiny home. Instead of crying, like a fairy or hero, she just sat silently. Icy was used to this kind of treatment from her mother.
Xltoria grabbed the suitcase and walked out the door. Icy fell back asleep, waking up to banging on the door at six. Opening it slowly, she found Darcy's mother, Dana, and Stormy's mother, Hailey. Also there was Xltoria's sister, Tierra. "Icy, do you know where your mother is?" Dana said gently.
Dana had always been more of a mother to her then Xltoria. Hailey growled. "It just makes me so mad! Why did she go off like that alone? Why didn't she tell us that she was leaving?" Icy had been around these two witches enough to tell when they wanted to say something but couldn't.
Dana put her arms around Icy, who shrugged out of the unfamiliar show of affection. "Knock it off, Ms. Dana. Where's Mother?" Dana seemed to hesitate, then nodded at Icy. She sighed.
"Your mother packed a suitcase, correct?"
"Yes."
"Well, Mother was met with an accident. On the way to her destination. She...oh, Icy, darling..."
"She's dead." Terria put in, bluntly. Icy looked up at them, unbelieving, as they packed her clothes and mementos, of which she had five outfits, two pairs of shoes, and her Wisperian Crystal. She was hustled outside the house, strapped onto Dana's broomstick in front of tiny, three year old Darcy, and watched.
Suppressing a scream when Haley lit a match. Terria poured some gasoline on the steps. And Dana threw the match onto the gasoline-soaked doormat. A witch's house is always burned when she dies...
Icy went to live with Dana, Haley, Terria, Darcy, Stormy, and Terria's teenage daughter Stephanika, who was attending Cloud Tower already. It would be years before Icy learned that her mother had been shot down while she was flying to get instructions from the Ancesstressess...by Miriam of Sparx.
"Icy...are you okay?" asked Musa, curiously. Icy looked up, completely confused until her cold fingers touched her cheek and felt the tears she hadn't noticed were there. She nodded, "I'm fine." taking a shaky breath, she allowed Flora to lead her back to a bed.
Chapter Six- In Which Icy Does Some Thinking
One Week Later, 3:00 AM
Icy had been acting strange. She kept trying to leave Alfea, begging to let one of her sisters or her go. Layla had noticed, and she didn't like it. If that witch was up to something, she was going to... Well, you wouldn't have expected everyone to just trust Icy and the others, right?
Sure, Flora was kind, but even she knew she was prepared for a fight. Tecna, Layla, Musa, and Stella smiled at the witches sweetly and shared looks behind their backs.
Icy knew that they still didn't trust her. If they caught her, she shuddered, they would destroy them all—without giving her a chance. To explain. To lie. And that was why they wouldn't catch her. She rolled over in bed. The Trix's plan couldn't be carried out without her.
Bloom's head dipped and swayed under the ancient scroll she was supposed to be studying. Baltor slapped the table, making her head shoot up. "Huh? What? Oh..." he pointed to the scroll and she continued reading.
She had changed from her usual pink and blue outfit into a short black skirt and purple tank top midriff, as well as purple eyeshadow. Her purple lipsticked mouth twisted into a frown. She slowly pronounced the the words: "Lyvanicu, ervinquinndelious, arcdyetvet!"
Baltor smiled as the plant in front of her grew teeth and snapped at her purple nails. "Good job, Bloom. Time to go to bed now. We'll start out first thing tomorrow morning." As she had been studying since five that afternoon, Bloom collapsed in her bed without undressing. It was tiring. Becoming what Baltor wanted her to be was slightly driving her crazy, but it felt good: never before had she been so powerful. If it wasn't magic lessons, it was training. Hours on end.
It made her even more furious at Alfea. How dare they! How dare they not teach us this there! She was so powerful, more powerful then a Winx Believix Convergence.
She grinned before falling asleep: the one thing she missed in Alfea was the schedule.
- The Next Day
"Bye, girls!" Stella said, opening the door to go out. Rather in her normal outfit, she dressed in an orange tank top midriff and white jean capris, with pink high heels. "I'm going shopping with Nova!"
Musa looked up from her sound system to yell, "GREAT!" before removing her blasting headphones and looking around. "Why's everything so quiet?"
Tecna frowned. "I don't like this."
"Don't like what, Tec?" asked Layla, coming into the room. Tecna sighed before replying, her hands still on her laptop's keyboard. "Well, we haven't seen Bloom in ages, and we haven't seen Baltor since the cave incident. It's too good to be true."
"Oh, don't be such a worrywart!" admonished Stella. "I'm sure he'll reveal himself soon, the scum." she said nothing, but it was easy to hear her other meaning. Their hearts were slowly hardening towards the redheaded fairy, though they kept singing her quiet virtues in their heads.
Stella and Sky were cutting to the point of being nasty to each other in the few hasty phone calls they Winx had made to the Specialists since their last meeting. Biting her lip, Musa turned back to the music, sighing as the line her player chose to spit at her was, "Thought I knew you so well, well I guess I thought wrong, trying not to hate you, stop making it so hard."
Bloom was sitting at a table with Baltor. Using her eyebrow pencil and, after that was gone, a permanent marker, for plans and lists, Baltor told her what was happening tomorrow. "Alright, we need to open the portal to Oblivion with three artifacts: the Golden Vial, the Crystal Skull and the Time Star."
"Why?"
"Because, my dear, three magical pieces, older then time itself, along with the Dragon Fire, will open the portal."
"How did you do it last time?"
"I only sent your parents there, I didn't go myself."
"Where can we find them?" asked Bloom. Baltor frowned, looking slightly puzzled for once, as he stroked his chin. "Well, they're in Realix. But those blasted mages hid them from us there. Soon, though, when we tear it apart, they will fall into our hands."
Bloom smiled. "So, we will need the Codex?"
"No, we won't." Baltor smiled. "We need the Dragon Fire mixed with the highest level of magic—the Jewelix. If you can find your bonded jewel, then we can combine our magic and open the portal by sheer force of will."
Bloom smiled. "When do I start?" Baltor smiled back, crossing something out in the permanent marker. "Now. Use your Traceix Wings and concentrate on your jewel."
"Winx Traceix!"
black, red, and purple wings appeared on Bloom's back. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She could see it...feel it...where? Words appeared in her mind as if she'd spoken them: Carrmain City. She aslowly grinned at Baltor. "I think we just found our ticket to Realix."
"I'm home!" called Stella. "Someone help me with this?" Layla and Flora both grabbed some of the many shopping bags Stella carried and set them down. "How was it?" asked Musa.
Stella shrugged, holding up a pair of cute sandals. "I got these!"
"Great." Layla rolled her eyes. Tecna walked into Stella's room, frowning. Musa noticed and asked her friend what was wrong. The fairy shrugged. "Mrs. F wants to see us. She says it's urgent."
"Well, we'd better go, then." Layla was already out the door. Tecna, Musa, Stella, and Flora exchanged glances before following. During the walk, they speculated what it could be. When they got to Faragonda's office, both Griselda and Faragona were waiting for them.
"Welcome, girls." greeted Faragonda. Griselda just sniffed, but the girls were used enough to her that they could tell she was slightly upset. "Well, girls, if Flora's found her jewel, then I suppose you need to start to look for it on Earth. Are you ready now?"
"Now, like, now, now? Are the Specialists coming? Is anyone else?" Stella asked. Faragonda sighed. "No. We must leave now." Sighs went up from almost all of the girls but Layla. Shaking her head, Musa stared at Faragonda. "But what about—"
"Everything is set! You'll be standing in front of your hotel, and just check in. By any chance, Flora, did you happen to mention what the city the jewel was in?" Flora nodded.
"Carrmain City."