The sunlight shone through the large floor-to-ceiling windows in Alfea's cafetaria, where long tables had been set out and breakfast was being served. Fairies filled the hall, sitting and chatting with friends at the tables, milling around with trays of food. Chatter filled the hall.

The Winx normally walked in as a group, minus one or two of them who were still asleep, but that had changed. Ty Lee and Layla walked through the large double doors, talking about Magical Gym class for that day and what new moves they wanted to learn.

"You know, I've always wanted to learn your style of dancing. It's so cool! We don't have that where we come from. Our dances there are mostly acrobatic, but your dances are not so much of acrobatic, but equally fun and the moves are quite easy! You have to teach me sometime! You will, won't you, Layla?"

Layla laughed. "Of course, Ty Lee," she smiled. "You must learn those moves. And then, perhaps, when you've learned a few, we can go to a nightclub in Magix and boogie together!"

Ty Lee beamed. "That's great! I can't wait!"

The pair grabbed their food and sat down at one of the tables. Bloom entered the hall, glanced around, keeping an eye out for Azula. She spotted the firebender seated at one end of the hall, at the end of one of the long tables, with that boring, forever depressed girl called Mai. She happened to look up right at that moment and caught Bloom's eye. The fire princess scowled and stared daggers at the fire fairy as Bloom walked towards the cafeteria lady, got her food and sat down opposite Musa, who was chatting with that blind girl, Toph about music. The blind earthbender didn't look too interested and Musa seemed to notice this as she talked less and less.

"Hey Musa!" Bloom greeted. "Are the rest of the Winx here?"

"Layla's over there with Ty Lee," Musa said, pointing in the direction of the aforementioned girls. "And Flora's over there talking to Katara, the waterbender. Stella's with Sokka and Zuko."

"She's a little flirt," Toph commented, all of a sudden.

"Yeah, well, that's one of her bad habits," smiled Bloom.

Headmistress Faragonda stood up and said, in a loud voice. "May I have your attention, please?" The cafeteria quiet ended as all the students of Alfea turned to face the headmistress.

"I have an announcement to make," she said. "It is the 23rd of December. Tomorrow will be Christmas Eve. I am glad to announce that Alfea will be organising a ball. It will be called the Snow Ball and it will beheld tomorrow night, to celebrate Christmas in style with our honoured guests. Do attend with your dance partners, as there will be a lot of dancing. It is a ball, after all. There will also be carolling for those who are interested. The Specialists of Redfountain will join us."

The fairies of Alfea burst into applause, some squealed with delight and the chatter started again, louder than before as the fairies started talking about the upcoming ball. They started planning what they wanted to wear and who they wanted to ask to the ball. Some girls were too ambitious as they planned to ask Prince Zuko to it.

"Well, what do you think of that, Katara?" Aang asked, leaning over towards his girlfriend. "A ball. Sounds like fun, huh?"

Katara smiled. "Yeah, Aang. There's gonna be dancing. So, who are you asking to it?"

Aang beamed. "Who other than my forever girl?"

Katara giggled before turning to Flora. "So Flora, is Helia going to ask you to the Snow Ball?"

Flora shrugged. "I hope," she smiled. "But I'm sure he will."

Ty Lee and Layla exchanged enthusiastic looks. Neither of them was thinking about asking a boy to the dance.

"We'll break out on the dance floor, and impress everyone," Ty Lee said, her eyes gleaming. The chi-blocker could hardly believe herself; she had always thought about boys when such events crop up but this was the first time her mind wasn't on that particular subject.

"Yeah, we'll flash all our moves!" Layla said, grinning. The two of them high-fived each other.

...

For the rest of the day, the fairies of Alfea and the Specialists at Redfountain texted and asked each other out. It was declared a school holiday that day so the students headed out to meet each other and asked each other out. The Winx went with the Specialists, of course.

"You know, Bloom, at a ball, it is normal that we would switch partners in the middle of it," Sky said, as he and Bloom took a stroll in Magix's park.

"Does that mean you'll sweep another girl off her feet?" Bloom asked, grinning mischievously.

Sky grinned back. "You disapprove?"

Bloom smiled and kissed Sky on the cheek. "Of course not. Have fun, honey."

...

"Brandon, I had better not catch you dancing with another girl tomorrow night or you'll be in big trouble, I'm telling you!" Stella warned her boyfriend when she overheard what Sky said.

Brandon smiled. "Oh, don't worry, Stella," he assured his girlfriend. "You'll be enough for me. But don't you go dancing with other guys, either."

"How dare you?" Stella exclaimed, but she was smiling broadly. "Oh, Brandon, you know I'll never do such a thing! Snookums!" She flung her arms around him.

...

"I've never seen you dance before, Helia," Flora told her boyfriend.

Helia smiled. "Then be ready to be swept off your feet tomorrow night, my sweet Flora," he replied, kissing her hand, making the fairy of nature smile and blush. "Shall we take a walk and revel in the beauty of nature which is as beautiful as you are?"

...

"A ball, Tecna?" Timmy asked, looking at his girlfriend questioningly. "You want to go to a ball?"

"Come on, Timmy! It won't be so bad! Remember that ball we had to welcome the freshmen? When the Winx and I were the freshmen? We did dance, didn't we?"

Timmy looked thoughtful. "I guess," he said.

Tecna smiled. "Don't worry about it, Timmy! After a few dances, we can sit in a corner and play video games while having cocktails for the rest of the night!"

Timmy beamed. "Count me in, then!"

...

Musa took a deep breath. Would she be able to do this? She walked up to her boyfriend and put on her most charming smile before asking, "Riven, would you like to go to the Snow Ball with me?"

Riven looked at his girlfriend. "I don't know if I'm going to this ball, Musa," he said. "I might, though."

Musa glared at her boyfriend. "How can you be so obnoxious? It's just a ball, Riven!"

"Yeah, and so what if I don't want to attend?" Riven argued. "It's my wish, isn't it?"

"You could at least attend, for me!" Musa challenged.

"Fine," Riven snapped. "I'll take you to this ball, but you'll probably be off dancing with other guys right after our first dance anyway."

Musa growled before realising that it was useless. Riven was probably in one of his bad moods. She walked off, feeling rather down.

...

"Just a few dances tonight, Nabu. Ty Lee and I are gonna rock the dance floor!" Layla told her fiancé. Nabu laughed.

"I guess you're already best friends with that acrobat?" he asked, smiling.

Layla shrugged. "I don't know. I've only known her for about a week. But we do share the same interests and she's amazing at gymnastics! She's a real natural!"

"I guess that practically makes you both best friends," Nabu responded. "But you'll dance with me, wont you, Layla? When the DJ isn't blasting out upbeat songs."

"Of course, honey," said Layla.

...

Azula paced her room. "I wish they would invite those witches from Cloudtower," she muttered to herself. "At least they're much more worth to be reckoned with." She stopped her pacing and turned to face Mai and Ty Lee, who were both sitting on their beds. Mai was just staring into space while Ty Lee was combing her hair. "Am I right?"

Mai looked at the fire princess. "Sure," she said. "Those witches seem more compatible with us." She wasn't being hundred percent truthful. Mai had bumped into those witches a few days ago and they had teased her about always keeping on such a boring look. They had called her names and she had reacted by pinning them to a wall in an alley in Magix and leaving.

"I don't know, Azula," Ty Lee said. "Those witches seem really mean. They always tease the fairies of Alfea and even some of us..."

"That's because they don't know who we are," Azula said. "And those Alfea fairies are just lame. They're teased because they deserve to be. They have absolutely no dignity. All giggling and talking about clothes and make-up..."

"You can't say that about them, Azula," Ty Lee said, putting down her brush. "Don't be so mean. Not all of them are like that."

"I assume you're referring to your new best friend, that tanned sporty girl called Layla?" Mai asked, in her usual bored tone. "She doesn't seem so bad, I must admit."

"Well, Layla's a bit of a tomboy," Azula remarked. "She irritatingly reminds me of that earthbender. She's fine, I guess. But her friends aren't. Especially that blonde girl Stella. I wish I could crush her."

Mai and Ty Lee said nothing. Mai wasn't really listening to Azula, whatever the princess said was going in one ear and exiting through the other. Ty Lee would've liked to retort but she didn't want to risk Azula's ire.

...

Aang and the Gaang were in their room. Aang and Katara were trying to decide what to wear.

"I knew I should've brought more of my dresses," Katara said, as she disappeared into the bathroom and emerged wearing a dress she had received as a gift from Stella. It was a designer one, bought in Magix. "What do you think?"

Aang looked at Katara dreamily. "You look nice,' he complimented, blushing. Toph smirked to herself as she felt Aang's heartbeat accelerate.

"No offense, Katara, but I don't think it really suits you," Suki said. The Kyoshi Warrior actually had a point; the dress did not suit Katara. Sokka nodded.

"Suki's right,' he said. "It doesn't match you."

"I don't usually voice my opinion about these sort of things, Katara, but I'll say something," Zuko spoke, all of a sudden. "Take it off. You don't look good. Put on something else. Suddenly the Firelord robes would look much better than that dress."

"But Stella bought it for me," Katara said.

"Oh, wear it, Katara," Toph said. "It looks perfectly gorgeous on you! No kidding!"

Katara beamed. "Oh, thank you Toph, for such a..." The waterbender stopped short when she realised that Toph couldn't actually see her. Her tone changed and her smile vanished. "Why do you always do that?" The earthbender smirked.

"Aren't you going to the ball, Toph?" asked Suki.

"Not really," Toph responded. "I'm just gonna go, get some food to eat, and just chill out. Perhaps listen to some music. I can tell you a whole lot of things about Magix's music which that Musa girl told me."

"What about you, Suki?" Katara asked. She grinned slyly. "I bet Sokka wouldn't pass up the chance to dance with you at a real ball."

Suki smiled and nodded as Sokka put an arm around her. "You're right, Katara!"

Aang turned to his Sifu Hotman. "And you, Zuko? I saw quite a number of Alfea girls asking you to the ball!"

Zuko didn't look up at Aang. "I'm not going to the ball."

Katara looked surprised. "Why not? It's not like Azula's going to be there, so she can't wreck havoc, am I right?"

"What makes you think Azula isn't going to be there?"

"Was she ever interested in balls?" Toph asked.

"No, but she may just attend this to get back at that Bloom girl. She hasn't been in her right mind since the Agni Kai," Zuko responded.

Sokka waved dismissively. "Oh, forget it, Zuko! That Bloom is a fairy, and Azula is just a firebender. You know very well who will triumph outside of an Agni Kai."

"Perhaps," Zuko said. "Maybe I should ask Mai out."

...

The ball couldn't begin any faster for the enthusiastic Alfea fairies who always looked forward to a good ball or a reason to celebrate. The fairies spent the few hours before the ball dressing up and even with half-an hour more to go to the ball, barely any of them were done with their toilet yet. Mai was looking pleased as she got dressed as Zuko had approached her a few hours before and asked her out. Ty Lee was dressing up in some funky Santa outfit.

"Spirits, Ty Lee, are you seriously wearing that?" Azula remarked. "You can't even pick out something that hideous in the bin back in the Fire Nation."

Ty Lee looked a little insulted and disappointed. If Azula said something didn't look good, then it probably looked terrible. Mai noticed Ty Lee's expression. She glanced at the outfit. It actually wasn't so bad. She glared slightly at Azula.

"Cut it out, Azula," Mai said. "Leave her alone. I think it doesn't look so bad."

"Oh, Mai! Thank you!" Ty Lee exclaimed, throwing her arms around her friend's neck. Azula just rolled her eyes and got into her more comfortable Fire Nation royal robes. There was no way she was wearing anything else.

In their rooms, the Winx were busy with their own toilet as well. Stella, especially, was freaking out because her dress was all crumpled and she hadn't done her hair. The other Winx had already gotten into their Christmas gowns and were applying make-up and accessories, et cetera.

"Come on, Stella!" Layla, who was dressed in something resembling Ty Lee's outfit, called. "Don't make us all late!"

"Oh, please, Layla," Stella said. "Everyone knows being fashionably late is better than being on time."

"Yeah, but being really late is very rude," Bloom added.

The Gaang were not putting much effort into dressing up and merely threw on some of their regular clothes. Katara had forced Toph into wearing her dress which she used to wear during her days in Gaoling. Katara herself had donned her Fire Nation dress. Zuko was putting on his Fire Nation prince wear as he wouldn't go to a ball without his honor. Aang decided to wear his monk's robe despite it being a ball. Sokka was just dressed in his Water Tribe warrior wear.

"Which girl can resist a warrior?" he said, grinning at himself in the mirror while Suki donned her Kyoshi Warrior garb complete with metal fans. She hadn't got anything much to wear and anyway, she really missed being in uniform.

...

There was so much movement within the castle. As Toph stood at the top of the stairs, she could feel that the entire school was moving around, all of them making a beeline for the hall, which was just down the stairs from where she stood. She could feel that the hall had been decorated with Christmas trees, and from the slight chill in the air, ice sculptures. Of course, there were also Christmas decorations strung across the ceiling, but that Toph couldn't see. She heard several girls rush past her, talking and giggling as the descended the stairs, Toph then felt an odd vibration, but she had felt it before during her stay and she recognised it as the arrival of the Redfountain airships. At least, she thought they were airships.

"The Specialists from Redfountain are here," Toph mused. She descended the stairs and went over to some of the bars they had set up where food and drinks were being sold. Toph recognised a particular person's footsteps as she neared the bar. "Roxy?"

The fairy of animals looked up and smiled at the earthbender before remembering that she couldn't see. "Hey Toph!"

"What are you doing here?" Toph asked. "I thought girls like you would enjoy something like this. A ball."

"Well, I do enjoy it," Roxy responded, pouring out some drinks. "But thanks to my experience working at the Frutti Music Bar, Headmistress Faragonda has allowed me to work several shifts throughout the ball here, at the bar. Have you been to any balls, Toph?"

Toph rested her elbows on the bar top, before turning to face the hall, which she couldn't see. "Yeah, I did attend quite a number. You can't really help it, being the daughter of the richest family in the Southern Earth Kingdom. I really hated those balls. All manners and stuff, and we even have protocols for eating! Man, I sure don't want to go back to those days!"

Roxy laughed, as she prepared more drinks and served them to several students. "Well, your balls certainly are old-fashioned. Our balls here aren't that bad. There's a little more upbeat music, and you don't need all those mannerisms and stuff, and you can eat and drink however you like! Which is why there's a bar here! Want a drink?"

Toph nodded and Roxy handed her one of the smoothies. "Try this," she said. "Don't worry, it won't be anything like the fizzy drink I made you try last week."

The earthbender cautiously took the drink and sipped it. "Hm, not bad," she commented.

The ball was just starting. The Redfountain specialists made a grand entrance which left Sokka gaping for the next few minutes. The famous composer, Maestro Sifelius, played an opening for the dance and so the first few minutes of the ball saw several students hanging around, getting drinks, eating or slow dancing to the waltz music being played by the old maestro. Bloom and Sky had the first dance, then they headed over to one corner.

"I'll go get some drinks," Sky said, before leaving Bloom. The fairy of the dragon's flame stood there, gazing around at the decorations, the group of musicians including Musa, preparing to go onstage after Maestro Sifelius's next waltz to play a series of Christmas songs and carols for the rest of the evening. She was greeted by a few of her friends as they walked past her with their partners. Just then, she heard someone walking up to her.

"So do you often have these sort of balls?"

Bloom turned. It was Prince Zuko.

"Um, not really," she replied. "Unless there's some sort of special occasion, like today."

There was silence. "I'm sorry about the Agni Kai the other day. That's just like my sister, trying to settle feuds with battles and combat," the Fire Nation prince finally broke the silence.

Bloom nodded. "Don't worry," she said. "I know you're Azula's brother and all, but I'm not blaming you." They stood there in silence for a few moments more before Bloom broke the silence by asking something she had wanted to ask Prince Zuko in a long time.

"Zuko, how did you get that scar?"

She immediately regretted it as she saw Zuko's expression. Her blood ran cold. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it," she said, hurriedly.

"It's alright," Zuko said. "I would tell you, but here comes your boyfriend. I should get going."

"Hey, Prince Zuko!" greeted Sky as he came up with drinks for himself and Bloom. "Enjoying yourself? Where's Mai?"

Zuko pointed across the room at where Mai was dancing with another boy, a Specialist from Redfountain. "I just danced with her and found out I don't dance. And I don't want her to get angry or ruin her mood this evening, so I'm not going to prevent her from dancing with anyone else."

Sky and Bloom exchanged looks. From Zuko's tone, it was obvious he and Mai often had relationship problems. Sky placed a hand in Zuko's shoulder, making the Fire Nation prince feel rather awkward.

"That's the right thing to do, buddy," the King of Eraklyon said. "She'll appreciate it, I'm sure."

Zuko gave an appreciative smile as Sky and Bloom walked off with their drinks, chatting and laughing and talking about the next dance.

An upbeat song began playing and the students of Alfea and Redfoutain cleared away from the dance floor as Ty Lee and Layla began their crazy acrobatic dance moves. No one dared to dance for fear of being injured and some wanted to watch. It was so obvious Ty Lee and Layla were having a competition out there on the dance floor. Musa watched from her place on the stage and laughed. Several students even began holding up placards to support the two and some held placards up with scores upon ten.

"Wow, your friend sure can dance, can't she?" Toph smirked, her remark directed at Roxy, who was cleaning glasses. The fairy of animals merely smiled.

Sokka and Suki dominated the dance floor next, along with Aang and Katara and they began to do several dances from all four nations. In between dances, they switched partners and the students all watched them intently, for they hardly saw any of these dance moves. The teachers and staff who had attended the ball watched this as well, but knew better than to start explaining to the student the culture heritage and whatnot. Uncle Iroh went up to Musa.

"Would you like to play the Tsungi Horn?" he asked her, presenting her the horn. Musa smiled and accepted it.

"Thanks!" she said. "I've been practising since Halloween!"

The honoured guests danced with several Alfea and Redfountain students all except Toph, Zuko and Azula, who remained on the sidelines. Bloom then tapped on Zuko's shoulder.

"I don't believe you can't dance," she said. "Come on. I insist. That is an order from the princess of Domino." Bloom smiled. She looked over Zuko's shoulder where Sky gave her the thumbs-up and his silent permission. She led the awkward prince into the dance floor, where they began waltzing, Bloom explaining all the rules as they danced. Azula watched with a small smirk. Uncle Iroh was also spotted waltzing with Headmistress Faragonda and Professor DuFour.

At midnight, everyone gathered together to sing Christmas carols. Musa resumed her flute while Aang played the Tsungi Horn and found it hard to stay still as he began tapping his feet and swaying in time to the music as he played the horn. Snow began falling from the ceiling, conjured up by magic, much to the delight of the students. Toph, however, was horrified and leapt up into the counter and sat there, not wanting to get frostbite nor wanting to be totally blind.

"Do you mind, Roxy?" she asked the fairy of animals.

Roxy laughed. "I don't know, Toph," she said. "Because my shift is over!" She hurried out onto the dance floor, where she began dancing with a few Redfountain specialists, leaving a disgruntled Toph.

"Don't worry, Toph, we're here," Tecna said, as she came up to the bar with Timmy.

"Aren't you dancing with Timmy?" the earthbender asked.

"Oh we're done with dancing," Timmy responded, letting Toph know that he was there, too. "We're gonna okay video games now!"

"That sounds great," Toph said sarcastically as the two tech-freaks got lost in video games and the earthbender merely sat there and listened to Christmas songs.

The partying and merry-making went late/early into the morning and it was almost four before the thing ended. All the students wished the ball could've gone on much longer but for some like Toph and Azula, they were glad it was over. Everyone returned to their rooms and slept till it was almost noon.