A/N: Hey everyone! It's been 6 years since I last posted, but I'm finally back! I'm on break right now so I have a little bit of time to write, and there are a lot of new ideas I have for new stories! Hopefully my writing style has improved over the years, and hopefully I will be posting more often too! Happy new years to everyone, and hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Responsibility.

A new day, a new enemy threatening the entire magical dimension.

Frustrated, I pulled back my long red hair out of my face and into a bun. I flipped open my sketchbook to a new page and grabbed a pencil. Using a ruler, I lightly began drawing in lines on the page. As I drew, I let my mind drift.

I thought about my past, about the parents I never knew, about my fallen kingdom. Why did I have to be the last Princess of Sparks? Why couldn't I have just continued living the normal life I had in Gardenia, with the Earth parents I knew and loved? Now I'm just plagued with uncontrollable thoughts and fears about what happened to my real parents, to my real family, and to my real kingdom. Was I somehow the cause of the fall of Sparks? Are my parents even alive, and if so will I ever find them? I'm always yearning for the truth, but no matter how much I keep mastering my powers, there are always obstacles stopping me from discovering it.

Gritting my teeth, I darken the lines and shapes I drew, pressing my pencil deeper into the paper.

And then there's the issue of danger following me wherever I go. I wouldn't mind as long as it didn't hurt those around me. My friends, my family, my love. Ever since I reached Magix, I have only faced problem after problem, trying to protect those I love and stopping anyone from stealing the Dragon Fire from me and using it for evil. What hurts even more is that people think I want to be in this position of power, but that's not true. People don't know what I'd give to go back to my normal life and not have to deal with the weight of protecting the magical dimension. I'm only 17 for Christ's sake. How does it make sense that me and my friends are responsible for fighting all the evil that passes through this dimension? It's wearing me down, and I don't know how much more I can take. The stress of trying to learn to be a princess and protecting a dimension I didn't even know existed for the majority of my life is not something I asked for. One mistake and the entire dimension could be destroyed. Why is protecting it my responsibility?

I'm close to completing my piece. I grab my eraser and start cleaning up the lines I drew in.

But I'm in no position to complain. Meeting Stella that fateful day and finding out that I'm actually a fairy was a dream come true. Attending Alfea and making so many new and incredible friends is something I am eternally grateful for. The incredible love and support the Winx give me is what fuels my determination to fight. I fight for my friends and for the people I love. No matter how many hits I take, I will continue to fight for this dimension and its inhabitants. I can't change my life, and honestly I wouldn't want to. Sometimes the weight of my responsibilities can overwhelm me, but that's when I have to take a step back and really look at how amazing my life is.

Adding the finishing touches to my piece, I reflect on all the good in my life.

Even though I might be an orphan, I'm still lucky enough to have two loving parents who have and will always treat me as their own child. I attend an incredibly prestigious school that has provided me with the tools I need to literally save the world. I have the Winx Club, the best friends any girl could ever dream of. I don't know what I did to deserve such a supportive group of friends, each unique and special to me in their own way. And who can forget the Specialists, brave and dependable, always being there whenever we need them. Their friendship means the world to me. Then there's Sky. Had I not discovered I was a fairy with Stella's help, I never would have met the love of my life. He's my entire world now, and I would do anything for him.

I will continue fighting for my friends, my family, my love, and for what I believe in. No matter how hard it gets, I will always fight for good, and that will never change.

Putting my pencil down, I look at my piece and take it in. Drawn on the paper in front of me is Alfea, my home. This is where I learned the true meaning of love and friendship, and this is where I discovered what my real purpose is in this world.

I may have an overwhelming amount of responsibility constantly hovering over me, but with the unwavering love and support I always have, there is nothing I can't overcome.

And that was Bloom! I thought I'd set this story sometime during season 3 when Baltor was a threat to Magix. I always wondered what type of stress someone like Bloom might be dealing with since she's literally always dealing with life or death situations, so I decided to give her some type of reflective outlet like drawing. IRL this is something I do too when I'm stressed (I'm a pre-med in college so yes I'm stressed out a lot). Finding a healthy way to express yourself and release frustrations is incredibly important for good mental health, and I assume that's something Bloom and the rest of the Winx are capable of, so it's something I wanted to further explore in this story. Hope you all enjoyed! Review and let me know if you liked this type of story, any changes I could make, and what other stories you might want me to write about in the future!

-Birds Nest