And time for an extremely suspenseful chapter, and it's about time we got a little romance in here.

Chapter 12: Bliss & Betrayal

"Now do you see why my parents have to hide in the wild?" Timmy sighed as the two of them walked side by side in the moonlight. The two of them had quite a long walk to Domino from way out here.

"Yes..." Tecna replied softly, "They're wanted people...But so are you, and you don't seem concerned about...being caught?"

"I'm not afraid of them Tec, they'll never get the chance to change me."

"But...you're mind...what if the lesions...?" Tecna bit her lip as she talked. She couldn't bear to see the Witches take Timmy away and putting him under the knife. But Tecna remembered how much Icy wanted to get her hands on him...she couldn't let them do that to Timmy.

"I'd find a way...I'm sure my brain could repair itself. It's happened, people have cured themselves of the lesions," he shrugged, "But as if we should really be concerned." Suddenly Tecna felt one of his warm hands reach out to hold her hand. First she resisted, but then sighed and grabbed his hand back. She liked the way his hands felt, "And do you see now why I had to tell you all of that before...going to the city? I had to let you know what really happens in Magix."

"It was a lot of information to take in," she narrowed her eyes on the ground in sadness.

As they continued to walk Timmy briefly stroked her cheek, "Don't be sad...you did great. I think my parents were impressed with how well you took everything in. Most people won't believe us and would say the city would never be that cruel to them...and that's why we never tell them the truth about the lesions."

Tecna remembered her encounter with Icy and Special Circumstances and the Witches and how scary and fearless they all looked, "Don't worry, I can believe they would be that cruel," she chuckled slightly but frowned suddenly, thinking of Stella. No wonder she was so carefree and...Lively. Remembering Stella before and after, the effects of the lesions were really noticeable. She wondered if she'd ever see Stella the same way ever again...

"You wouldn't believe how many runaways pass through here with a spoiled attitude. But not you...you're different," Timmy smiled and his eyes gleamed through his glasses in the moonlight, "That's why I just had to tell you. That's why..." Timmy trailed off, "That's why you're beautiful Tecna." He squeezed her hand tighter. She finally was starting to feel what Musa said about Timmy liking her was right.

"You're so illogical..." Tecna hid her face behind the bang of her hair, "I mean have you not seen my crazy hair...my skin imperfections...my small eyes...my thin lips...and my wide nose..."

The two of them stopped walking and stood in the dark woods. He brought his hand to caress her cheek, "You really shouldn't say that," he worked his hand from the corner of her eye all the way to her chin. His caressing sent a shiver up her spine and gave her a lightheaded feeling. "This is the worst thing the city does to you; they brainwash you into thinking you're all ugly. It's not true Tecna."

"But Timmy...We are ugly."

"So by your logic...I'm ugly?"

"It's biologically proven...there's certain things we are..." She choked on her words and got lost in them, "You really think I'm beautiful?"

"Yes," he reached out and held both her hands.

"But its wrong...I can't be pretty. You're supposed to be programmed to react to eye shape, skin tone, and face symmetry."

Timmy squeezed her hands very tightly, "I'm not programmed though. I didn't grow up in the city!" Timmy sighed, "But do you want to know what the first thing was that got me interested in you?"

"What?" she felt herself blush slightly as he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Your slightly burnt skin and scorched hair," he admitted.

"You're so illogical," she frowned, "Why that?"

"Seeing you burnt like that...It showed you survived a real adventure, and that you had stories to tell."

Tecna rolled her eyes, "It really wasn't that much of an adventure."

"Maybe not, but it showed you took risks...and that you had courage," Timmy replied as Tecna slowly began walking again. Instead he pulled her into a tight embrace. He looked deep into her eyes, and Tecna looked at him the same way. She felt her body feel as though it was as light as a cloud.

She swallowed, "Am I really beautiful?"

"Yes. What you do, the way you think, makes you beautiful," he smiled at her.

"What words of wisdom," she giggled and Timmy gave her a bashful look. They stared in silence until Tecna broke up their embrace and she began walking through the woods again. Suddenly Timmy reached for one of her hands and spun her back around and pulled her back. He placed a passionate kiss on her surprised lips. Tecna didn't fight back and continued to kiss him back intensely as she pressed her weight into him.

It was weird for Tecna. Pixies like her did kiss each other, but it was always so empty and worthless with no signs of real emotion. However, she knew this kiss was full of emotion, and was worth ever second. This was love. As soon as their lips parted, Timmy looked at her with eyes so full of happiness.

As they stayed in a close embrace Timmy brought one of his arms around his hips, and the other one reached toward her locket, "But what about...your someone?"

Tecna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't activate the pendant and ruin her relationship with Timmy...he was the greatest thing that happened to her. This love was greater than any cosmetic surgery Icy could throw at her. She knew what she had to do to the locket. She pulled away from her sweet embrace, "Timmy... follow me." She began jogging through the woods towards Domino, leaving Timmy in the state of confusion.

He ran closely behind her, "Tecna? What are you doing?" He asked her in a concerned tone as he panted behind her. She remained silent as the trees, shrubs, and rocks became a blur around her, there wasn't a moment to waste. A decision was finally going to be made.

XxxxxXXXXXXxXXxxxxx

Finally they made it back to Domino. The streets were completely desolate, and a giant campfire was being lit in the middle of the town. She skidded a couple metres in front of the fire. The heat felt great on her body after being out in the cold night. Timmy approached her a couple seconds later.

He panted like he was out of breath, "Tec...Tec why...why did you...run?" He paused, "Was it something I said?"

She unclasped the locket from her neck, "I'm fine," she turned to him, "Just watch." She grasped the locket in her hand and stared at its gleaming metal cover. She remembered how Icy tried to trick her into thinking Timmy was a monster, and that Domino was a city threatening Magix. She imagined seeing an image of Icy, pleading for her to press it...to activate it, to get Timmy and the city. By destroying the locket, she was going to finally be free of the Witches.

She threw it into the fire and it landed on a crackling log. The fire swallowed it and started melting away at the locket, turning the outside as black as Icy's heart, until it exploded in a small burst of light. All remains gone forever.

"Wow, dramatic," Timmy fixed his glasses as Tecna came and put her arms around his neck, "So whoever gave you that locket...?"

"They don't matter to me anymore," Tecna found herself smiling, "They aren't coming either."

"But why did you...um burn it?"

"I had to get rid of all remains," Tecna replied as Timmy brushed her magenta bangs away from her face in a sweet way. He pressed his forehead against hers and looked at her teal eyes, "I've been waiting for someone like you Tecna...for a long time."

She replied softly, "Yeah, me too." He brought her up into another intense and passionate kiss. She felt herself almost crying. Now she wouldn't have to worry about Icy taking Timmy away from her, she was free, and in a way...Domino was free. She was no longer an infiltrator.

She felt her whole body slump onto Timmy's as a wave of exhaustion swept over her. She wondered what time it was, "Sounds like someone's ready for bed," Timmy helped her walk back to her cabin where Flora and Musa would be fast asleep. He gave her a quick peck on the cheek before she stumbled quietly into her top bunk bed. She fell asleep that instant; her world was officially bliss.

The following morning her bliss was over, and her world was in panic. She scrambled out of her bed to notice Musa and Flora weren't in their bunks. She gazed out the window and she couldn't believe what she saw. Outside people were screaming and scrambling around as people with hawk-like features and dark hair expelled dark magic from their hands, destroying buildings and capturing citizens of Domino. All around the city was in blazes and smoke was everywhere. As she looked up into the sky she could visibly see Timmy's invisibility barrior giving off a faint shade of blue, and up near the top of the dome of the magic barrio it appeared to have cracked like glass and now there was a gaping hole. Coming through the hole of it were more Witches in hover cars from Special Circumstances.

Icy and her Witches had come; Domino was being infiltrated.

So many things fluttered through her confused mind. She destroyed the locket...this couldn't have been...her fault. Maybe someone else...was an infiltrator. She thought of Musa...there was no way she could have been a spy, unless she was a really good spy. The locket was destroyed for good...

"No no no no no...This can't be happening," she began to sob. She wondered where Timmy was, and if he was okay. She had to find out if he was okay; she couldn't let Icy get his hands on him. She shuttered at the horrible things Icy would do. Considering how devious she was, she wondered if she could erase Timmy's brain permanently of Domino so he'd never remember a thing, not even their first kiss.

She sighed and ducked behind the wall as a Witch ran by; she had to get out...fast. This hiding spot would not last. She had to find Musa, Flora, Riven, and Timmy. She only hoped they already fled. Tecna threw on her hoodie and pants and a pair of running shoes and ran out of the cabin and pressed her back up around the side of a building. The Witches ran in their dark uniforms and merely appeared as a blur; their super strength muscles were at work grabbing as many of the runaways as they could. She watched the Witches drag some runaways in the direction of the rabbit pens. Using logic, she assumed they were all being held in the pens.

She looked out into the direction of the woods; one Witch was scanning back and forth making sure no one could make a break for it in the woods. She only hoped Timmy and his parents managed to possibly stay hidden out of town.

Suddenly she watched a dark haired female make a break for the woods from a hiding spot. The Witch cocked her head to face her and stared her down as if the girl was prey. The girl continued to run and Tecna thought she was actually going to make it. The Witch stood like a statue until the girl managed to reach the trees edge and the Witch lunged like an animal at her. The two dashed into the woods until she heard a blood-curdling scream come from the girl. Seconds later the Witch emerged as if nothing happened.

"She...killed her..." Tecna gasped. These Witches were much more than scary, yet beautiful faces. They were animals...beasts, who were bent on killing if anyone got out of line and doesn't obey. She couldn't believe what the Witches would do to innocent people. Worse, she remembered these were the people who ran their city.

Suddenly in a split second she felt a quick ball of dark energy hit her in the stomach that made her fly backwards a couple feet. She stumbled onto her back and clenched her stomach in pain. She glared up and she saw a Witch staring down at her. He was wearing a white lab coat and he had black hair. His face was pale, and he had the identical hawk like nose like every other witch, his eyes were black and soulless and he didn't show any emotions in his facial features. Without saying a word he grabbed Tecna roughly by the arm. He dug his claw like nails into her skin.

Tecna did the only thing she could do at this point and she fought back, "Let go of me you...beast!" She tried punching him in the chest with her one free arm and she tried pulling away from his tight grasp. The man stood like a statue as if Tecna was a little flea trying to fight him. The more she struggled the deeper he grabbed into her skin until they cut into her skin like razors.

She yelped in pain and fought the tears as she slumped to the ground. He released his grasp to reveal five puncture wounds gushing small amounts of blood. She couldn't believe his nails could dig into skin like that; the Witches weren't just beasts on the inside...they were physically made with qualities of a monster.

He grabbed onto her wrist tightly and pulled her roughly to her feet. This time he didn't dig his nails into her, "You uglies always think you have a chance..." He spoke in monotone. He began taking her into the direction of the rabbit pens. She imagined Timmy being caught and being dragged off somewhere...she wondered if he would resist or if he would strategically fight back. She dreaded thinking he did something to get himself killed. After all, he was a very wanted man.

Who was behind the infiltration? Are Timmy and the others safe? What will the Witches do with the runaways?