It was pretty fun writing this chapter, despite the little action that takes place here.
I updated this long chapter quicker than I expected, so give me some credit here.
If there are grammatical errors or weird sentence structures, I apologize.
Enjoy and don't forget to review!
"Hey, Vince! Wake up!" shouted Brandon, pushing the sleeping amnesiac.
Vincent rolled over on the mattress, slowly opened his eyes, and silently groaned. "Is it time to go to class?"
"No, we're still on vacation for more than a week. We're going out to train," informed Brandon.
Vincent, now fully awake, looked at Brandon in curiosity. "Training?"
"We decided to train you before the new semester starts," said Sky, who stepped in to join the conversation, "It won't look good if you're way behind than the rest of the guys, would it?" Vincent gestured in agreement. "Good, now hurry up and get ready."
Vincent got up from the mattress and prepared to leave.
At the training ground, nobody was present. It was silent and empty. The Specialists unlocked the large building and entered. With wandering eyes, Vincent looked at the massive size of the area in amazement. Then, he stopped when one of the Specialists spoke to him.
"Listen, Vincent," said Helia, with serious look, "As you know, the new semester starts in eleven days. Before that time comes, we're going to train you. Due to the short amount of time, we're not going to go easy on you. You're going to have to train rigorously and keep up with us. Do you understand?"
Vincent nodded with a confidence. "I understand. Thank you for offering to train me."
"No problem, man! Besides, we don't want those muscles to deflate like Timmy's," joked Brandon.
"Hey, I heard that!" shouted Timmy, pouting like a child.
"This fool doesn't know what he's getting himself into," murmured Riven, with a sly smirk on his face. The maverick changed his expression into a serious one and faced the amnesiac. "You better be really grateful for having us as your instructors. You don't want to be anyone's bitch here. Especially Mason's."
"Who's that?" asked Vincent, curiously.
"Mason is a senior specialist like the rest of us. He is the heir apparent of Sykon, one of the most prosperous realms in the dimension. Mason comes an extremely powerful household. He comes from a lineage of prominent warriors and old money," informed Sky.
"However, he is the most obnoxious and narcissistic guy you will ever meet," said Brandon.
"That asshole has his own group who follows him around and worships him," said Riven, swinging around the wooden sword.
"Plus, he gets a lot of girls from Alfea and Cloud Tower, and sleeps with them. They're just attracted by his looks and wealth," added Brandon.
"If you piss him off, he will target you mercilessly," said Riven, "Take Timmy for an example." The maverick hero patted the geeky hero's arms. "He became one of Mason's victim for refusing to do his assignments. Mason pummeled the crap out of Timmy. It was NOT a pretty sight."
"Damn, this guy is an asshole," said Nabu, after hearing all this information.
"Hey, I thought we agreed that we weren't going to bring that up!" shouted Timmy, embarrassed.
"Despite his negative behavior, Mason is undoubtedly one of the best combatants in Red Fountain," said Helia.
"So, he's a bully," concluded Vincent.
"A very ruthless one," said Timmy.
"Shouldn't you guys report him to the authority?" asked Vincent.
"There's no use if we report him. His family is one of the main supporters in Red Fountain. If Mason is kicked out, his family will take away all their investments and leave this school in financial crisis," said Sky.
"Remember where you are, Vincent. This is Red Fountain. Every specialist is responsible for himself. You either become strong or you leave. That's the code here," said Riven, sternly.
"You become a victim of injustice if you submit to fear and weakness," said Helia.
Vincent thought back to the incident in Ultramarine Island. Due to his fear and weakness, he became an easy target for the assassin. Thanks to Heidi, he barely managed to escape death with only a cut on his arm. He vividly remembered how dauntless Heidi was. Despite the dangerous situation, she maintained composure and battled it out. After the brief retrospection, Vincent looked up in determination. He can no longer be a victim or a burden anymore.
"I understand. Let's not waste anymore time. I would like to start to now," said Vincent, firmly.
The Specialists smiled at Vincent's resolve.
"Okay, let's begin," said Sky.
Inside the gymnasium of Alfea, Heidi conditioned her physique through unrelenting exercises and several styles of martial arts. Finally, she stopped and stood at the center of the gymnasium. As she spaced out in silence, the droplets of sweat contoured her face when they rolled down. The mystery that surrounded Vincent's case troubled her. Through vivid retrospection, she managed to decipher few facts: the assassin is somehow connected to the five deceased bounty hunters, and his motive is vengeance. However, more questions remained unanswered.
When Heidi returned to the dorm, the Winx were still asleep. The fairy of warfare dropped her drawstring bag in the living room, grabbed a stack of fresh clothes, and entered the bathroom. Before getting into the shower, she removed her sweaty attire and placed them in the laundry basket. As the refreshing water poured down from the showerhead, she cleansed the sweat and dirt off of her hair and body. After she finished washing up, a sweet aroma of lush cherry blossoms and juicy peach escaped the shower. Heidi stepped out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her body and stood in front of sink. She picked up the wide-tooth comb and brushed her wet platinum tresses. Suddenly, the moment she glanced at the mirror, she stopped combing her hair. She lowered the comb and stared back at her reflection in gentle surprise. For the first time, she saw a pulchritudinous figure in the mirror, not a cold-blooded killer.
The Winx finally woke up from their slumber and gathered in the living room.
"Good morning, Heidi!" exclaimed Stella.
Heidi gestured her head and acknowledged her and Winx's presence.
"How are you feeling, Heidi? Are you better now?" asked Bloom.
Heidi nodded her head. "Yes."
"Good to hear," said Bloom, with a smile of relief.
After the morning greeting, Heidi looked away from the girls and resumed back to her usual silence. The fairy of warfare had something to tell her friends, but didn't know how to come out and say it. If she announces the news, she will receive a huge reaction from the girls. It was now or never. Heidi decided to tell.
"I bear news to share," announced Heidi.
Everyone turned and looked at the fairy of warfare in curiosity.
"What news, Heidi?" asked Musa.
"Yesterday night, I contacted the CEO of Epitome Models. I accepted the offer in becoming a professional model," told Heidi.
The fairies stared at Heidi with stunned expressions. They didn't expect Heidi to take this opportunity so quickly. However, it didn't matter to them. As friends, they supported her decision. Especially Stella.
Stella squealed in excitement and hugged her tightly. "Oh my god! Heidi, I knew you would make the right decision! I'm so happy for you!"
Heidi appeared uncomfortable as Stella hugged her, but since this was good news, she leaved her alone.
"Congratulations, Heidi," expressed Layla.
"If you don't mind me asking, what made you decide so quickly?" asked Tecna.
"I would like to venture in this business and see what it is like. Also, I would like to be independent and earn my own money," told Heidi.
"Well, Heidi, whatever you decide we will always support you," said Flora.
"When do you start?" asked Musa.
"In three days," answered Heidi.
Stella finally pulled herself away from Heidi. "Then we're going to have to prepare you."
"Huh?" questioned the fairies, curiously looking at the Solarian princess.
"Heidi's going to need a portfolio, containing some polaroids and professionally-taken photos," explained Stella, sounding like an expert in the fashion business.
"That won't be a problem. With the technology I have, I can produce the same quality photos that fashion photographers take," said Tecna, confidently.
"Heidi, over the next three days we're going to work on your facial expressions, body pose, and runway walk," said Stella, "We've got a lot of work to do! Before we do so, let's go eat breakfast!"
The Winx nodded their heads and agreed to Stella's suggestion. Before they could help Heidi out, they needed to eat. The girls rushed over to the bathrooms and washed up. As they were getting cleaned up, Heidi silently sat on the sofa and waited patiently. Beneath the stoic demeanor she possessed, there was brimming resolution.
Four hours have passed since Vincent's training had started. In the beginning, the Specialists taught the amnesiac the basics in combat. Once he got the gist of everything, the real training began. Staying true to their words, the heroes did not play around. They constantly pushed him towards his limits, expecting him to transcend over them. Vincent sparred against the Specialists with everything he had. Timmy stood by the side and recorded the training process. The amnesiac evaded and blocked some of their attacks, but sustained some hits as well. Despite the aching pain, he got back up on his feet and continued to fight. Vincent gradually became tired as time passed. Due to exhaustion, he let his guard down and allowed himself to be attacked. The wooden sword flew out of his hand and the amnesiac was knocked to the ground. Before he could get up, he froze when he saw the tip of the wooden sword pointing at his throat. Vincent looked up and saw Sky standing in front of him with the weapon. The prince of Eraklyon gazed down seriously at the amnesiac. Seconds later, the expression on his face changed to friendliness. Sky lowered the wooden sword and lent Vincent a hand. The amnesiac smiled back and grabbed his hand to be pulled up.
"Are you alright?" asked Sky. Vincent nodded his head as he tried to catch his breath. "I have to admit, you did a pretty decent job."
"Really?" asked Vincent, looking surprised.
"I'm serious," said Sky, "You hung in there longer than we expected. You're also a quick learner."
"You surprised us, Vincent," said Brandon, coming over, "You're quite athletic and you performed few tricks that were unexpected. I guess those muscles of yours aren't just for show."
"Thanks, guys," appreciated Vincent.
Soon, the rest of the boys came over and joined the three.
"Vincent, you exceeded our expectations," admitted Helia, "Maybe you had past experience in combat."
"Maybe," replied Vincent, "If I really do have experience, that would be so cool!"
"However, you still need more training. There are some things that need to be polished and fixed," said Helia, sternly.
Vincent nodded his head in agreement, "Alright."
Brandon wrapped his arm around Vincent's neck with a friendly smile. "Let me tell you, Vincent. After today, your body is going to be sore as hell for the next few days."
"I think I can handle that," replied Vincent, with an optimistic smile.
"Okay, that's it for today. Let's hit the showers now. I can smell our sweat in the air," suggested Sky.
The Specialists agreed on Sky's suggestion. Because of the intense training, the boys released a lot of sweat, which had spread across the air. The odor was quite unpleasant and made the boys slightly nauseous. The heroes quickly grabbed their belongings and went into the shower.
Back in Alfea, the Winx went to the art department after eating breakfast. They brought along the necessary materials to help Heidi before she starts her career: gadgets, clothes, shoes, accessories, makeup, etc. The girls entered the photography studio, the most appropriate place to shoot. After constructing the set, it was time to begin the photoshoot.
The first priority was polaroids. There were two types of these photos: dressed and undressed versions. The dressed version gave an idea of how the clothes will look and hang on the model; the undressed version (bikinis) was intended to display the model's body structure. Polaroids captured the model's true beauty and essence. Clients in the fashion industry looked for models who possessed certain traits that fit their needs. Physical characteristics such as stature, posture, shape, and color were important; however, it was the non-physical characteristics like attitude, aura, and appeal that showed a model's uniqueness and separated him/her from other people. With absolutely no makeup, Heidi stepped in front of the camera looking natural. Her outfit was very casual and plain: a white T-shirt, a pair of skinny jeans, and dark brown combat boots.
Tecna grabbed an instant camera and focused on Heidi. "Okay, Heidi. Look at the camera and relax."
Heidi understood Tecna's instruction. She loosened her tense muscles and faced the camera with a nonchalant and poised expression. Tecna began taking head shots, middle shots, and full length shots. The symmetry of Heidi's facial features displayed accuracy, her rosy beige skin lacked impurities, and her whitish-blonde hair appeared lustrous. Although the clothes she was wearing were simple and plain, they looked good on her. After finishing the dressed version of the polaroids, it was time for the undressed version. Heidi removed her clothes and revealed her black bikini underneath. Flora came over and grabbed the clothes from her. Once she was undressed, the photoshoot continued. Heidi's physique was undeniably statuesque and svelte. She possessed long limbs and well-toned muscles. Unlike other models, who starve themselves to look thin, Heidi eats very healthily and disciplines her body through intense training.
"Wow, Heidi is so beautiful," said Flora, staring in amazement.
"Ugh, I cannot get over her body. I would DIE to look like that," said Stella.
"She's very lean yet curvaceous. Her body percentage must be less than twenty percent," pointed out Bloom.
"The power of beauty and fitness rules," said Layla.
Tecna finished taking the last few shots of polaroids and placed the instant camera to the side. "Okay, that's it for the polaroids. Now, let's plan what we should do for the next photoshoot."
Multiple fashion magazines were laid across the table. The Winx flipped through many pages and looked for inspiration. As the girls searched thoroughly through advertisements and editorials, they discussed with each other what would make Heidi's strengths stand out more. Thirty minutes later, everyone narrowed down to one picture. It was a black and white advertisement of Saint Vincent. The theme of the campaign was mysterious. It was perfect for Heidi.
While Tecna, Musa, and Layla were equipping and connecting the gadgets and props, Stella was utilizing her talents as makeup artist, hair stylist, and wardrobe stylist on Heidi. Bloom and Flora volunteered to assist Stella. The makeup will be cool and powerful. First, primer was utilized to allow the makeup to last longer and appear better; foundation, concealer, and powder were applied to even out and correct her complexion; bronzer and highlighter were used to make an illusion of slimness and contour her features; a nude rose blush was used to bring a natural glow on her high cheeks; black eyeliner, voluminous mascara, and smoky black eyeshadow were administered to give her periwinkle eyes a more sultry look; last but not least, a rich wine lipstick was colored on her luscious lips. After putting on the makeup, it was time to style the hair. Stella, Bloom, and Flora worked on different sections of her hair to make the process go faster. They parted her hair in the middle, straightened it until there wasn't a single strand of bump, and sprayed hair essence to moisturized and glisten her hair. Once the hair was done, Heidi had to change into her first look. She wore only an oversized black blazer to cover her breasts, mid-waisted black leather hot pants, and over the knee black suede boots. After everything was taken care of, the final photoshoot began.
When Heidi stepped into the setting, Musa turned on the music to create an appropriate mood. Since the theme of the photoshoot was mysterious, the music was dark and elegant. Tecna grabbed an advanced camera and focused it on Heidi.
"Okay, Heidi. Give us power and sexiness!" demanded Stella.
Heidi stared intensely at the camera and used the angles of her face to exude cool seduction.
"Beautiful! Don't forget to use your body!" reminded Stella.
Heidi maneuvered her body into variety of cool and artistic poses, which oozed class and sensuality.
"Major, keep it up!" exclaimed Stella, throwing her arms up in exaggeration.
"This girl is having way too much fun," mumbled Layla, referring to Stella.
"Well, this is her forte after all," Musa whispered back.
The Winx were surprised yet captivated by Heidi. From the beginning, she used to be very awkward and uncertain in front of the camera. Now, she appeared to be very comfortable and graceful. Little to the girls' knowledge, Heidi extensively researched and studied about the fashion industry. As the photoshoot continued, Heidi constantly changed into different looks and her makeup retouched several times. From many people's perspective, fashion modeling appeared to be glamorous and fun; however, in reality, it is very painful, cruel, and tiresome. Knowing what she might and will face, Heidi did not waver. She experienced the true depths of agony and cruelty from where she originated. Over the years of torment, she became numb to it. The harshness that she will face in the industry will be nothing to her.