This fanfiction was written for a prompt on the Winx Club Amino (where you can find me as FairyLadySpring) and comes with a Content Warning for death
Here is the prompt.
Create a short story about how the Winx would survive in a apocalyptic world after one of the villains have taken over. Would the Winx disband and go back to their home planets? Would alfea shut down for good? Explain what the event was that happened and how the world of magix is handling it. – Posted by: Mew Usagi
Bloom had been the first to die.
It had been supposed to be a fun day, light-hearted, a day to spend with all their friends, the three-month anniversary celebration of saving Domino and it had ended in a cruel twist of fate. Still, to this day, Flora thought what if... What if they could have defeated them? What if she had done more, could she have done more?
They had a chance. "Hand over the dragon flame" the strange girl had demanded. Sometimes Flora wondered if the tragedy could have been prevented if Bloom had... Yet no one had known the girl, hadn't known who she was and what she was capable of. Of course, no one had even suggested for Bloom to hand her powers over.
And Bloom, their brave friend had not caved, had transformed and attempted to confront the stranger, yet no words would yield results, stance unchanging, still demanding the dragon flame. They had been in a standstill until six newcomers, hidden in dark cloaks had arrived. "We have no patience, hand over the dragon flame" They had demanded.
Within an eyeblink, Bloom was falling, Sky caught her, but it had been too late for her. There was no hesitation when her parents charged with most of the Winx following suit in defending themselves. Only Flora and Tecna remained to check on Bloom trying everything to save her, yet it was too late. They were the first to start crying about the loss of their friend while the battle in the background raged on. Just for a moment.
It might have been too late for Bloom, yet it was still not too late for their other friends who were fighting alone against the Trix and worse, the ancestral witches, all while the stranger looked on in silence. Maybe if Flora had realized what they had been planning... A dead Bloom could not keep the dragon flame and it was stolen behind their back. The battle had only been a distraction.
Not that they had known. For a few moments, it seemed as if the Company of Light was winning. Until... They had been surprised when one more foe had entered the arena, changing the tides against the Company of Light. In a curb stomp battle, history had repeated itself and Domino fell for the second time.
"Do you remember when Tecna sacrificed herself?" Musa asked, looking straight ahead. "The Winx weren't the same without her" Flora mumbled, averting her gaze from everyone. "No, no they weren't" Aisha still blamed herself for not stepping in, letting Tecna go in her stead. It should have been her. Tecna had survived but she had admitted on still having nightmares.
"I know what you mean. The Winx are all six of us and since we are not..." Stella gulped, tears in her eyes. Flora reached for her hand, silently offering support, receiving a grateful smile in return. They all took the loss hard. After everything they had been through, as six.
"We should disband them, again" Musa voiced that last thought. Aisha nodded. "But wouldn't Bloom want us to continue?" Tecna asked, looking between them. The others looked at one another. "She would" Flora agreed. Bloom as a fighter. "But still, the Winx are all of us, not the five of us. With Bloom missing... She gave us our name" Stella voiced her thoughts. As if it was yesterday, she remembered Bloom drawing their logo.
"That's true. And disbanding the Winx doesn't mean we won't do anything." Aisha added. "And we still are part of the Company of Light. Just not the Winx" Saying this made everything feel more real to Flora even though she had known before. "So, are we really doing this, disbanding the Winx?" Tecna asked, looking into everyone's faces. No one seemed to be the one to want to make the call.
"I say yes, there are no Winx without Bloom" Stella had always been the first to speak up and despite how much saying those words hurt her, she did it anyway. "So, no more Winx" There was a pained smile on Aisha's face, mirrored by the rest of the former Winx. "No more Winx" they repeated, tears streaming down their faces. "She will be missed" one of them whispered.
"Dear fellow members of the Company of Light" a voice interrupted them, making everyone turn. "I thank you for coming. We have gathered here today to mourn the loss of my beloved family and honour their memories" the corporeal form of Daphne stood next to a picture of Bloom and their parents. Next to her, Sky stood, lightening a fire in her stead. "Thank you, King Sky"
As Guardian Fairy of Lynphea, Flora had gone back home to defend her home land, not knowing if Lynphea would be next. "Let's stay in contact" Tecna had made them promise. Even if they were not the Winx anymore, they would always fight to keep hope, fight for the light and that meant, fighting together. It was strange not knowing, when (or even if) she would get to see her friends again.
Fearsome news came just days later when Alfea found itself under attack and despite how fast the new Company came to try and aid, it was too late. Ahgen had tried to protect Faragonda from an attack and paid the price. Worse, it had been in vain, she soon followed him suit. The Trix, the lone attackers were quickly driven off with enraged staff and students avenging their headmistress.
It left Flora reeling, if this was what the Trix were capable of on their own, so easily taking two more of their company members, what could the villains do, if all of them chose to join the battle? She hadn't known Aghen but the headmistress of Alfea, Faragonda had taught them so much, had been a positive influence on her life. Just days after Bloom's death, it felt too much to bear. Yet this was only the beginning.
The teachers of Alfea had no time to mourn, just an hour after the battle had ended, Griselda was proclaimed the new headmistress of Alfea. She was thrust into the role of assuring concerned parents, who once more considered taking their daughters out from school. It was their daughters wanting to stay, pushing to be able to defend their school.
The second fall of Red Fountain came as a surprise, stunning the students as the Army of Darkness once more descended upon the school taking the lives of various teachers protecting the students. With almost no staff left and destruction leaving the school a ruin again, Red Fountain was forced to close its doors forever. Flora found herself comforting Helia over the loss of his school and his uncle.
Alfea and Cloud Tower were holding on, at least for now.
"Miss Griffin?" Flora asked. "How can I help you?" Griffin turned towards the door, sadly smiling at Flora. "I brought the plants you asked for" Flora held them out, Griffin nodded. "Thank you. They will be tremendously helpful to heal all the battle injuries" Flora stepped towards the windows placing them on the table.
"Are there any updates on Alfea?" Flora asked, Griffin shook the head. "The Trix have not bothered anymore, not since the last fight." It was left unsaid, that the attacks were focused on Cloud Tower. "So the Trix may believe the illusions" which depending on how one viewed it, was fortunate. Maybe at one point, they would be able to rebuild the school with only minimal repairs.
"At least we can return the favour now when Alfea gave us refuge" Griffin had a faraway look. "I keep wondering if I could have done anything to prevent the Trix to walk down this path." Flora wanted to believe in the best of everyone yet... "The ancestrals would have seduced them no matter what" Every evil they fought, the Trix always aided them. The odds had always been for the Trix to turn to the dark side.
"At least we can keep them from taking over the school" There was a bitter laugh. "With help but we are still standing" If Flora had thought the first time they had been attacked, fairies, specialists and witches were united, well, this fight would teach her. One school for all of them, one school for them to defend to the bitter end. Cloud Tower was no longer solely a school for witches, things had changed. For the better? Flora did not know.
Was the fighting in vain? Magix was taken over, Red Fountain in shambles and Alfea cloaked under heavy illusions of destruction they did not know would hold. And still, there were daily fight against the Army of Darkness. When would the Trix decide to stop playing and visit themselves? The outcome of the battle would tip the coin, would realms like Zenith join Andros, Eraklyion and Solaria in an alliance?
Cloud Tower was holding on, but for how long?
These days, all messaged Flora received were bad news. What else should she call requests for medical supplies? After all, this was all Lynphea was willing to do, offer humanitarian aid after battles. No other help, trying to stay neutral in all other matters. As important as health was, Flora wished more realms would acknowledge the seriousness and start working together.
For now, only Eraklyon, Solaria and Andros were working together with the last survivors of Domino and the city of Magix. Flora had been more successful in her petitions to the crown than her friends, though Musa had confided Galatea was at least listening especially after Alfea. Yet even her could not sway the opinion. Tecna was less successful.
Today's message contained a small win. Yet the news of the takeover of the Omega Dimension did not sit right with anyone despite the success of keeping the seal intact and Andros free from the influence of the Omega Dimension. Flora feared Valtor would only manage to recruit more allies to their cause, feared the day, everyone's decision would have to tip to one side. As it stood, she believed it would not be their side.
They were too selfish to see battling the villains now would prevent a greater tragedy, the phantom voice of Bloom whispered in her head. It was hard to disagree with what Bloom would have undoubtly said about the situation. What she would have pushed for. Recruiting new members to the Company of Light, ask for other kingdoms to pledge themselves. Four kingdoms would have been better than three.
If only Flora could be certain, Lynphea would aide the Company of Light if push came to shove. If the coin fell, if the Trix, the Ancestral Witches, if Valtor once more fought together, if they raised their army in the Omega Dimension. Lynphea did not want to fight, she understood, but what if they had to fight or let the villains win? How would the decision fall?
For now, Flora prepared another batch of medical supplies to deliver to her friends, her allies who needed her at the front and in Lynphea. She needed to do more, she had to do more, yet there did not seem to be anything she could do. Whenever she jumped to help, the fights were usually over. It made her feel helpless all over again. Who would she loose next? They couldn't lose any more allies, couldn't lose any more friends.
"Why?" Flora asked the blond-haired leader.
"Because this had to be done. For Eraklyon" was the reply. "This is madness" Flora was horrified at the callousness. "I act for the realm, Flora. Not the entire magic dimension. I had a choice, peace or war and I chose peace. I chose to protect my people"
"Is that why you did it?" Choosing death over hope, choosing to stand aside for peace, choosing for Eraklyon to abandon the fight. Flora didn't understand why. "It had to be done" A quiet murmur, hiding the emotions, the pain of loss. "He was your friend, I thought you loved him" How could someone willingly let their friend die, watch as they did without doing anything to help? Flora had cried when she lost Bloom.
"And I still do. But wasn't it you who once told me, I should not depend on him?" It was cruel, to twist her own words like that. "I never meant it like that" A pitying smile. "No, no you didn't. But I chose to become who I trained to be. And I give everything to my people. What good will war do, a war we would lose? Tell me, Flora. How did Domino fare when they united their attacks?"
Unspoken, Eraklyon would not be the second Domino, would not be the second realm destroyed not after it had given refuge to the survivors. Eraklyon might have lost their royal family, too yet they would not follow Domino's footsteps. It was cruel, Sky should follow his new fiancé while his old took the throne when he refused to end the war or step aside so Diaspro could stop the bloodshed.
Flora couldn't reply, not when Eraklyon had stood on the brink of extinction and the people had chosen Diaspro's promise of peace over Sky's need to fight for the good. "I will let anyone leave who wants to fight and I will welcome anyone who does not wish to fight. That is all you may ask of me" Diaspro gently told her.
It wasn't fair. Flora wanted to cry, cry for all the lost, cry for coins finally falling. Never had she considered the villains making their play in a different way, had expected a final fight, hoped for tidings in their favour, realms who in the last minute decided to do the right thing. But with Eraklyon leaving their side, who would join them?
"I'm sorry Flora, but I am the Queen and have to look after my people. It's my duty"
Did this mean, they would let the villains roam? Could they let them win? Or had the villains already won? Zenith had done the same as Eraklyon, others would soon follow. Flora couldn't believe all hope was lost; it couldn't have been lost. All the people who had believed the same, given their life, it could not have been in vain.
All alone, she finally let out her tears, for lost friends, lost teachers, lost potential friends, lost lives. It couldn't come to an end like this, never this. They never would have wanted evil to win, yet the good were losing. What else could they do, could she do? She had failed.
Maybe if she had pressed for Lynphea to join, Sky would still be here, fighting with them. Maybe if she could have saved Bloom, Domino wouldn't be in ruins again. Maybe if she would have seen them stealing the dragon flame, she could have prevented it. Maybe if she had been earlier, Red Fountain would not have fallen. Maybe if she were better, no lives would have been lost.
Flora couldn't bring back the dead, couldn't turn back time, couldn't erase her mistakes. She could only look to the future, march forward and continue what they had begun. Too much was lost, too many had been lost, it had to mean something. All the stories told it like this, the good would win. Yet... winners wrote history
Would at one point the Company of Light be the evil ones? Or would they be heralded as the heroes who failed? Would the villains care enough? Flora didn't want to be remembered as a villain; she had never wanted this.
Behind her, she heard steps. A reassuring hand touched her shoulders. "You need to take a break" Mirta murmured. She never could take a break, there was too much to do. The pot she held in her hands, slipped and would have fallen, if Mirta did not catch it. "Please Flora, go sleep" The concerned look on her friend's face made her cave and she turned.
Three more reassuring smiles were aimed at her. "How long have you been awake? How many days?" one of the former Winx asked. Flora had lost count, shrugged her shoulders. "Go to sleep, you can do more after some rest" She had forgotten the truth in those words. "And then we can go back to kicking some butts" They were trying to lift her spirits. "We can do this, but you need a break" They guided her to her bed.
"It'll be better in the morning" But would it really?
It wasn't my fault this got dark...
Okay, maybe it was.
Anyhow, comments would brighten my day (even if they are 'How dare you do this?'). Especially if they are