I am already done with the next chapters, and I think I'll be able to end this arc at once. Only a few chapters left, like 5. I'm now certain lmao

Enjoy ^^


Heato-kun : Oula ta blague me rappelle ma sœur XD Et je n'avais pas du tout pensé aux parents de Tecna qui relookeraient Domino… vu que dans la série, je n'ai pas l'impression que Domino repose sur la technologie ? Au contraire de Zenith. Mais c'est une bonne idée, je note haha.

Winx4Ever : Thank you ^^


Bloom appeared in Magix on her own. Teleportation wasn't something she was familiar with in the slightest, after performing it once or twice in front of her teachers, nor did she like performing it. In her appreciation marks, Wizgiz always told her she spent way too much energy before her body even started to disintegrate (a word which, in itself, scared Bloom to her very core), so she would have problems holding the spell for a long period. Basically, it was like running. Except she could die if she needed to take a sudden break by falling into a billion of pieces into the cosmos.

Stella did it a lot better than her anyway. She never had a real opportunity to use that spell, and to be honest, she wasn't looking for one. When others did it, it felt a lot better. When the red hair did it herself, she often felt like throwing up once her feet touch the new ground. This time was no exception. She had to let herself fall against the wall of some shop to regain her bearings.

"Bloom ?"

She winced. Just her luck.

Lifting up her head, she tried to smile at Riven.

"Hiya there," she uttered, the words staying stuck in her throat.

He lifted an eyebrow, before looking at her entire body. At any other time, she would've made some comment and gotten angry. Right now, though, she understood how messed up she must've looked : her blue jeans were torn, her shirt had some strings sticking out, and her hair needed to be taken care of a bit better.

His eyes quickly looked over her face, before his eyebrow rose higher. Of course, he noticed the bags under her eyes, and maybe the way her cheeks were now hollow from eating leftovers all the time. There was also no trace of her usual makeup, as simple as it was.

He did not ask any question. Rather, he decided to step closer to her, taking her by her right arm and pulling her into a less frequented alley. She did not feel forced, thus she let herself be led away. She shot one quick glance at Valtor's residence, wondering if he felt her presence.

She sure could.

"Listen, I don't know what you girls are going through right now," started Riven, taking hold of her attention. "I thought I made Musa angry again, and maybe you were all kind of angry at all of us. But this," he said as he awkwardly gestured at her, "is not normal."

Bloom bit her lip. Of course he'd want answers.

We'll need all the help available.

Those words resonated in her head, and she inwardly groaned.

Riven was not saying anything, but the way he looked at her told her everything she needed to know. She didn't know him enough to be sure about what was going on inside his head. Most of the time, he looked bored, or ready to set everything on fire. She couldn't understand what Musa saw in him, but she would respect her friend's choices, especially if they made her happy.

Right now, she could see how worried he really was. He'd never admit it out loud. There was, however, something in his eyes so intense that she found herself unable to lie. It made her uneasy, seeing how ready he was to help Musa. Not because Bloom didn't like him, but because she didn't think he was capable of it. She went still in front of him, still willing her brain to come up with an excuse, but could find none.

"Alfea… has been attacked."

A second passed, before he gripped both of her shoulders a bit too hard.

"What do you mean ?" He whispered, a mad glint making its way in his eyes. It reminded her of when Darcy controlled him.

"You're hurting me," she cried out.

He immediately let go, and turned around, his hands going in his hair. For her part, she just looked at where he held her and for sure, there were faint, white marks. They were already disappearing, but this had made her breathless. She'd felt like a prey for a moment.

He was unlike the rest of the Specialists. He was always cold, distant, and quick to anger. She really couldn't see what Musa liked in him. All he ever did to Bloom was hurt her. He hurt Musa too. He gave a hard time to the other Specialists. But the music Fairy seemed hopelessly interested in him. She believed in something, but the red head suddenly wondered if it wasn't just her imagination.

"Riven ?"

He turned around sharply.

"I'm sorry," he sighed.

"It's okay."

She simply said that, and nodded. She didn't have any time for long, reassuring monologues. She was supposed to already be talking to Valtor, make sure he was OK to fight with all of them, then bring him back to Domino to see the entire team. Faragonda didn't trusted him one bit, but there was no one else they could turn to. Except-

"What did you mean by Alfea being under attack ? We haven't have had any news about it ? You guys just went… rogue."

He looked at her dead in the eyes, but left the distance between them. To make her at ease or to avoid hurting her again, she didn't know.

"It's complicated," she nodded. "Could you get the rest of the Specialists ? We could really use all the help we can get."

"You need to tell me what this is all about first."

She sighed.

"In short, our professors have been replaced by some clones. No, don't ask me why, I still have no idea. But the teachers you've seen for the past few weeks were fake. We discovered that and had to flee. We tried to get them to safety on Solaria, but then the guards found them. We had to attack them and leave. This was not pretty, and that's why there may be a price on our heads right now…"

He chuckled.

"Yeah, you girls did a number on Solaria ! Never seen Radius so red ! T'was pretty funny to watch. But you girls are simply researched. There's like, this story about some people kidnapping you."

Bloom's eyebrows shot up.

"Really, that's what they came up with ?"

Riven just shrugged, a smile tugging at his lips.

"So, what're you doing in Magix now ?"

"I'm getting someone to help us take back Alfea. Getting the Magic Council to listen to us would be too difficult, and too long. We need to take action now."

"Ya know I'm a pretty 'action' guy, but even this seems a bit irrational. Just go to the Council when no one's looking, and explain."

"The thing is, the Council is certain they're right."

"And you're sure you're right ?"

Bloom nodded.

"Well, where do we need to go to help you take over Alfea ? T'sounds fun."

She laughed in relief.

"Yeah, go to the Roccaluce Lake, I'll tell the girls to look for you."

"Trust me, I'll get the whole squad."

She smiled as he turned around, his phone already in hand.

Suddenly, she saw why Musa might find him attractive.

He was a real piece of work, no one could deny that. He was also ready to do everything he could, if it meant helping. He wasn't afraid, he didn't hesitate. When he had something to do, may it be for himself or for anyone else, he didn't think twice.

"Riven !"

He turned around, his eyes wide in surprise, as if her to take back everything she said.

"Thank you."

He looked to the side and nodded, before turning around.

She waited until he was out of sight before making her way towards her original destination. She quickly got rid of the pass code and entered the building, walking up the stairs as fast as she could. She even pulled on the link she could feel, hoping it would warn the Wizard that something really important was happening.

She found him next to his door, a bored look on his face.

"Let me guess, you need my help ?"

She nodded, and stepped into the light of his apartment. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw him stare openly at her clothes, then at her arms, to finally rest on her face. He too had noticed the changes she endured these past few weeks. This seemed to make him a bit more curious.

She noted that the big coat was absent, as were the gloves. Only his usual combat boots remained, in fact. He traded his purple pants for a pair of black jeans. As for the t-shirt, it was stripes of black and white. He had a jean jacket overall. If she hadn't been so tired, maybe she would've commented on his normal appearance, even if the long hair stood out much more now.

"What is it this time ?"

She sat on the couch, a sigh escaping her lips before she could stop.

"We're going to take back Alfea."

He came to stand in front of her, his arms crossed.

"Your professors are aware ? I'd hate to have to fight two ene-"

"Faragonda kinda asked for you."

He snorted.

"Right," he muttered, looking out the window.

"For now we're staying on Domino," she informed him. "We'll go to Alfea when the sun sets."

"You're planning to take them by surprise ?"

She raised an eyebrow at how unexpected it seemed to be for him. He just kept on staring.

"Well yeah," she sighed. "What did you expect us to do ? Get in and cause a commotion with all the students outside ?"

"I know it's the smartest choice," he replied with a smirk. "I just didn't think you had it in you to take them by surprise."

She hummed.

Of course he expected them to get in while the sun was high in the sky, as some kind of heroes. She would've somehow preferred that option, she wasn't a big fan of fighting by night, but they really didn't have a choice.

"I suppose you also have a plan once inside that pretty pink school of yours ?"

She closed her eyes. Usually, she was able to take his sarcasm, or mostly passive-aggressive criticism, pretty well. Today, however, she really didn't feel up to the task. Coming here had tired her a lot more than she'd ever expected.

Her head fell back against the couch. It was tempting to stay like this, ignoring the man in front of her and all her problems. She honestly felt like taking a nap here, until all those problems had went away. But she couldn't do that, because Lord Darkar seemed to want something from her. He wouldn't let her just get away, even if she was dying to.

It had seemed fun to be a hero in books. Right now, however, she just wished people would leave her alone. She suffocated from always being on the move, having to be ready to fight whoever wanted to try her, or her friends.

With a sigh, she opened her eyes again to look at Valtor again : he hadn't moved an inch, still standing tall and proud, his arms crossed over his chest. His smirk, however, had completely disappeared. Dare she say, he seemed a bit confused at her antics.

"We'll go straight for the teachers' quarters," she eventually explained. "We don't know much about those clones, but they must rest at some point, or try to look like it."

He nodded.

"The Pixies will go in first. We hope the clones will try to act together. That way, we don't have to worry about forgetting one of them."

"You think they'll fall for that ? It seems awfully unlikely one of your Pixies will show up unannounced at your school."

It was her turn to smirk.

"That's why we'll have other Pixies taking care of it."

He nodded slightly.

"We'll also have Tecna's parents taking care of the students that may arrive because of the noise. They'll try to evacuate everyone, but we're not certain the clones are going to let that happen."

She didn't believe they'd be able to evacuate the thousand students that Alfea had unharmed. The best course of action would be to put a sleeping spell on all of the Fairies, but then, they wouldn't be able to run if they needed to. That's why they begrudgingly settled for this course of action.

"Do you have a plan of attack ?"

She sighed.

"Yes. We'll be divided in three groups. Two will surround the teachers' quarters, so they cannot escape us. The last one will stay outside, just in case."

"And then ?"

She shrugged, and Valtor almost immediately shook his head, still looking straight at her.

"You mean to say your plan is to go in, and see what happens ?"

"And what do you want us to ?" She answered, her voice raising despite her wish. "We don't know anything about those clones. We don't know how their magic is or works. Are they as powerful as the people they impersonate ? Or is it just for show ? Are there going to be more than expected ? Are they going to attack with dark magic ? Is there a trap planned for us ?" She fumed. "What do you want us to do, exactly ? We don't have time anymore."

A slight snort seemed to escape him, propping him to turn his whole body to look through the windows. He didn't really look at the city he knew fairly well by now. The Wizard was stuck inside his own head, trying to come up with a better plan than the one he just heard. He just couldn't fathom the idea of Mrs. Faragonda going with this plan. She'd been an essential member of the Resistance during the War, yet it seemed the old Fairy had never come up with any plan whatsoever.

Although maybe that was the case. He'd never been on their side, and had only ever met the Headmistress during the heat of the battles. It was possible she'd never been anything but a pawn. A very powerful one, who always managed to escape him and sometimes, defeat him. It had never been about power, the both of them had always known he was the strongest. But her intelligence and ingenuity had saved her so many times, he never bothered to even imagine she might not be of actual help when the Resistance planned their many attacks.

Now, however, he couldn't help but be taken aback. Valtor didn't expect the Winx, seventeen year old students, to come up with the greatest plan of all. Granted, they were able to get out of many dangerous situations because they worked with one another so well. Their teachers, however, should've been a little bit more clever. He always made fun of Fairies and Magicians for being gullible, but he didn't actually believe any of it. They were always great enemies. They also had one won the war.

However, he wouldn't accept such a pitiful plan. He'd always made sure the troops under his control would know what to do, when, and why. This was something ebbed into his brain.

Valtor turned back to watch the Fairy, who seemed ready to pass out at any moment. Her eyes were on him, though, watching his every moves. It was a side of her he never really saw, except when she started acting out because of the dark energy in her system. Except now, it felt natural.

He could see the Royal Blood coursing through her veins. She may not have been raised as a Princess, but there was no denying that Domino would've had the best Heir they could've wished for. Daphne had been good, always fighting alongside soldiers. Bloom, however, didn't need an army. He couldn't picture her relying on a thousand people. Instead, he saw her with all the power the Dragon Flame held, destroying everything in her path. Just the way he did.

"What is it ?" She asked in a tone that suggested she didn't really care.

"A plan as simple as that won't work."

"How would you know ?" She sighed, repositioning herself on the couch.

He sat on the other end of the couch, as far from her as he could, she noted. Not that Bloom really cared, but little details like this held a lot of information. It made her question how close she felt to him. Sometimes she forgot who he was, because of their link. She was always a bit more relaxed than she'd like around him. She blamed the pull she felt whenever he was close, as if she finally found the part of herself she'd been missing this whole time.

It made her uncomfortable, if she had to be honest with herself.

"Because I've been through war."

She nodded once, suddenly remembering that this man was not as young as he looked. She often forgot that part of him too. To Bloom, he was the criminal that tried to enslave Andros, but then suddenly vanished. He was also the person that helped her uncover her origins, when her own Headmistress tried to hide it from her. Nothing more.

The reality hit her, as he kept on watching her, letting his words sink in.

He was the person responsible for the fall of her planet, and her people. It made her anger rise a bit, as this thought crossed her mind. Once again, she wondered why she kept coming back to him. Yes they had a deal, but why he still indulged her, she didn't know. She wasn't stupid enough to believe he had a soft spot for her, but no other reason came to mind.

"The Pixie part is extremely stupid."

Bloom opened her mouth to say something, but he lifted a hand in the air.

"You're offering them on a golden plate. If I were Lord Darkar, this would be something I expect. Instead, you should show up. Alone."

She suddenly realized what he said was true. Not only the Dark Phoenix desired to have Pixies to discover their village location, but he also seemed to want something out of her.

"He wants you, after all."

She nodded, thoughtful.

"Right, but then what is wrong with our three teams ?"

He shook his head, as if she said the stupidest thing ever.

"There are, what, five clones to fight ? How many are there of you ? Do you really think you need to dispatch, and take the risk of one team falling prey to all of them at once ? Then what happens if they succeed in getting rid of, let's say, the one group coming from the left. Then those five clones can run to the group coming from the right. They can capture the Pixies inside the school without breaking a sweat, then take the remaining group. None of you will see it coming, because your plan solely relies on those clones fleeing once they see you, which you are not certain will happen."

Bloom felt the air leave her lungs, as he pointed out something she'd not even considered. When planning this attack, they imagined the clones would immediately flee at the sight of them, like the fake Professor Avalon had. Except this time, they didn't have a role to play. They would be able to fight back.

"Then what do you suggest ? I just show up on the campus ?"

"Exactly," nodded the Wizard. "Maybe accompanied by your little friends. Then you play the heroes."

"But we aren't strong enough !" She almost cried out.

He snorted openly this time.

"Don't you think I know that ? But then, a part of your allies can come as reinforcement if the situation ever gets dire."

"Then if there were other clones hiding, they'll come out ?"

"Exactly."

"But what if they try to do the exact same thing ?"

Valtor sighed.

"They might. They probably will. But remember who has had the time to plan this attack."

She frowned.

"Even if we have the element of surprise, we won't know how many clones will remain inside, hidden. If they even will."

This time, as their eyes met, she felt like a little child. Valtor wasn't showing any emotion other than mild boredom at explaining everything in detail, but it stuck out to her. She could almost picture him hesitating to tell her everything again, but slower, as if she'd understand better this way.

"Yes, but how will they decide who stays inside, if you show up unannounced ?"

She started fidgeting.

"They'll have to be quick, but they can definitely do it."

"Yes, but as you said, they'll have to be quick. Which means they'll only leave a few of themselves behind. Maybe one or two, as backup if necessary."

"While we can have a lot more coming and surprising them…"

"Yes," he almost sighed in relief. "Eventually, they'll run out of people, while you have the possibility to keep your allies coming."

She nodded, a bit more awaken by now.

"I think I need to bring you back to our camp, to explain this to everyone."

He nodded.

"After you."

He was the one to teleport them. Bloom felt herself ready to faint by merely traveling with him. Although, she also discovered after they started walking inside the castle's corridors, she felt a bit more energized next to him. Probably because he was the other part of the Dragon Flame. She felt his magic running around her, sometimes entering her veins.

She would sleep this afternoon, before they attacked. It was obvious, though, that she wouldn't need so much time than anticipated.

If Valtor noticed any of this, he didn't mention it. The Wizard was, after all, a bit more focused on the meeting he would have with Faragonda.