Red Fountain Boys
When Onyx had gotten back to the rooms, she had checked on all the girls. They were all in bed and asleep, and Bloom's body temperature had returned to normal. With an early morning ahead of her, Onyx settled into her own bed – grateful that she had her own room. Bloom enjoyed her sleep, and waking so early would make her grumpy. Sleeping in her own room meant that Onyx could continue on her own schedule without disrupting her friend, and yet she was now closer to her than she ever had been before.
Because of her late-night meeting, Onyx only got five hours of sleep before the sun rose – which was her normal summer wake up time. She completed her normal training circuit before showering and getting ready for the day. Before she headed into the kitchen, she checked in on the others once more – they were all sleeping soundly.
"Ah, Onyx is it?" The chef greeted her when she stepped into the room. "The headmistress told me you wanted to help cook breakfast."
"Indeed, Chef Francis. Do you need me here earlier, or you okay with me turning up at six thirty?" Onyx glanced around the kitchen to determine the size of the kitchen that she had to work with.
"I've only just turned up. Six thirty is fine. Now, until I get a complete assessment of your cooking skills, you're on prep." Chef ordered her. "I need twelve cartons of eggs cracked and beaten with milk and butter."
"Of course. Where do you keep a bowl large enough for me to beat it all together?" Onyx asked, rolling up her sleeves and moving to wash her hands despite the fact that she had just cleaned them. Protocol when cooking for other people – ensure your hands are clean. "How many are we cooking for?"
"176 students, 9 teachers. But I always cook for 200 to be on the safe side." Chef Francis answered in a distracted manor.
"Any dietary requirements I should know about? Encase I needed to isolate and prepare a sterile prep area?" Onyx asked, cracking the eggs into the bowl she pulled form the cupboard.
"We have a strawberry allergy, three nut allergies and one kiwi allergy. On principle I don't cook anything with nuts, and when I prepare strawberry and kiwi I use a different side completely." Chef Francis answered instinctively. "If this works out, I'll let you know the meal plan. You planning on just helping for breakfast or any other meals?"
"I plan on helping with breakfast every meal, and as often as I can with dinner. As for lunch, I can help with prep work before my lessons but I don't think it's feasible to make it back here in time to actually help you cook anything. Of course, on weekends you have my help as often as you'll accept it unless something else requires my attention. If that happens, I will try and give you as much forewarning as possible." Onyx rattled of easily.
"You'll only be payed for the hours you turn up. I'll mark the hours each day and you'll be paid at the end of the week." Chef Francis said sternly.
"That's fine. I don't' want to be paid for hours I don't work. But you'll have my best efforts when I m here." Onyx promised.
They spent the rest of their time working in silence, with the occasional order being directed Onyx way to cook food. Once the serving dishes had been filled, they carried them out – covered to ensure the food didn't spoil. Then it was taking out the plates which the students and staff would fill from their dishes. They would return their dishes to a 'drop off point' along with the empty serving bowls.
Onyx sat down to eat with her friends, pleased to see Bloom so happy and talking with her social group. Back in high school, she hadn't interacted with her social group – spending all her time with Onyx as she had done since she had joined the school. Once she had eaten, she helped do the washing up and some prep for lunch before heading to class.
Her first class at Alfea was Charms with Professor Wizgiz.
"It's the first class of the year, a year full of great potential and limitless possibilities and that is what metamorphosis is all about. Metamorphosis is the art of changing how you appear, and once you master it, you can turn into anything from a rock to a rock star. Let me give you a little preview. Look at me now, an average elf, right? Look…" the professor turned into a very good representation of Griselda and sat on her desk. "…at me now!"
His little bout of theatrics caused a series of gasps from the students. Onyx tilted her head thoughtfully as she took in the difference between the transformed Wizgiz and the real Griselda. He was slightly too short, his nose a little bit to pointed and the colour on his clothes was slightly washed out. Not enough to be noticed by a casual observer, but if he was trying to impersonate her long term, or if he needed to impersonate her in order to get past trained guards, he would be noticed.
"Don't worry, I'm not really the Queen of Detention." Wizgiz reassured the class with a laugh, causing sighs of relief all around. "The beauty of magic is that you can always go back to being you." he reverts to his original form.
Whispers travelled through the students, as they smiled and looked intrigued by what was happening.
"For now, we'll start with the basics." Wizgiz snapped his fingers and mirrors appeared on all the student's desks. "We'll warm up with one of the simplest exercises: changing your hair colour. You should all be able to breeze through this one. Look in the mirror, focus your Winx and go. Try to change it."
All the students picked up the mirror and started changing their hair colours. Onyx didn't even pick up her mirror when she saw Bloom frowning in concentration. She was trying to change her hair colour but she didn't have the experience in manipulating the Winx that the rest of the class did and so her concentration was for nothing. Leaving her chair, Onyx moved to crouch at Bloom's side to offer her help.
"Bloom," she caught her attention. "You won't get your Winx to work by brought forcing it. You need focus and calm your mind. If you force it, it won't happen. Winx is from the heart. So, you need to focus inward and feel for the power inside you. Once you know the feel of your power, you need to focus your intent." Onyx explained.
"How do I find my power?" Bloom frowned in frustration.
"Close your eyes and think back to the attack on Stella. You used your power than, you just need to focus and recapture it. Close your eyes…" Onyx softened her voice and gentle coached Bloom into a sort of meditative state. After a few minutes, Blooms' red hair started lifting as though caught in a breeze. Slowly, the red started lightening into a blond and her hair curled.
Picking up the mirror, Onyx smiled. "Bloom, open your eyes."
She did as she had been asked and stared in shock at the mirror. "Is that me?"
"Yes, that is. You did it." Onyx smiled.
"Well done class." Wizgiz got their attention, and Onyx moved back to her seat. "Now, we move onto something more delicate. Colour is easy, style is harder. Keep your colour's natural, but remove nine inches from your hair. But if that isn't possible for you, cut off six inches. If your hair is too short for even that…" Wizgiz looked in amusement at one of the girls near the window who had a buzz cut. "Then you simple need to grow a beard."
While the class was working on the much more difficult task, Wizgiz motioned for Onyx to join him outside the classroom.
"What can I do for you professor?" Onyx asked.
"How useless is my class to you, Onyx?" Wizgiz asked up front.
"Professor, I do not understand why you're asking this of me?" Onyx frowned in confusion.
"The way you coached Miss Quinn tells me you have intimate understanding of how to manipulate your winx. You don't need my lessons. You're easily more advanced in charms then even my senior, final year students. If I asked you to transform into me, Grisielda or Faragonda, could you do it? Even with such a small amount of time around us?" Wizgiz raised a challenging eyebrow.
Onyx sighed, closing her eyes and allowing her form to change and take on that of headmistress Faragonda. Wizgiz was right, in the forms of the use of her Magix she was far more advanced than any student in this school. Especially since she had learnt to use it for combat – which required more power and control then charms or transfiguration and it also required an intimate subject of both those subject because she needed to know how to use and manipulate them in order to fight.
"You should be a senior, completing their final exams." Wizgiz sighed as she allowed her form to revert back.
"I will complete my schooling alongside Bloom, there is no other option for me. I will be able to entertain myself during lessons that I already know." Onyx answered simple. "Besides, Bloom is behind and is going to need help in using her winx."
"I will provide you with advanced material, so as to keep you entertained as best I can. I will also alert your other instructors to your advanced control." Wizgiz frowned. All of the teachers had been briefed that morning on the connection between Onyx and Bloom, and if she refused to move lessons, they wouldn't be able to force her.
"I don't show the same advanced knowledge in herbology. I specialised in poisons and antidotes as well as plants which you can survive off in a no-contact situation. So, I will have plenty to learn during that lesson. A similar focus of knowledge in potions. I believe it is mostly transfiguration and charms where you will find me more advanced than your other students." Onyx offered him an understanding smile. She knew that she had just placed him, and the other teaching staff, in an awkward situation, but she refused to let Bloom feel inadequate because she didn't have the basics that the other fairies got. And she also knew, there was a good chance she might have missed something in her self-study since most of her learning of Magix was experimental.
Onyx stayed by Bloom's side during the rest of the lessons, helping her get to grips with what she needed to know. They really should have aptitude testing so they can teach people from the proper foundations. As it was, Alfea accepted student starting from the age of fourteen and you were placed within the year group of application. Stella, for instance, had been a first year the year before at fifteen and was a first again because she hadn't completed the year.
The next morning, Onyx joined the students in order to eat breakfast because Headmistress Faragonda had an announcement she wanted to make. Bloom was feeling a little down since she had noticed she was behind everyone else despite the help she had been getting. Onyx knew that it would get easier once she had achieved her fairy form – demonstrating that she had established a closer connection to her Winx which most fairies needed in order to use a large amount of magic (battle fairies being one of the few exceptions, along with those who had centuries of experience).
"Young ladies, your attention please. I have a very exciting announcement to make: as it is the Alfea tradition we'll kick off the new year with a formal dance. Our back-to-school gala will take place tomorrow night and our special guests will be the boys from the Red Fountain School of Heroics and Bravery. We hope you'll be warm and friendly hostesses and make them feel right at home." Faragonda smiled warmly at the students who started whispering and giggling among themselves.
"But not too friendly." Griselda cut in sternly. "Chaperones will be there and love spells and crush potions are forbidden."
"But dancing's encouraged and the boys will bring surprise gifts for all, so I'm sure you'll have a lovely time. I remember my first dance at Alfea, I met my husband there, well anyway, it will be an evening full of enchantment." The headmistress's words took away from Griselda's stern words, causing more giggling.
The lessons of the day were spent helping with the decorations for the ball since the day of the ball itself was a free day without lessons and there wasn't time to arrange an independent group of students to set up the gala. Once lessons were over, Onyx went to the kitchens to help Chef Franics start the prep work for the following day.
On the day of the gala the girls all gathered in Bloom and Flora's room, with Onyx being dragged in with them despite having no interest in discussing prep for the ball that night. If she could have gotten away with not going, then Onyx would happily take the time to stake out the library she had briefly seen during the last two days but not been able to actually visit. Unfortunately, this start of term gala was actually mandatory for the first-year students so she had no choice but to turn up.
"A party is only as good as what you wear to it, and this will be an excellent party. Behold, an Iwink Wizrahi." Stella held up her dress. It had a long orange mermaid skirt, which travelled up into a bodice piece which had triangular cut outs on either side of Stella's waist. The bodice was thin, with orange fabric broken up by a light blue weave which cut across it, and travelled up to the collar of the dress which would hold it all up on stell. The roaching off the dress gave it a structured shape, highlighting Stella's curves. "Hmm. I maxed out the credit card Daddy gave me but I didn't have a choice. It was calling out to me: 'Buy me! Buy, me please!'."
"It's fresh." Musa complimented. Musa's dress had more layers than the other girls. A purple skirt with red, swirled detailing along the train. Over the top she wore a triangular cut red dress with long sleeves. It covered her right shoulder, but not her left, with the back of the dress coming to her knees while the front came to mid-thigh. There were purple swirls on it to match the skirt. To help support the dress, a red ribbon travelled up and around her neck like a choker, which also had the benefit of support the wide neck piece which was red on the outside and purple inside.
"Heh?" Stella questioned, confused by Musa's chosen term.
"And it's so definitely you." Musa amended, making sure Stella knew that her words had been a compliment.
"Yeah, but my ring doesn't go with it." Stella side, looking upon the silver and gold ring she wore sadly, causing Onyx to roll her eyes. That ring matched that dress fine, as long Stella wore silver ornaments in her hair, or silver earrings perhaps, to make the match purposeful.
"I wish we could just use magic to create outfits, you know." Flora held up her own dress, inspecting it carefully. Her dress had a light pink skirt leading to a darker pink bodice. Tying the two parts together were green, vine like detailing which travelled along the hems and across the skirt. It was the simplest of the dresses, yet stile very expensive looking and elegant.
"Yeah, it took me forever to find this thing." Tecna complained showing off her own dress. Tecna's dress was made off a unique fabric which seemed to shimmer with a fine film over it. The base of her dress was a light blue, skin tight piece which came to a short skirt. Over the top of this, she wore a long blue cape like over dress with a high-backed triangular collar.
"It's interesting. Where'd you get it, Mars?" Musa questioned, noting the interesting fabric.
"I researched it thoroughly. This is the latest in fabric technology." Tecna explained proudly.
"At least it won't wrinkle." Stella sighed jealously.
"I'm worried." Bloom admitted. "Brandon will be there, and all I have to were is this and clothes like it." Bloom motioned her flared jeans and crop top.
"What about you Onyx, do you have anything?" Flora questioned.
"I'm working on something." Onyx said simple.
"Well then, we just need to help Bloom. No friend of mine is gonna feel apparel shame. There's a simple solution to any fashion dilemma: Shopping!" Stella grabbed Bloom's arm and pulled her up excitedly.
Onyx hesitated, but allowed Bloom to go without her. She needed to start learning to place trust in the other teenagers, and Bloom would be safe shopping – the witches wouldn't risk staking out down town when they had lessons to attend at school. Bloom would be safe until the sun went down. And, if something went wrong, I would know immediately and be able to go to her.
Left alone, Onyx headed to her room and pulled out something she had been working on for a year. Over the years she had been collecting swashes of fabrics, needles and threads since it was easier for her to make her own clothes suited her style and design instead of trying to shop for it. Knowing she was about to re-join Magix, she had started working and designing something for those moments when she needed to act in a formal function (an essential part about going to Alfea).
The dress had multiple layers, just like all of her clothing. The first was black leggings and a skin-coloured chemise. Although her daily layer of such was cotton, this formal dress had a linen base. Over the top of her chemise her corset sat covering her from lower hip to mid breast so that she didn't have to invest in a bra. Her normal corsets were linen with steal bones, but this one was linen with whale bone – moulding to her shape, but not making it greater. Both designs were flexible and wouldn't stop any movement made.
Next was the camisole and a single petticoat. Onyx's typical camisole was made of cotton, but for the formal dress she had made one of silk, the same with the petticoat. On a daily basis she didn't wear a petticoat because she didn't normal wear dresses and so such wasn't useful.
On a daily basis, Onyx would wear a leather trousers and shirt over the top. The trousers sat high on her hips and travelled down to her ankles where she could tuck them into her boats. The shirt was long sleeved, stopping at her wrists, and high necked. Between the fabric of her outerwear and the corset, she had was effectively wearing armour without the restriction in her movements or making it obvious she was doing so.
For formal wear, her dress was formed from multiple layers. The bottom layer was silk, with softened leaver folded into the inner layer and on the outer layer she sowed velvet – a tricky fabric but it looked nice and was very elegant. The dress itself had a skirt which form low on the hips and travelled to brush against the floor, while the bodice came up to Onyx shoulders and joined with long sleeves and a tick collar. A tear drop was cut out of the upper chest within which the gem of her neckless could be seen.
She had the majority of her formal dress made, except for some final seam and hemming of the dress and the fitting to make sure it fit right on her body. If the dress was even slightly off, it would look awkward over the corset.
Onyx had just finished her final touches and gotten dress when Bloom returned.
"I found a great dress!" Bloom held the blue dress up excitedly. "It's just way to long. There's got be a pair of scissors somewhere around here."
"Here." Onyx called her sowing kit to Bloom's room and handed it over. "The Red Fountain boys have arrived, so you don't have long."
"Thanks." Bloom said smiled happily. "Are you gong to leave your hair like that? It doesn't go with the dress, which is beautiful by the way."
"I'll think of something." Onyx returned the smile before closing her eyes and focusing. Her hair was normally kept back in a simple long plait, but she used her magic to change the design – undoing the plait and brushing it out before curling and pinning it up.
With the help of her Magix, it didn't take long to complete the modifications to her dress and the two of them left to head to the gala. The two of them stop on their journey when they heard a very familiar but out of place speaking.
"Go straight ahead and make a right." Stormy explained.
Onyx pulled Bloom back against the wall, before glancing around the corner to see the three witches approaching the chest of Gifts brought by the boys of Red Fountain.
"Here they are. The Red Fountain gifts." Icy observed.
"This school is just cheesy." Darcy snorted in disgust, looking around the room's directions. "I don't even know why the boys wanna hang out with these losers."
"Well, it's not like we'd wanna socialize with those nerds anyway. We have better things to do. Alright Darcy, locate the ring." Icy instructed.
Onyx leaned back around the wall so she wouldn't be seen, sharing a glance with Bloom. This wasn't good. These Three Witches had already proven themselves to be trouble and worrying fixed on Bloom.
"Sure, I have the perfect spell for that." Darcy cast the spell, creating an illusion of Stella's room. She then focused the spell, showing that Stella had put the ring with a spell jewellery box.
"This will be like taking candy from a fairy. Your turn, stormy. Let's check out the girfts." Icy turned to her other sister.
"Open!" Stormy used her magic to release the lock on the chest.
"Oooooh. Enchanted little eggs." Darcy picked one up and opened it, causing butterflies to flutter out.
"They'll be the most memorable gifts these losers ever receive." Icy mocked. Together the three of them raised their hands and turned the enchantment into a curse.
"The eggs will hatch and snake-rates appear." Darcy smiled.
"And spread panic, nausea, and terrible fear!" Stormy laughed.
Icy cast something on the wall, allowing them to pace through and outside.
"We need to warn the others. With the curse begin cast by three, it will take multiple casters to break it." Onyx told Bloom. "They won't make for the ring yet, and we can't let the others be injured."
"Of course." Bloom agreed immediately.
They made it to the ballroom. Bloom headed in, trying to keep low as she looked for the girls, while Onyx stayed at the edge looking for them. it took a minute, but she eventually spotted them stood together to the side, and Bloom had found them as well. Once Bloom reached the girls, she led them back to where Onyx was stood.
"Those three witches who attacked us are here. They have a whole plan to sabotage the dance!" Bloom explained to the girls once they were hidden in the shadows of the hallway.
"Ugh!" Stella muttered in annoyed disgust. "What are they going to do?"
"They've changed the enchantments on the eggs into a curse. When opened, Snake-rates will appear." Onyx explained.
"A snake-rat?" Tecna asked questioning. "Let me console my database. Snake-rate: Venomous swamp creatures can cause projectile vomiting with one bite. Gross." Tecna closed her hand-held computer.
"Ew! I know why they're doing this. Those witches are so jealous of us. They wish they had a chance with the Red Fountain boys." Stella muttered in disgust.
"Well, actually, the witches are not after the boys at all." Bloom disagreed. "They want your ring, Stella."
"They're hoping to use the distraction of the swamp-rates to get the ring. We need to cast a counter, together." Onyx said seriously. Protecting the ring was a secondary mission which they would deal with once they knew the students wouldn't be bitten. If this had happened in a week or so, after she had gotten the chance to see how much magic the other girls already knew, Onyx would have gone to retrieve and protect the ring, while Bloom worked with the others on the counter, but she didn't have that trust yet.
"Look!" Flora pointed into the ball room where Sky and Timmy were bringing the chest out in front of everyone.
"Come on. We need cast the counter now," Onix said sternly, wishing once more that only the one witch had cast the curse so she could independently over-ride. "In a circle, together."
The words they all spoke were instinct, because Winx wasn't used spells: it was channelling one's desires. The words they used, was just confirmation of that intent so that their winx could work together. "Let all the dark magic be reversed. Make the eggs like they were before they were cursed!"
Dropping their hands, the girls turned to the hall as Sky gave an egg out to a pair of girls who opened them to reveal butterflies.
"Right, now we need to secure Stella's egg. I'll alert the headmistress to the fact that the three witches are in Alfea and attempted to curse the eggs. Stella, you stick with Bloom." Onyx shot a warning look to the blond before heading into the mass of students and weaving her way to where headmistress Faragonda was stood with the headmaster of Red Fountain.
"Headmistress, headmaster." Onyx greeted with a polite bow of her head.
"Onyx, what can I do for you?" Headmistress Faragonda questioned.
"Those three witches, the ones who attacked Stella and Bloom…" Onyx started to explain before stopping, her head snapping to the right as she felt Bloom's emotions spike in fear. It was instinctive, her staff appeared in hand as she took the quickest route out of the school.
She made it in time to see Bloom, in her fairy form, rising from a small canyon in the floor – her power flaring around her. Before the witches get over the sudden change, Onyx acted, sending a powerful blast of wind at the three witches which had them flying back.
"Nice job, Bloom." Onyx complimented, coming to stand just below where she was hovering.
"Why you little…" Icy began angrily, climbing to her feet, but she was interrupted by another voice.
"Ladies, I do believe you're at the wrong school." Headmistress Faragonda's voice was just as kind as always, but it had the Witches backing away in fear. They barely hesitated a moment to teleport away.
"Stella's ring!" Bloom looked back at them in horror. "They took it!"
"No, they didn't. The spell worked." Stella smiled brightly, her and the other girls joining them.
"Well, I must say, well done girls. We can discuss this in more detail tomorrow, but for now, why don't you go and enjoy the dance." Faragonda smiled kindly. "You have all earned some fun."
"Bloom you haven't met with the boys yet!" Stella gasped in horror, grabbing the red-heads arm and pulling her towards the hall. "And Brandon was asking for you."
"Do I have to go back to the ball room?" Onyx sighed, staring after the others as she put her staff away.
"Come now dear, you didn't get dressed up just to fight some Witches." Faragonda chuckled.
"No, I got dressed up so Bloom would have fun." Onyx sighed, grudgingly heading back to the ball. "I'm going to regret this decision."
Getting to the ball, Onyx found a relatively dark corner and settled into it. The girls seemed to have partnered up with boys from red fountain: Bloom and Sky, Stella and Brandon, Musa was up with the music, Tecna was awkwardly dancing with Timmy and Flora was with a boy Onyx hadn't met yet. Riven was stood rather uncomfortable to the side for a few minutes before he started retreating and ended up in Onyx's corner.
"There space in this corner?" Riven questioned.
"Feel free, just don't ask me to dance." Onyx agreed.
"Not a problem." Riven muttered, sulking against the wall.