This is a reupload of the story, it kept deleting the asterisks sign I use for page breaks and I suck at this and had to delete the story, and lol it's a lot to explain! I just laugh. I felt like I hadn't made my intentions clear on what this story is so here I am trying again because I mucked up bad, sorry guys. To start before the author's note, I have to apologize to those I hurt and mistreated in the past that know me. I hope you can forgive me and I'm changing every day in small steps, wish me luck on my journey and take care!
A/N: Well, here it is! I was going to wait a month or two before posting because I was so nervous but after some encouragement from a friend I decided to upload the first chapter (split into parts for reading consumption) and I hope you like it. Now a heads up, this is a rewrite meaning a lot has been changed. Okay well, it's a mix of a rewrite, AU, and re-do on the show.
Some of you may be wondering, why do this especially now? The answer, I've just always had these what-if stories in my head for Winx club and wanted to give a shot, but it mostly began to grow with the Nick dub which wasn't great, but okay and I just wanted to fix some issues the show never addressed, changed or did poorly along with the original dubs. Think of this as a reboot I guess. It all kind of started with me thinking "What if Stella was a posh princess?" and it led to character building, world-building, and changes that fit perfectly for a reboot. One day I just sat down and started typing and well this is what I had.
Also, to note there are going to be a lot of hard-to-swallow changes in here, but you don't have to like them, hey as long as we're cool everything is a slice of sweet potato pie: sweet! I don't want blind praise anymore, but I just want to warn you there are character changes, scene changes, and even plot changes in this rewrite. So be ready.
I had tons of betas, but the two working with me I'd like to thank, Nadia and Ditzy_Diva_315!
Chapter 1: A Dragon Awakens pt 1
Gardenia was a picturesque city hugged by a sparkling ocean and pristine sandbars. It was the type of place that, though less popular than the usual tourist hotspot, was memorable to all who visited and lived there. Though whether that was good or bad tended to vary based on who you asked since it was known as "City of the Weird". Nonetheless, Gardenia opened its arms to whoever came to visit.
In the suburbs of Gardenia lived the Mason family, consisting of Mike, Vanessa, and their teenage daughter, Bloom. They had been living in an average-sized two-story house for the last fifteen years, shortly after Bloom had become a part of their family.
Ever since she was in middle school, Bloom had always seen beauty in the grim and occult, whether it be through music, nature, or art. Her work was dark, darker in tone than others her age were usually comfortable with, and the subject matter often mixed beauty with gloom, creating enchanting, mysterious pieces. This also explained why she loved fantasy movies, especially the ones enchanted in magic and sorcery. Her status as an aspiring artist also meant that she spent most of her time buried between her sizable collection of sketch pads. She had her room on the second floor with dark teal walls covered by a mix of her sketches. They showcased majestic landscapes, forests, parks, beaches, and fairy tale characters such as elves, trolls, witches, and fairies.
On a sunny Thursday morning in the middle of July, the girl was sound asleep in her bed, snuggled underneath her comforter with her curly orange-red hair spread messily over her pillow. An orange and white Maine Coon cat was sprawled out on top of the lump she made, soundly sleeping as well. They both could have slept there all day if an obnoxiously cheerful voice hadn't awoken them.
"Wake up pumpkin! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and it's the start of a new day!" her mother joyfully said as she yanked open the curtain to let sunlight brighten the room.
Bloom growled from underneath her comforter. "Get out!" She muttered indignantly, still half asleep, wishing to get at least an hour more under the covers.
Vanessa ignored her daughter while she calmly skipped over to the bed. She was a soft-spoken, slender woman with olive skin and neck-length chestnut hair. A mischievous expression danced across her face as she regarded the lump peeking out of the mattress. She patted it gently. "Sweetie, get out of bed. You can't waste your time sleeping all day."
Sluggishly, Bloom tossed a pillow at her mother but missed by an inch before mumbling something unintelligible.
Vanessa simply smiled at the lump. "You're going to be late."
"Late?" Bloom said, confused.
She pushed back the covers from her head and wiped a spot of drool from the corner of her mouth, glancing over at her bedside alarm clock. It took a few seconds for her mind to register the time before her eyes widened. With a yelp, she tumbled out of bed, knocking the sleeping cat onto the floor. "Crap, I'm late to school!" she panicked, racing around the room. The teen frantically threw her closet doors open and grabbed a wrinkled hoodie while searching for a pair of pants to wear.
Her mother kept watching her, trying to hold back laughter.
"Why didn't you guys wake me up? Why didn't the alarm go off? God, I can't believe this, I've never been this late be- wait a minute." Bloom froze while trying to make herself look presentable and put on a pair of jeans at the same time. "It's the middle of July," she said, realization dawning on her face. "School's out." Her cheeks turned bright red as her eyes shifted towards her mother who had a wide grin on her face. "Mom, not funny!"
"Wow, seventeen seconds, that's much better than last year's," Vanessa giggled. "You always fall for that and it's funny every time."
"No, it's not," Bloom grumbled, picking up the startled orange cat off the floor. "I was trying to sleep."
"If you hadn't fallen asleep at four in the morning, you wouldn't be so tired," Vanessa argued, patting her daughter on the back. "What were you doing anyway?"
"Just getting some reading done," Bloom replied, stroking her cat. "I might've lost track of time."
Vanessa shook her head as her eyes shifted to a book on the floor. She picked it up to examine the cover then frowned. "'Fairies, Witches, and Warlocks: Myth or Reality?' Bloom?" the woman raised an eyebrow. "Don't you ever get tired of reading about these silly mythical creatures?"
"No, they may be silly mythical creatures to you, but I find them interesting," Bloom defended, letting out a small yawn.
"Uh-huh," Vanessa said. "Well, breakfast is ready and getting cold. I made your favorite - whole wheat pancakes."
Bloom groaned in a manner that was supposed to sound annoyed, but it disappeared when her mom kissed her on the cheek. She tried to hide her amused smile. As Vanessa left the room, she placed the cat back on the bed and gently rubbed his head causing him to purr before closing his eyes, "Sorry for knocking you on the floor Kiko... again."
She chuckled to herself before getting dressed, albeit this time at a reasonable pace. She searched through a pile of dirty and clean clothes mixed together at the bottom of her closet to find something to wear. She managed to pull out a navy-blue t-shirt, a pair of black jeans, and black combat boots. She placed each earring around her ears, two on each ear, and then her earring cuffs. She applied her makeup in shades of purple and black and finished off the look with a black choker that had a blue heart-shaped gemstone in the center and a silver chained necklace.
Once her regular ensemble was completed, Bloom went downstairs to the kitchen and sat down next to her father. "Morning, dad."
Her dad, Mike, who was currently busy reading the day's paper, was a tall and muscular man with blonde hair and a fondness for light colors, unlike his daughter. Mike and Bloom were complete opposites of each other, from music to hobbies, yet they were both as headstrong as could be.
"Morning, pumpkin," he greeted back. "Want the comic section?"
Bloom held out her hand. "I always do."
Her father pulled the page with the newspaper comics and passed it over towards his daughter. She folded the paper in half and started reading.
Her mom, who had just arrived with a dish full of pancakes and sausages, had a wide grin across her face as she sat down next to her husband.
Mike's eyes stayed fixed on the newspaper as he asked, "So, when can Shelia watch the flower shop?"
"Not until the twenty-first," Vanessa replied, fixing her own plate. "She's visiting her grandmother in Oregon."
Bloom frowned, lowering her paper. "You're not going to make me spend half the summer working in that flower shop again, are you? All that pollen makes me lightheaded."
"I know you don't like it there, but it's not that bad, and you always manage to make a sale," Vanessa pleaded.
"What do you expect from a charming girl like our Bloomington?" Mike added, a little too sweetly.
"Thanks, but I'd rather spend time with dad at the fire station," Bloom said, continuing to read the comics section, eyes now skimming over this week's comic strip. She wasn't going to fall for it.
Mike laughed. "Gee, thanks."
Vanessa sighed. "Fine, I'll work at the shop by myself until Sophia returns. I've done it for five years; a few weeks won't slow me down," she said, cutting into her pancake. "After that, we can plan out our annual family trip!"
"Great," Mike said, pleased. "I can tell my boss when we'll be going on vacation. He's been curious since he knows we go on trips this time of the month."
Bloom groaned. "Do we have to go back to that beach resort again?" she asked while drizzling chocolate syrup on top of her pancakes.
"Yeah, we've gone there every summer, why would we change that?" Mike replied, staring at his daughter's chocolate syrup-coated pancake. After noticing his daughter's slightly unhappy expression, he asked, "Is something wrong?"
"It's just that we've gone to that beach since..." Bloom thought about it for a moment as she took a bite from her chocolate-covered pancakes. "Since I was born, I think."
Vanessa waved her hand. "You're over-exaggerating."
"No, I'm not. Ever since I can remember, the one place we always go to in the middle of the summer is that beach resort and it sucks," Bloom reasoned. "Every time we go, bad things happen to me and no, I'm not exaggerating. Bad stuff literally happens to me every time we go. I always get sunburnt or a rash from the sand, the jellyfish sting me, it's too hot, and the bugs love biting me. And remember last year's shark scare?"
Mike and Vanessa's faces turned the same shade of red. That incident had left them stranded in the ocean in a boat for six hours.
"I thought you loved going to the beach," said her mother, concerned.
"It's okay, but it gets boring after the fifteenth trip to the same beach house at the same beach." Bloom poked at her syrup-infused pancake with a fork. "All my other friends are going on exciting trips for the summer. Rocky's going to Vegas, Juji's going to Hawaii, Selina's headed off to Comic-Con, and... Mitzi won't shut up about going on this big ski trip by herself!"
"We didn't know you felt this way," Mike said, starting to sympathize with his daughter's rant.
Bloom's eyes shifted toward her father. "You seriously never noticed me telling you how much I hated that beach?"
"We thought you were joking," Mike sheepishly replied.
Vanessa nodded with a shrug. "Well, do you have a place in mind?"
"Maybe..." Bloom said, pushing her pancakes around with her fork.
"What is it?" Mike asked curiously.
"Well, if you really want to know," Bloom paused, placing her fork down with a flourish of excitement on her face. "The Python Insanity Extravaganza!" When she was simply met with silent stares from her parents she continued. "It'll be the biggest event in the band's history! There will be music, tons of events, great food, and tons of booths. They'll be playing in Washington so it's not too far a drive. You'll like this next part. If we get tickets now, we can get the hotel gold package which will cover all the expenses."
Vanessa and Mike both shared the same incredulous look before simultaneously asking, "How much?"
Bloom paused, trying to remember the price she had seen for the tickets online for a few seconds then sheepishly answered, "Only... three hundred and fifty dollars."
Mike nearly spat out his coffee as Vanessa's eyes widened comically.
"To see a concert?!" her dad exclaimed.
"It's not just a concert," Bloom said, trying to defend the price. "It's an extravaganza!"
"Isn't Python Insanity that band that literally screams about death and destruction in almost every song?" Mike asked, his eyebrow raised. "Why would we want to be around that?"
"Th- they talk about more than that," Bloom spluttered. "Sometimes they'll talk about revolution and having fun. You don't know them. You're just saying that because you don't like rock music."
"That may be true," Mike agreed. "But what I'm getting at is that this extravaganza concert thing doesn't seem like a family vacation. It seems like a 'you' vacation."
"There's plenty of fun activities for all of us to do there," Bloom reasoned. "I even heard there's going to be a tattoo tent."
Mike rested his chin in his hand, staring at his daughter, "Really?" he said in a deadpan tone.
"Yeah," Bloom replied, flashing him a nervous smile. "So..."
Mike rested back in his chair before saying, "We're not going. And before you ask, no, you can't go by yourself."
Bloom slumped back in her chair, the smile slipping into a scowl. She could feel a burning sensation in her chest but chose to ignore it so she wouldn't have an outburst. "This is so unfair. Why can't you treat me like an adult?"
"You're only sixteen. That means you're still our little girl and we're not letting you go to a random concert by yourself," Mike replied. "And even if your mom and I wanted to step foot at that 'extravaganza', we still couldn't afford it."
"Whatever," Bloom mumbled, gaining a glare from her father. She felt like she and her dad could never agree on anything and this was just another coin in the well of things they'd argue about.
"Don't act like that, Bloom," Vanessa scolded. "Your father's right. It would be nice to go somewhere else but going to the beach is cheaper and still fun. You get that, right, sweetie?"
"Yeah, sure," Bloom said, shoving a pancake in her mouth to hold back her angry grumbles. "You said that last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, too."
Vanessa sighed with a small smile before saying, "If it makes you feel any better, we did get you something special."
"Something special?" Bloom asked through a mouth full of pancakes and a raised eyebrow. She stared at both her smiling parents.
"Let's just say we got you a little something to help you get around Gardenia faster," Mike replied.
Bloom's face lit up with a big smile as she visibly restrained herself from choking on her breakfast. "Did you really get it?"
Her parents both nodded.
Bloom swallowed while wiping the chocolate sauce off her lips. She pushed back her seat and stood up. "Well, don't keep me waiting!"
...
"Is this necessary?" asked Bloom as she was led outside, her vision obscured completely by her father's warm hands about her face.
"Yes, it's a surprise," her dad said joyfully. "And there it is!" With that, he removed his hands.
In front of them was a new bicycle. It was bright red with a black helmet hanging from one of the handles. A straw basket was in front that was filled with what Bloom suspected were flowers and fruits from her mom's store. Bloom stared at the bike for what felt like a solid minute, unsure of how to react without disappointing her parents.
"Nice, huh?" Mike asked.
"I honestly don't know what to say," Bloom muttered as she pinched the bridge of her nose.
"I already know what you're going to say," Mike replied happily, placing his arm around Bloom's shoulder. "Thanks, mom and dad, for the really, really cool bike. You are totally awesome.'"
Bloom remained silent, still pinching her nose.
Vanessa studied her daughter's face carefully, seeing her daughter's eager anticipation go to disappointment in a flash. After another second, the girl turned around to hug her parents while saying, "Gee, thanks, guys. It's nice."
"I'm glad you like it," Vanessa said.
'I don't hate it, so that's a plus,' Bloom thought. "I think I'll try it out and go to the park," she sighed in resignation. "Kiko might like that."
"That sounds good," her mother agreed. With that, Mike and Vanessa watched as their daughter dejectedly walked back into the house.
"Look at that, she doesn't even know what to say!" Mike said, turning to his wife.
"I guess, but don't you think she seemed to want something more ... sophisticated?"
"Like a bike with a speedometer?" Mike asked.
Vanessa sighed. "No, Mike. It's obvious she wanted a Vespa. Did you never notice the hints she gave us since Christmas?"
"She left hints?" He asked, legitimately confused.
Venessa let out another sigh. "Maybe we could save up some money for one and give it to her for her birthday in December."
Mike scratched the back of his neck. "I'm not so sure about that; Vespa's are pretty dangerous. I heard the neighbor's son got a Vespa and-"
"We can't always base our decisions on stories and what-ifs. If we did, we'd never let her leave the house, you know that sweetie," she said, smiling and looping her arm around her husband's. "Plus, it's a Vespa, not a motorcycle."
"That's true. I'm just worried, you know," Mike said. "She's almost an adult and I-"
Vanessa cut him off. "I get it. Now shush, she's coming back down."
Bloom walked back outside, cradling her orange cat with a messenger bag slung over her shoulder. She placed Kiko in the basket along with her bag and hopped on the bike. She placed the black helmet on her head before waving her parents goodbye. As she began cycling down the road, she heard her dad call out, "Ride carefully and be back by six!"
"Whatever," she called back, sticking out her tongue.
...
"He'll never change," Bloom said sadly to Kiko while cycling. "Dad won't ever let me ride anything faster than this bike. I'm surprised he got me this. At least they got me something. Besides, it's the thought that counts."
As Bloom cycled towards the park, she pedaled past rows upon rows of local stores: her mom's flower shop, the grocer, Panera bread, and that new herbal store run by a cute old Wiccan couple. A few of the usual hipsters filed out the door, but no one gave them a second glance. This was just a normal day in Gardenia.
She spotted a group of her classmates talking while gathered on the side of the street. She curiously cycled over to see what was going on, and, at the center of attention, presenting her new hot pink Vespa, stood a girl with long black hair and dark blue pointy glasses. She had on a yellow-green tank top and yellow capris. It was Mitzi Vega, Bloom's worst enemy.
"It's too bad I won't have a chance to use it this month since I'll be going on a ski trip by myself. Such a shame," Mitzi said in a dramatic tone, obviously enjoying every second of attention she was receiving. "I hope no one steals it while I'm on my solo ski trip."
Seeing Mitzi showing off her new Vespa sparked a twinge of jealousy in Bloom. "Of course, she got a Vespa. Of course, she did," she mumbled. "If I just ride away quietly, maybe I can-"
"Oh, hey, Bloom," Mitzi greeted, spotting the silent bike rider.
"Hey, Mitzi," Bloom awkwardly greeted back, stepping off her bicycle. "Nice Vespa. When did you get it?"
"Like, this very morning, it was a gift from my parents before I went on my ski trip," Mitzi replied, petting the thing like it was her pet. "But, it's not just any Vespa. This is high quality, top model, and, like, very expensive."
"Which model is it?" Bloom asked.
Mitzi opened her mouth, about to answer, paused for a moment, then started checking the scooter for the model name.
"Yup, this sure is some super high quality, expensive scooter if you forget what the model is," Bloom joked.
"Very funny," the black-haired girl said sarcastically. "And for your information, it's a Vespa Primavera," she replied, finally finding the model name. "Bet you don't know what your brand is — oh, you have a bike?"
Bloom nervously chuckled at Mitzi's sudden realization of her mode of transportation.
"Yeah, just got it today," she replied. "It even came with flowers and a little cat." Kiko immediately popped his head out from the basket, chewing on a flower.
"Seriously, your parents got you a bike?" Mitzi asked, stunned. "Did they not want their poor little Bloom on a dangerous Vespa? How tragic."
The group of teens chuckled but Bloom only rolled her eyes. She wasn't going to let anything Mitzi said to her ruin her day, even if she had hit the bullseye. She and Mitzi had a love-hate relationship and Bloom knew well how to defend herself.
"Neither. I wanted a bike, so they got me one," Bloom shrugged. "Plus, Vespas are pretty dangerous. What if my poor Kiko got hurt?" She gently scratched the quiet cat's head, making him purr softly.
Mitzi smirked, shaking her head. "You and that cat. Is that, like, your only friend?"
"You're critiquing me on who I'm friends with?" Bloom smirked back, knowing how close Mitzi was to her own pet dog. "That's rich. Anyway, when will you be going on this extravagant vacation?"
"Plane leaves tomorrow morning," Mitzi answered with a carefree smile. "What about you, Bloom? Wait, don't answer." She paused, making an exaggerated thinking pose. "After careful thought, I've, like, de- deduced you'll be going to that same old funky beach resort, huh?"
Bloom refused to answer, only letting out an exhausted huff. This confirmed Mitzi's suspicions, making her clap her hands eagerly. Bloom held her head down avoiding eye contact with the group.
"I knew it!" she giggled. "You are just so plain, Bloom. Same old trip every summer. Such a sad way to spend your time off."
"You got me. Good job, Mitzi. I would give you a cookie, but I don't carry dog treats," Bloom shot back, making Mitzi's group chuckle as her nemesis fumed silently. "Anyways, you have a fun vacation."
"You too," Mitzi said, "Try not to get sunburned again, or else you'll peel like a dragon, you fantasy-obsessed freak."
"Try not to break your leg on those skis," Bloom shot back as she sulked back to her bike. She could feel a heat rising in her chest, it usually came when she got bothered by people like Mitzi, but she suppressed it as best as she could. "I should get going; Kiko and I are headed to the Frutti Music Bar. Got to try that new Triple Berry Blast Smoothie before I head to the park, ain't that right Kiko?" Kiko turned towards Bloom while nibbling on a flower. Bloom simply scratched his head with a smile.
"Whoa, exciting," Mitzi said, sarcastically spinning a finger in the air. "Ta-ta, Bloom, I'll send you a postcard from the slopes."
Bloom smiled curtly before turning away, mumbling under her breath before hopping back on her bike. Saying her farewells to the rest of the group she cycled down the path towards the Frutti Music Bar.
...
The Frutti Music Bar was a popular hangout spot. It served smoothies, shakes, and healthy snacks while also providing entertainment by bands and solo acts. Pictures were placed on the walls with spring and nature themes. They were known to serve some of the best drinks in Gardenia, including their new themed smoothies. Bloom just had to grab the new TBBS before she headed to the park since she had heard a dozen rave reviews about it.
She parked her bicycle at a bike rack and adjusted her messenger bag around her shoulder before hopping off.
"I'll be back. Kiko. Guard the bike." She gestured towards the bicycle to make sure her cat understood. He meowed back at her. Although Bloom knew he was more likely to fall asleep rather than do any actual guarding, she gave him a scratch on the head.
She entered the smoothie bar and walked towards the counter where she spotted the owner's young magenta-haired daughter, Roxy, chatting with a girl with long blonde hair, covered in body glitter and a bright yellow and orange sleeveless dress. All the other workers seemed to be busy, so Bloom approached Roxy. It also didn't hurt that she knew her personally.
Bloom tried to get the pink-haired girl's attention, but her attempts failed. Roxy was too busy eagerly discussing a funny anecdote, while the glittery girl quietly sipped from her tall pink smoothie. Bloom couldn't help but feel ignored as the two girls talked.
"So," Roxy said, leaning over the counter. "Sharon tried to load up all seven of the glasses at once, and then she got her stiletto stuck on one of the bar chairs. As you can imagine, she tripped."
The other girl laughed, nearly spitting out her smoothie. "That's what she gets for wearing stilettos!" She pulled her left hand up to her mouth, and Bloom noticed a shiny blue and yellow ring on it.
Bloom raised an eyebrow when she heard the ring-wearer speak. She had nothing against the girl, but what surprised her was how proper and chipper her English was. She expected a girl with purple eyeshadow and pink lipstick to speak in a valley girl accent, but instead, it was British.
Bloom cleared her throat, gaining the girls' attention, "I hate to interrupt, but I'd really like to order something."
Roxy gasped. "I'm so sorry, Bloom. I've been super distracted today. It's super busy and dad's on an important business trip, so he left me in charge while he's gone. I think I'm doing a pretty good job."
Bloom chuckled. "You do seem to be keeping the place in one piece, but the last time your dad went on an 'important business trip' my dad found him camping in the woods while smoking weed and playing the bongos."
The girl chuckled loudly, nearly spitting out her smoothie.
"We don't talk about that," Roxy said, her eyes darting away in embarrassment while her cheeks turned a bright red. "This time he's actually off at a business meeting and won't be back until tomorrow. Now, what can I do for ya?"
"Well," Bloom started, placing her hands on the counter, nearly knocking over the girl's smoothie. The ring-wearer let out an annoyed huff, which Bloom simply ignored. "I'd like to try one of your Triple Berry Blast Smoothies, to-go."
"Yes, another patron of the TBBS! Those things have been selling like hotcakes! My new customer just ordered one." Roxy motioned towards the girl in the odd clothing who had been quietly sipping away on the tall berry mixture.
Upon noticing both girls' attention on her, the girl happily pulled away from her drink. "Ah, yes, I have, and it is brill," she complimented, a slight twang to her voice.
"I love when you say fancy stuff like that," Roxy complimented, causing the shimmering girl to blush. "Bloom, this is my new friend, uh..."
"Just call me Stel," Stel replied.
"Bloom, this is my new friend, Stel. Stel, this is my friend and best customer, Bloom," Roxy introduced the two to each other. Bloom turned towards the glimmering girl, who wiggled her fingers politely in greeting.
"The one with the band?" shimmer girl asked. "From what this adorable server girl has told me, you used to be in quite the popular rock band. Insipid Wishbone, was it?"
'Server girl?' Bloom wondered in her head. She had rarely seen anyone talk this proper or refer to a waitress as a server girl. "Um, Insect Wishbone. It wasn't really popular. Roxy is definitely exaggerating there, we just played here a couple of times last year."
"Oh? Odd name either way," the girl responded before taking another long sip from her drink. "Hopefully you didn't play any music that was as weird as your name."
"No, we didn't," Bloom replied, "Just mostly covers of pop songs." She felt old anger rise up. Memories of her bandmates shooting down her requests looped in her mind like a broken projector. "Anyways, I don't like to talk about it."
"With a name like that, I can see why," Stel jested.
Bloom raised an eyebrow, slightly offended.
"You guys were so awesome though," Roxy said. "My dad said he'd be totally okay with you guys playing again."
"That's not happening anytime soon," Bloom said, her face squirming in disgust. "I don't want to be rude, but can you start making that smoothie?"
"Coming right up!" Roxy said, spinning on her heel and walking over to a blender to start mixing the drink.
"In a rush?" Stel questioned.
"Kind of," Bloom answered. "I've got errands to run, people to see, the usual."
"Such a shame you aren't playing tonight. I could've given you a few recs, like playing something more, what's the word, poppy," Stel giggled. "I do love a good bubbly pop song over something like metal. It's all such incessant noise."
"Really," Bloom said, leaning her elbow on the countertop. "I'm not into that, what was it you mentioned, rave music myself or 'poppy' music. It's such an incessant noise to me."
"Right," Stel smiled, taking a final sip from a smoothie. She smirked at the girl as she pushed her glass away. "Well, love, it's a terrible shame your band isn't a thing anymore. Now, what will I give you advice on?" Stel lazily eyed Bloom's ensemble. "Quite an interesting look you got there, especially the boots. Going for Van Gogh minus the missing ear?"
Bloom rolled her eyes. So, this was how she wanted to play?
"Thanks for the compliment!" she said with a faux chipper tone. "And no, it was more Avant-Garde inspired with a mix of early two thousand's punk. What about you? Trying out a preppy heiress look?"
The shimmering girl flashed an equally sparkly smile before breaking out in laughter. "As a matter of fact, yes. This is the height of fashion from where I'm from, and I must say it does wonders for my complexion."
Bloom gave her an incredulous look before letting a small smile form on her lips. She had to admit, it was fun interacting with this strange girl, despite her initial misgivings.
"One TBBS served!" Roxy announced, placing the smoothie in front of Bloom. Bloom absent-mindedly twirled the straw about while she and Stel continued chatting. She had to admit; the girl was intriguing. She could see why Roxy was so focused on her before.
"Well, I've been here long enough," Stel reached into a side pocket on her long dress, much to the surprise of Bloom, and handed over a couple of small, gold-looking coins to Roxy. "I sadly do have actual errands to run and people to see."
"Leaving already? I thought you'd have more insults about my outfit," Bloom said.
"Oh, darling, trust me, I wasn't insulting your look," Stel said, hopping off the bar stool. "Though, maybe on my next visit, I can give you proper tips on how to vamp up your style."
"If I ever have the misfortune of running into you again," Bloom smirked.
"Brilliant," Stel sarcastically said with a curt smile.
"Before you go, I was wondering, where are you from?" Bloom quickly asked. To her surprise, the girl froze for a moment. "I can't quite place it. It sounds British, but not as well. Which part of Europe are you from?"
Stel eased up a bit before giggling. "Oh, sweetie. Is there even a point in saying it? It's too complicated for you to understand. Just think what you think. Bye!" She swiftly left the bar, taking large strides in her platform heels.
"What a weirdo," Bloom said, turning to Roxy.
"She's just... eccentric," replied Roxy as she examined the strange coins Stel handed her. "She seems nice though."
"You and I have a different definition of nice," Bloom said. "She didn't even say where she's from, just that it's too complicated to understand. I got a feeling she's secretly from New Jersey."
"Well, wherever she's from, they have strange currency," Roxy said, giggling. "I can't even guess what these are made of."
Bloom laughed. "Fitting." She grabbed her smoothie, taking a quick sip from the cup before handing over her own payment to Roxy. "Anyways, I've got to go. See ya, Rox."
"Bye," Roxy eagerly waved goodbye. Bloom turned on her heel and quietly left the music bar. She hopped back on her bike where Kiko was continuing to snack on flowers. She scratched the cat's head then cycled down the road near the park.
...
The park was a large and well-kept place that was considered by many of the town's citizens to be the pride of the town. Almost every townsperson had contributed to help make the park nice, Bloom's mom donating several plants from her own shop over the years. Her parents had always taken her there when she was little. Not for the first time in her life, Bloom was reminded of why she loved the park so much. It was a field of green and yellow and pink, a vibrant arena of beauty and life. The cool summer breeze felt sublime against Bloom's skin. In her bicycle basket, Kiko purred happily, feeling a similar sense of relaxation. Today the park was mostly empty, so it was easy for Bloom to find a secluded, quiet spot shaded by trees for the pair to rest in.
After parking her bicycle, she searched for her usual sketching spot underneath a large tree. With a happy sigh, she sat down and pulled out her sketchbook and pencils.
Kiko plopped down beside her as she silently hummed to herself.
"Sometimes, I wish mom and dad would take me on a vacation somewhere other than that beach resort. They don't seem to understand I hate it there," she said to her pet whilst sketching a goblin. "It's so obvious they want to go someplace else, too. Sure, a vacation to Washington or New York isn't cheap, but going to the same place, again and again, is boring." Bloom paused, nibbling on her pencil. "Still, we could get to New York on a budget. We wouldn't have much to do.
"I just can't go back to that beach. If I get stung by another jellyfish, I'm going to scream." Her pencil flew off track as she remembered the agony of jellyfish stings. She groaned at the line, carefully erasing it. "Maybe if dad gets a promotion or a raise at work, it could happen. Or maybe mom's shop might get really popular. After all, who doesn't love flowers?" She paused, raising the pencil to her chin. "Okay, I don't, but others do. I could help her set up a Facebook page to attract more people. What do you think, Kiko?"
She looked down at her cat, who was sprawled out across the soft grass trying to find the perfect way to take his nap.
Bloom gently stroked his nose. "Aw, I guess you're happy as long as you get a nap, huh?"
She grinned and went back to her drawing as her pet took his daily nap. Bloom tapped the pencil on her chin as she stared at the picture in her sketchbook. She had too many ideas swimming around in her mind and she wasn't sure which to focus on. After thinking them over, she finally decided on drawing her version of a fairy. The novel she read last night had given her great ideas for one.
Almost an hour passed, and Bloom was adding the finishing touches to her artwork. She stared at it in pride. She did not abide by the stereotype of fairies being delicate, having flower petals as dresses, and needing a wand. Instead, she designed them with modern clothing that was suitable for flying. Instead of the typical pastel colors, she gave them dark shades instead. Overall, she was very pleased with the outcome.
She started packing up her supplies, almost ready to leave. Suddenly, a beastly roar echoed throughout the park, causing the trees to ripple. It was unlike anything she had ever heard before. Before Bloom could react, a shriek followed up the echo. Kiko immediately jumped into her arms, shaking in fear.
"What was that?" she asked in alarm. Scrambling to her feet, she clutched Kiko to her chest. Several strange sounds echoed out from the forest, but what shocked Bloom the most was the panicked screaming that accompanied the sounds.
Bloom frantically searched through her bag before realizing she left her cell phone at home. She stomped her foot in anger before dropping everything and placing Kiko in the basket to keep him safe.
Without a second thought, she raced through the thicket of the woods. As she ran, the growls and screams grew louder and more erratic. She spotted a nearby glade through the trees and what she saw stunned her. The girl Bloom had met earlier was standing there, but she looked bloody and bruised. That wasn't even addressing her new outfit.
She wasn't in the dress she had on before. Instead, she now had on a sparkly orange one-shoulder crop top that exposed her midriff, matching short shorts, and knee-high boots. The top was slightly torn, scratches visible on her arms and legs. Her hair was in two long pigtails, accompanied by an orange headband. Her body was still shimmering, but it seemed like part of that was her normal skin. She was grasping on a long blue and white staff with a sun motif on the top, trying to support her trembling legs. What made Bloom blink twice was the girl's big, blue-teal sparkling wings sticking out from her back. She quickly hid behind one of the trees, unsure of what she saw. Her eyes had to be playing tricks on her, right?
With a horrible screech, a large black and red creature with long, jagged claws and sharp fangs darted at the winged girl. The girl jumped back as quickly as she could. With a desperate swing from her staff, she hit the creature on its side. "Rising Sun!" She yelled. A burst of energy emerged from the staff, sending the beast thrashing to the ground with a thud. It gurgled before vanishing into thin air.
Bloom could see a mix of blood and sweat drop from the girl's chin as she breathed heavily. The girl put a hand over her chest then wiped her sweaty forehead.
"Whoa, she defeated it with..." Bloom paused. "Laser beams?"
"Give us the scepter, little girl," a deep, rasping voice growled, interrupting Bloom's thoughts. "Or my ghouls will pry it from your cold, dead hands."
Stel nervously took a few steps back as her eyes widened in fear at the sight in front of her. Bloom followed her stare and she realized why she was so terrified. On the opposite side of the glade, surrounded by a dozen small black creatures, stood a massive green, yellow, and brown humanoid monster covered in enormous pulsating muscles and warts. The creature was slightly hunched over with two beady black eyes, long yellow nails, a set of brown overalls, and a short untrimmed beard.
"Yo- you'll never take the Scepter of Solaria, you hideous barmy!" Stel exclaimed, trying to sound intimidating. "You and your ghouls better stand down or feel the true power of the Sun and Moon fairy!"
"Fairy?" Bloom whispered in shock. She quickly raised her hand to her mouth as she bit her bottom lip. She wanted to help but wasn't sure what she could do, or even if she should. She hated to admit it, but she was way out of her league here.
"Suit yourself." The beast smiled evilly before grunting out orders in an unfamiliar language. The small red creatures hissed; Bloom found herself holding her breath in fear as they charged at the girl.
The girl didn't look fearful though, as she calmly held up her hand. "Solar Wind!" She shouted. A strong gust of wind seemed to escape from the girl's hand, causing the creatures to fall back and roll on the grass, trying desperately to regain their balance.
Before they could recover, the sparkly girl positioned her staff at the creatures. "Solar Beam!" she said. Her staff shot out a single searing, bright beam of light, bisecting three of the creatures. Yep, definitely laser beams. Another creature hurled itself at the girl with its mouth wide open, but she casually fired another beam straight down its throat. The creature fell to the ground, and along with the other three monsters, dissolving into glittering dust.
One more attempted to grab her by the waist, but the fairy casually drove the butt of her staff into the red creature's stomach, causing it to topple over. Then, with a swing of her staff, she stabbed the creature, causing it to vanish as well.
Bloom found herself anxiously biting her lip again as the creatures vanished into glittering dust, leaving only four crowded around the beast. She had never seen creatures like this in real life before, only in cartoons. She most certainly never expected to see someone fighting them. Only a few hours ago she was chatting it up with Stel at the music bar and now she was watching her fight strange creatures with magic. Oh, and she had wings sticking out of her back, but that was beside the point. Despite her desire to help, Bloom tucked herself behind the tree. She still had no clue what to do. She didn't have any special powers.
"Do you want to wrap this up now?" she heard the girl ask. "Or would you like to have your huge pus-filled arse beaten too?"
The massive humanoid looked around, displeased with the destruction of its little henchmen. The corner of its eyes started turning red and it began breathing heavily.
Stel relished this and slowly held up her bloody hand while trying to hold herself up on her staff. With one index finger, she egged on the monster to attack her. It let out an angry roar and charged at her at an alarming speed.
Stel barely managed to evade the beast by throwing herself to the side as the creature's ham-sized fist swung through the air at where her head had been moments ago. It tripped and smashed into a tree, snapping it in half. The girl tumbled to the grass, wincing in pain. She scrambled away as the massive beast turned and tried to crush her with its massive-sized foot. Instead of crushing her, it left an impressively large dent on the ground with such force that Bloom could feel it in her legs.
"If you try anything like that again, I will annihilate you with a light bomb!" she warned. Despite her boldness though, it was obvious from her body trembling that she wasn't nearly as confident as she tried to sound.
The vomit-colored creature merely glared at her, as if deciding how to defeat the staff-wielding fairy. The girl slowly backed away as it kept coming closer. Bloom spotted two red creatures sneaking up behind the Stel, preparing to jump the girl.
"STEL, BEHIND YOU!" Bloom yelled, jumping out from her hiding spot.
The shimmering girl turned to notice the creatures, who immediately hissed at her. She instantly fired a blinding flash of light that made the creatures recoil back.
Bloom was relieved until she noticed the massive humanoid commanding the red monsters to charge at her instead. She tried to get away, but one of the creatures latched itself onto her leg, sending them both to the ground. The creature began to dig its claws deep into her upper thigh. Blood began trickling from the scars.
"HOLY SHIT!" Bloom screamed in pain as she tried to kick the creature off. "Get the hell off me! Get off! Get off!" She planted a foot in the middle of its face, but it only hissed again. With one strong kick, she sent the beast reeling back. In the scuffle, the beast left long gashes into both her jeans and leg.
The creature regained its footing and hissed at Bloom. The girl nervously crawled away as the creature charged towards her ready to claw at her head.
"Not again!" she shielded herself, ready for the attack. The creature, fortunately, took a bomb of flashing light to the back from her staff, turning him into a puff of smoke. The light-blasting girl gave her a reassuring smile before turning back to the monster.
"This is a fight between you and me, not innocent civilians!" Stel angrily stated.
The beast ignored Stel's anger to swipe at her. She evaded the claw swipe from the large monster as it tried to snatch her. Her movements were sluggish. It was obvious she wanted– and needed– to rest, but she wasn't going to let the beast take what was hers.
The creature barked at the last remaining black and red creatures to go for the frantic artist while the beast turned towards the trembling fairy. Bloom frantically tried crawling away again as they stalked towards her. "Stay away from me."
Stel was too busy trying to fight off the thundering beast, trying to not get any more injuries, leaving the terrified girl to fend for herself from the voracious creatures. The creatures closed in on Bloom, preparing to attack. As they hissed at her, she felt fearful and enraged. Her heart raced. She could feel something inside her chest, a strong form of energy that seemed to be hidden away in her for a long time, growing stronger by the second.
As the creature launched itself at Bloom, she held up her hands and yelled, "I said: STAY. AWAY. FROM. ME!" The flame that had been suppressed for so long was finally ignited.
A large barrier of fire exploded from her hands, extinguishing the last three remaining ghouls. The roaring flame wall crackled around her as she gazed at the flames shooting from her hands. The injured fairy barely managed to evade the oncoming blaze. Her enemy wasn't so lucky. Bloom's fire incinerated the right side of its body, causing it to cry out in agony.
As the flames died out, Bloom could see that the behemoth monster's whole right side had been scorched badly enough to have turned a raw pink, like bubblegum left out under a park bench.
It glared at the two girls with one good eye. "This isn't over. I'll come back with more ghouls to get both of you!" it shouted, backing away. "You haven't seen the last of me!" With a flash of smoke, the beast disappeared, leaving a dark black ring engraved in the ground.
A moment of silence lay over the two remaining girls. Bloom stared at her shaking hands. Even though the blaze had come from them, they appeared to be fine. There wasn't a single scratch or burn on them, unlike her leg. "Di- did I just do that?" she questioned, mystified. She fell onto her knees, the pain in her leg pounding with relentless fury.
"You most certainly did, love," the fairy girl congratulated, limping over to her. She held out her bloodied hand to help the girl up. "That was some kick-arse fairy fighting skills."
"Um, thanks... I think," Bloom said, grabbing her hand. "What... what just happened?"
"It's sort of difficult to explain," the girl said while struggling to lift the leg bleeding girl up. "But now that those ghastly barmies are gone, if you'll excuse me..." The shimmering fairy glanced at the spot where the monster had been. After a moment, her eyes rolled into the back of her head before she slowly collapsed to the ground, reverting to the dress Bloom had seen her in before, her cuts still being visible.
"Hey, are you all, right?" Bloom asked, crouching next to the girl. She winced from the pain in her leg as the dizzy girl let out a faint groan. "Right, that was a dumb question. Um... don't faint at least."
"Oh, I'm fine, I just need to rest real quick. This is a normal day for me," the girl reassured her. "Stuff like this can be healed up quickly. Although, it's a good thing I'm not at risk of being torn apart like a rag doll anymore. That wouldn't be too good for a princess."
"Right," Bloom nodded, "Wait, what?"
The princess ignored Bloom's reaction and stared down at her bleeding leg. "What about you, love? Your leg's pretty mangled."
"It's not that bad," Bloom said, sounding as calm as she could. The pain in her leg was unbearable, but she knew that compared to the princess's injuries, it wasn't that bad. "Just a flesh wound. I'm more focused on the giant red alien creature that clawed it." She paused. "Not to mention...who are you?! What are you?! What were those creatures and how the hell did you do the thing with the laser beams and the staff?!"
"Hold on, love, one question at a time," Stel said sitting up. "I'm trying not to fall unconscious here. Do you mind helping me up?"
"Oh, sure." With Bloom's help, the girl managed to stand up while resting on Bloom's shoulder, although it pained both to be standing.
The girl groaned "Maybe I'm a tad in pain," she said, "I owe you one, love."
"For what?"
"You saved me back there," Stel replied, "If it weren't for you, I might've lost my scepter."
"Oh, uh, it was nothing, really," Bloom said nonchalantly, "Now, can you please tell me who you are?"
"Okay, I guess there's no use still lying to you. Allow me to properly introduce myself." Stel cleared her throat. "I am Princess Stella Luna Leanna Celestia Estelle Davenwood of Solaria, but my friends call me Stella or Stel."
Bloom cocked her head in confusion, much to Stella's surprise. "Is that your real name?"
"Of course, it is!" Stella exclaimed, slightly offended. "Haven't you heard of Solaria? The planet with two suns and moons?" She waited for the girl to respond. "Separated into two kingdoms?"
"Yeah, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Bloom said, looking completely lost. "Did you hit your head back there?"
"That's the one thing that wasn't damaged. Plus, why would I lie about being a noble?" Stella asked, slightly offended. "My father was all over the news for donating a large amount of money for the queen's rot disease research."
"The who, what disease research?" Bloom asked, still unsure if this girl was crazy or not.
"How about this, he's in alliance with Edward Ó Faoláin, the king of the banshees and sirens. He's assisting him after the king was almost assassinated."
"Nope, none of anything you just told me sounds familiar...or makes sense," Bloom admitted. The only current royalty she knew about was Queen Elizabeth, and even though this girl had the accent, she wasn't from England, let alone any part of Europe.
"Then I am most certainly far from home, or even Alfea for that matter," Stella sighed. "So, where am I then?"
"Gardenia," Bloom answered.
Now, Stella was the one looking confused.
"It's in California... that's in America... none of this ringing a bell?" Bloom added. "What about Earth?"
Stella didn't say anything, only shifting her eyes around.
"You're telling me you don't know what Earth is?!"
"Well, I'm sorry, but you don't know what Solaria is, so we're even," Stella replied. "To be fair, interdimensional geography isn't something I spent much time studying."
"You said that like it was completely normal," Bloom muttered. "Wait a minute, are you saying you're from another planet?"
Stella started laughing, her sides heaving painfully as she did so. "Try another realm. I'd love to tell you more about it, but do you think we could hurry out of this part of the woods?"
Bloom glanced back at the burnt grass circle the beast left before leading Stella out of the forest to her bike, but she still seemed completely lost on what the girl was talking about.
Stella huffed. "Bleeding Omega, they didn't teach you this stuff in school?"
"No, the inter-dimensional geography class wasn't passed by the school board," Bloom sarcastically said. "I wasn't even aware there were different realms. Are there more places like yours?"
"Dozens, dearie!" Stella exclaimed. "I didn't expect to meet someone so ignorant about the Magix realm." Bloom took offense to that comment, but Stella didn't seem to notice, as she quickly changed the subject. "Honestly I came upon this place by mistake. I was out clubbing when that dimwitted beast stormed into the club and tried to corner me for my magical ring. I freaked and gate-jumped. Not a brilliant idea." Bloom kept quiet, still unsure if anything happening was real. "This here magical ring in question is also my Scepter of Solaria, right, and it's a handy tool for channeling my magic while transformed. It can also open gates between worlds and goes well with any outfit. However, as I was trying to teleport back to Alfea College, I was so frightened I couldn't focus, and it brought me here."
"Okay," Bloom slowly nodded.
"Anyways, when I ended up here, I assumed it was gone and went to grab a drink. I forgot the dimwit had its own gate-jumper. When I returned here to teleport back, that's when I found him, and you know the rest."
"Gate-jumper?"
"Hello," Stella said. "That burnt circle you saw back there. That's what happens when you use gate rings. They always leave a circle imprint like when your guest leaves a glass on your freshly tidied cedar wood table without a coaster."
Bloom chuckled at hearing Stel finally using a phrase they both understood.
"Gate rings are enchanted rings that even beings without magic can use for teleportation between one place and another location. They're damn near impossible to remove the enchantment from, so it's a good thing we're leaving before that ogre reappears. They can heal pretty fast."
"That thing was an ogre?" Bloom exclaimed, alarmed and astonished at the same time. "I thought ogres were make-believe! Then again, you had wings sprouting out your back not even two minutes ago, so what do I know?"
"Yeah, I take it that they're not common here," Stella replied, "but in Magix, they're not too hard to find if you know where to look. Some are good, most are bad, and there's a lot of them."
Bloom and Stella limped to the tree where she was sitting under before the scuffle. Her bicycle was still parked underneath. Kiko was in the basket, still snacking on the flowers. Once there, Bloom couldn't stop herself from hyperventilating as she slowly lowered herself and Stella to the ground.
"Why are you sitting?" Stella asked, worried. "We have to find a place to hide."
"I just...I need a minute," Bloom said as she slumped against the tree. Resting her head on her knees, she repeatedly said, "Magic is real. Magic is real. Magic is real. Magic is real. Magic is real..."
"Oh, I understand. You're going through a bit of culture shock," Stella sympathized, patting the distraught Bloom. "Take your time."
"Thank you," Bloom whimpered. "So, if that was an ogre, what were the demons?"
"Demo— Oh, the little creatures. Those were imps," Stella answered. "The ogre called them ghouls, but they're imps. They're small, easy to create, and disposable creatures. Not that strong, though. That's why you saw them vanish into the air after being destroyed. Nasty things."
"Of course!" Bloom said, throwing a hand in the air. "Then what are you? A sorceress, wizard, witch? Because after seeing you fight that... that real-life ogre and his imps with magic, I'm assuming you're not human!"
"And you consider me a witch?" Stella rolled her eyes. "Ridiculous! For your information, I am a fairy."
Bloom bonked her head. "My fault, how would I have not known that when you had giant wings sticking out your back like a butterfly?" she sighed, trying to catch her breath. "Not to mention you've got this weird shimmering sparkle on your body."
"Yeah, that's a mix of body glitter and natural shimmer from my mum," Stella explained. "I can tone it down if you're bothered."
"It's fine, I'm processing a lot right now, the body glitter isn't the issue," Bloom replied, burying her head in her knees. "Wait. Aren't fairies supposed to be tiny with pointed ears and wings? They're extremely cheerful and obnoxious?" She paused for effect. "Actually, you nail that last part."
Stella was about to respond until she heard the last sentence. "Snide remark aside, most of what you described are pixies," she explained. "A fairy, like myself, is a magic-user who can transform into what you saw a moment ago. Our wings can be released whenever, but it's better to fight in fairy form to use our powers to their full extent."
"I can't believe this," Bloom said, trying to process everything she had seen and heard. She couldn't deny the existence of mythical creatures and magic after witnessing that battle, as mystifying as it all was. "There's no reason to call you a liar though. Okay, can you explain why an ogre of all things was after you?"
"How would I know?" Stella exclaimed. "One minute, I'm shaking my bum in the club and the next thing I know, it barges in, demanding I hand my scepter over. It certainly wasn't taking the Solaria Scepter without a fight. The Davenwood Reign is well known and loved, but sadly, we aren't without enemies. Amazingly, it wanted this little ring, but it does hold great power." the blond shrugged, pulling off her ring, then without a second thought, the ring transformed back into a staff, causing Bloom to jump back. She grinned. "You're like a child right now."
"Well, excuse me, but we don't have real magic around here; only illusions," Bloom said somberly. "I've always had an interest in magic and the supernatural, yet I didn't expect to see any of this. Shooting light beams from a staff, fairies, ogres, gate-jumping, I'm still trying to wrap my head around what just happened."
"I know it's a lot to take in. I could try filling you in on everything I know; it really won't be a lot," Stella said. "But, if you're telling me you're completely unaware of magic, how were you able to cast that ace firewall? I assumed you'd at least know you're a fairy."
"A fairy?" Bloom stared back down at her hands.
"Of course, you are. Don't tell me you're not. That skill you used was most certainly fairy magic. Not witch magic or a simple mage. It's most certainly fairy magic."
"Cool..." Bloom sighed again. "How?"
"Hey, don't get me wrong, you don't seem like fairy material at all," Stella admitted, placing a hand on the girl's back. "But it looks like you're one of us."
"This is way too much to take in." Bloom shook her head. "One second I'm focused on vacation plans and smoothies and a bike and the next thing I know, fire is literally shooting from my hands!"
"Fascinating, isn't it?" Stella nodded. "Well, we can talk about this more later, we've been sitting here long enough. Do you have a place nearby where we can lay low? I need some rest and don't want to risk teleporting somewhere in my condition."
"Um, yeah. You can stay at my place," Bloom said, rubbing her leg. "We should probably hurry before it gets dark." She wrapped the princess's arm around her shoulder and lifted them both up. A blistering pain shot up her leg again, but she tried ignoring it as much as she could.
Once Stella saw her mode of transportation was the girl's bike, she frowned. "A bicycle? Are you serious?"
"Sorry, the chariot's in the shop," Bloom replied, annoyed.
Stella pouted before noticing Kiko staring at her. "Aw, cute," she cooed, softly petting the cat's head.
Bloom tried placing her helmet over Stella's head, but the girl pushed it away with a look of disgust on her face. "Um, are you trying to give me helmet hair?"
"Yes, because your hair is the biggest issue," Bloom mumbled, placing the helmet back in the basket. Stella simply ran her fingers through her hair while looking away from the girl who rolled her eyes. "Whatever then."
"Are you sure you're okay to do this?" Stella asked as Bloom adjusted her footing. "Your leg is bleeding an awful lot."
"Oh, I hadn't noticed," Bloom said through gritted teeth. "I'm fine."
"All right," Stella shrugged. "Now, off to your place!"
Bloom huffed as she slowly pedaled out of the park. As she made her way down the familiar streets, her mind kept focusing on what Stella had told her. She couldn't stop wondering if she was right. Could she really be a fairy? And if so, what will this mean for her?
...
End of Part 1
Wow, you made it to the end? You must be exhausted. There's a reason I separated these lol. Well, take a break, replenish your body and hurry back for more reading of Winx Club: A Different Way!
Thank you,
Nadia
and
Ditzy_Diva_315