Greetings fellow readers and writers! Welcome to my latest creation to erupt from my imagination, and what a tale I've for you! Now, I know what you're thinking: Why am I starting yet another fic while I've still got Descendants Beyond going? Well, I'm sorry to say it, but I've stalled with that story. I'll get back to it if I ever get my creative mojo flowing in that direction, but for now I'm focused on this one.
This story is my imagining of what Fate: The Winx Saga Season 2 will be. Now before you bombard me with complaints and hate-fueled nonsense, I'm well aware of the controversy surrounding the show, the whitewashing and absence of beloved characters and the overall changes from the source material. I grew up with Winx Club, both the 4Kids version and later the Rai English dub, the later vastly preferred than the former. But like many fans, I was disappointed, then outraged, with what Nickelodeon did with the franchise to the point of giving up on the cartoon. Maybe I'll check out the later, non-Nickelodeon seasons, but for now, Fate is what I'm working with.
I've seen reviews and responses online of those who absolutely hated Fate, but did any of them actually watch the show and give it a chance based on its own merit, without comparing it to the original cartoon? I personally loved it and can't wait for Season 2, hopefully early next year, if COVID doesn't mess up production. Regardless, this story is what I wish to write now, for my enjoyment and for those reading it. If you don't like it, don't read it, and don't spam me with hate for hate's sake. If you've a legimate complaint, I'm willing to listen, just don't deluge me with nonsense about how not-Winx Club the show is and how I'm wasting my time. Remember, THIS IS FANFICTION!
As usual, I own nothing but the original characters, so please don't sue me, I only wish to tell a story. And now, without further ado, let the story begin!
Prologue
"W-what sort of changes?" Bloom asked as she stood at the gates of Alfea with Stella, Terra, Musa and Aisha. Across the pavement stood Rosalind, former headmistress of the school for Fairies, flanked by Queen Luna and a man Bloom didn't know.
"Oh, nothing to concern yourselves with, dear Bloom," said Rosalind, "for starts, I am now Headmistress of Alfea again."
"No, Farah Dowling is Headmistress of Alfea," said Aisha.
"Not anymore," said the man next to Rosalind, "Ms. Dowling…let's just say she's taking a well-earned holiday."
"And with the threat of a Burned Ones resurgence," said Queen Luna, "I saw it fit to grant Dowling her leave of absence, and reinstated Andreas of Eraklyon as Specialist Headmaster."
"Wait, Andreas of Eraklyon?" Terra asked, "Sky's father? Isn't he dead? And where's Silva?"
"No, I just spent sixteen years still moving," said Andreas, "as for Saul Silva, he's under arrest for trying to kill me sixteen years ago."
"Alright, this isn't funny, Mother!" said Stella irately as she stepped forward, "you do realize you're standing with a pair of murderers?"
"Oh, Stella," said a disappointed Queen Luna as she flexed her fingers, "you truly need to learn to speak only when spoken to."
Bloom then saw the look of confusion on Stella that rapidly changed to panic and terror. Stella flailed her arms about and stumbled to the ground, panting and whimpering at some unseen horror.
"What are you doing to her?!" Musa asked as she flinched, her eyes glowing as she involuntarily sensed Stella's fear.
"Reinforcing in my daughter the virtue of obedience," said Queen Luna.
"Well, you'd better stop it right now!" said Terra as she and Aisha stood with Musa, all three's eyes glowing as she prepared to defend their friend.
"I think not," said Rosalind calmly as her eyes glowed brighter than the others. Terra cried out as her back bent backwards, while Aisha bent forward, while Musa's arms twisted against each other.
"Breaking bones was one of my specialties," said Rosalind to Bloom as she kept her gaze on Terra, Musa and Aisha, "one-on-one with a Burned One, I could crack it open and pull out its Cinder, but with your friends, I can snap them like twigs without a drop of sweat."
"Let my friends go, Rosalind!" said Bloom as her eyes glowed and flames licked across her body, concentrating on her back into a pair of wings, "let them go, or I'll…"
"Oh, please, try, Bloom," said Rosalind, "try and see who's faster; your Dragon Flame or my will."
"She's faster, Bloom," said Andreas, "believe me, I've seen her win so many contests back in the day, she had to get a spare room for all her awards. Whatever did happen to all your baubles and knickknacks?"
"No doubt Dowling had them locked in storage," said Queen Luna as she maintained her tormenting gaze on Stella.
Bloom found herself locked by indecision: if she were to attack, there was no telling how much damage Rosalind and Luna would inflict on her friends. Nor could Bloom anticipate what Rosalind would do if she were to give up. And then there was Andreas, the legendary Specialist, who knows what he was capable of?
Hoping she wasn't making a mistake worse than freeing Rosalind, Bloom exhaled as her wings vanished and her eyes returned to normal. "Please, let my friends go."
"Was that so hard, Bloom?" Rosalind asked as the glow left her eyes. Aisha, Musa and Terra gasped in relief as they collapsed to the ground. Bloom rushed to her friends, seeing them sore and breathless but otherwise unharmed.
"You can stop now, Luna," said Rosalind, "It's clear that Bloom will cooperate."
"Bloom is your problem, Rosalind," said Queen Luna, "my daughter is still in need of correction!"
At that Andreas let loose a derisive chortle.
"I beg your pardon?!" snapped Queen Luna as she broke eye contact with Stella, who gasped in relief as her visions of horror vanished.
"I find it amusing, that's all," said Andreas, "that after so many years of your negative reinforcement, Stella hasn't gone completely insane."
"How dare you!" said Queen Luna, "my daughter is not insane! She is weak, but I will make her strong! I will make her into a Queen worthy of leading Solaria after I am gone!"
"We will make her strong, dear Luna," said Rosalind, "I give you my word, where Dowling failed, I will succeed, with your assisting wisdom and compassion, of course."
"I…of course, Rosalind," said Queen Luna, "I trust you to do right by my daughter," she then glared at Stella, who flinched back, "mind your new Headmistress, dearest, your future reign depends on it."
Smiling like the benevolent monarch she led Otherworld to believe she was, Luna addressed everyone present, "and now, must return to that dreadful yet necessary business of running the kingdom. I wish you all good days and pleasant nights in the trials and tribulations to come." With that, flanked by her armed entourage, Luna walked towards where her convenience awaited.
"Stella, are…are you…" Musa asked.
"No, I'm not alright," said Stella as she struggled to stand up, "I'm pretty fucking far from alright." She looked at Rosalind and Andreas, "if you think I'll just sit there and let you and my mother mold me like a lump of clay…"
"It's either Rosalind's way or your mother's way, young lady," said Andreas, "that goes for the rest of you ladies."
"I'd like to see you try and make us," said Terra, "I'd like to see you try and make my dad…"
"Oh, your dad's already on board with Alfea's new administration," said Andreas, "as is the rest of the faculty, and before you ask, Bloom, so is my son."
"Sky?" Bloom asked, "he's okay with this? And how'd you know I was thinking about him?"
"Who else would you be so franticly looking for?" Andreas, "I know you and him are close, very close. I know, my daughter told me. Oh, that's right, Beatrix is my daughter, well, adopted daughter, which makes her Sky's sister, another thought for him to process, he's had a lot to think about recently."
"I've covered all the angles, Bloom," said Rosalind as she stepped up to the redhead Fire Fairy, "including your Firstworld family."
At that, Bloom's eyes glowed as her rage bubbled up like magma on the verge of erpution, "I'll kill you if you hurt Mike and Vanessa."
"I'm sure you'd try," said Rosalind as she gave Bloom a disarming smile, "and you may very well succeed, but why resort to unnecessary violence? Why fight amongst ourselves when the greater conflict is on the horizon?"
"What greater conflict?" Bloom asked as her rage deescalated, replaced by curiosity.
"The Burned Ones aren't the only threat to The Otherworld, Bloom," said Rosalind, "I admit I have done questionable acts in the past, but it was all to keep the realms safe from greater evils. I am not your enemy; I merely want to help you realize your full potential and fulfill your destiny."
"Don't listen to her, Bloom!" shouted Musa, "she can't be trusted!"
"You mean she's lying!" said Aisha.
"I thought you couldn't sense when people are lying," said Terra.
"I can't," said Musa, "but I can't sense anything from her. She's either got very good control over her emotions, or she's blocking me. Either way, she's hiding something!"
"And therefore, can't be trusted!" said Terra.
"I can be trusted, Bloom," said Rosalind, "Dowling wanted you to play it safe, to stick to the slow and steady path. But not me. I will push you to your limits and boundaries. You have the potential to be the greatest of all Fire Fairies, to wield The Dragon Flame and save The Otherworld from evils you cannot even imagine, and if luck is with us, find your birth parents in the process."
"How do I know if I can trust you?" Bloom asked, "last time I trusted you, you drained Alfea's magic and allowed The Burned Ones inside the barrier. People could've died because of you!"
"But they didn't!" said Rosalind, "instead, you unlocked the ancient magics within you! You have the power to end the curse of The Burned Ones once and for all, if only you were to take a chance on me!" she held out her hand, "I am not your enemy, Bloom."
"What about my friends?" Bloom asked, "where do they fit in all of this?"
"One needs friends for support," said Rosalind, "but I can be your friend as well as your teacher." She then took Bloom's hand in hers, "and together, we will realize your destiny."
"What is my destiny?" Bloom asked.
"That's what we're going to find out," said Rosalind with a convincing smile.
"Well, well, well," said Riven as he, Dane and Beatrix watched the encounter at the school gates from the other side of the front lawn, "look who just found her new favorite."
"So what?" Beatrix asked, "so what if Bloom is now Rosalind's new project? We all know who her real favorite is."
"Yeah, I'm looking at her," said Riven, who was looking out towards Bloom.
"What are the odds she's forgotten all about you?" Riven asked as he took out his vape pen and inhaled a hit.
"Don't even go there, Riven," said Beatrix, "Rosalind knows she'd be stuck in Dowling's trap if it weren't for me. Bloom may have opened the cage, but I lead her to it."
"Then why didn't she ask you to stand with her when Bloom came back from her little getaway?" Riven asked as he took another hit of marijuana vapor.
"I think you've had enough," said Dane as he took the vape pen from Riven, "truthfully, we all have. We need to get serious about what's coming."
"You mean Rosalind's war she's so afraid of?" Riven asked, "now who's had too much? Any idiot could tell this was a power grab. The only war Rosalind has to worry about is the horde of angry parents and school governors about to descend on Alfea."
"No, there is a war coming," said Beatrix, "a greater evil than The Burned Ones and Rosalind will lead the fight against it. And Dane's right, we have gotten lax." With that she walked away.
"What crawled up her innards?" Riven asked, "so what if she's jealous of Bloom? She doesn't need Rosalind or any of those old timers."
"Dude, you really have had too much," said Dane.
Alone in her room, Beatrix struggled to contain the storm of rage that threatened to unleash a real storm. Lightning crackled up and down her arms as she paced back and forth.
"I am not jealous, I am not jealous!" Beatrix said to herself, "Rosalind's just relishing in her victory, that's all! It's only a matter of time before she realizes that Bloom is just another fairy, and exceptional fairy, yes, but I'm far, far more exceptional! I saved her, not Bloom, me! She'd be a fool not to see that, and Rosalind is no fool!"
"And then there's your father, who seems to have forgotten all about you, now that he's reunited with his trueborn son, your brother in a way."
"He's not my brother!" said Beatrix, "Sky means nothing to Andreas! I'm far more his child than Sky ever was or ever will be!"
"Then why didn't he so much as text you all weekend? Surely, he wasn't so engrossed with catching up with Sky after sixteen years that he forgot you existed, did he?"
"What is Sky to Andreas!? A memory of a baby he abandoned!" exclaimed Beatrix, "Andreas could've come out of hiding at any moment and reclaimed Sky, but he didn't! He chose me! I am his child! I deserve his love, not Sky!"
"But what if he does choose Sky over you? And what if Rosalind prefers Bloom? What then?"
"I'll make them see the errors of their ways!" said Beatrix as more lightning crackled across her body, "I'll…" She then realized there was no one in the room but here, so who was she talking to?
"Who's there?!" Beatrix demanded of the voice from nowhere, "I'm warning you, I'm not to be trifled with!"
"Yes, and what a first kill," said the voice, "betraying one of your own to discover Dowling's defenses of Rosalind's prison, then disintegrating the body, and you almost got away with it, if it weren't for Bloom and her meddling friends."
At that Beatrix calmed somewhat, realizing whoever was speaking to her wasn't an immediate threat, "you seem to know much about me, but you remain an enigma."
She then noticed there was a second shadow attached to her body. The second shadow stretched to the wall and morphed into a female shape with long hair, "I'd rather not say who I am for the moment. You're what's important right now."
"Alright, then," said Beatrix as she sat down, "you want to talk about me, so talk. Care to know about my sex life? It's going pretty well so far; Riven's a pretty good shag. Dane, not as good but he has this really interesting thing he does with his tongue and…"
"I didn't risk my life sneaking past Rosalind's new defenses to talk about your fuck buddies," said the voice, or rather, the shadow, "I'm here to talk about your future."
"You want to be future fuck buddies?" Beatrix teased, "I'm up for anything, long as it doesn't get too weird."
"Thanks, I'll pass," said the shadow dryly, "no, I'm talking about your future beyond Rosalind."
Beatrix frowned at this, "what makes you think I ever want to leave Rosalind? She saved me from the ruins of Aster Dell! She brought me to Andreas! I spent the past sixteen years working to free her! If you think that, just because Rosalind's found a new plaything that I'll betray her…"
"I want you to realize that you were a means to an end," said the shadow, "that you are nothing but an asset to Rosalind, just as Bloom is. The moment you are no longer valuable to her, she'll toss you aside like a used condom!"
"Eww, and no, she wouldn't do that!" said Beatrix, "and I think you've more than worn out your welcome!"
"It looks that way," said the shadow, "I'll take my leave, but I'll drop in now and then to see how you are. Rosalind may have lost interest in you, but there are others in the realms who find you infinitely more interesting."
With that the shadow, leaving Beatrix feeling angered, confused and just a bit conflicted. Could it be true? Is she no longer of value to Rosalind?
Beatrix wasn't the only one with conflicting feelings in Alfea at that moment. Perched on the edge of the roof of the main building, Sky watched the exchange between Bloom and Rosalind. He could see his father standing next to Alfea's new headmistress, yet all Sky could think of what Rosalind was doing to Bloom, or what she planned to do.
On the other hand, that was his father out on the front lawn, the man Sky heard praised and worshiped all his life. When Silva told him what happened at Aster Dell, Sky both hated and understood his mentor, for what Andreas was a part of was sickening. Yet hearing Andreas' explanation, as well as Rosalind's justification for the destruction of the Blood Witch settlement, tempered Sky's anger, yet added to his confusion.
Why? Why did Andreas pretend to be dead for so long? Was it so necessary to remain in hiding that Andreas couldn't let his son, his only son, know he was still alive? That he cared?
And then there was Beatrix, the Wind Fairy who corrupted Riven, or was Riven already corrupted and he found his match with Beatrix? Whatever the source of that relation wasn't important, not when Beatrix was his adopted sister all this time. For some reason, Sky shuddered at that thought.
He focused back on Bloom, the mysterious Changeling who turned upside down the lives of everyone around her. What were his feelings for her truly?
Sky then saw Bloom and Rosalind walk towards the main building, while Aisha, Musa, Terra and Stella, dear Stella, whom he would never wish harm on, be escorted elsewhere by several Fairy and Specialist students who had immediately jumped into Rosalind's camp once she took over.
He had so many questions, but two things were certain for Sky. First, his father was back in his life and wanted to make up for sixteen years of absence. Second, and he didn't know how much more important it was, was his feelings for Bloom. Whatever the future hold, whatever Rosalind's plans for her, Sky would do everything in his power to keep Bloom safe, even if it meant breaking her heart, though he hoped with all his might it wouldn't come to that.
On the far side of The Otherworld, in the technologically advanced realm of Zenith, a girl by the name of Teressa Westford, known by her hacker name Tecna, recklessly piloted a hovercycle through the streets full of varying gravity-defying vehicles. Dressed in hacker-styled clothes and hair dyed fuchsia, Tecna knew she was risking getting pulled over by the police, yet time was not on her side.
"I hope I'm not too late!" said Tecna as she weaved between traffic lanes in three dimensions, narrowly avoiding midair collisions and certain death as she flew towards her destination, a hole in the wall cybercafé where she did her best work.
Against the odds, Tecna arrived safe, sound and without causing an accident. She parked her hovercycle, confident in its onboard security systems and protective wards as she ran inside. Today she was lucky to find none of the regular patrons in their usual spots, surfing Otheworld's internet and getting into all sorts of digital trouble.
Reaching her favorite booth and ordering her usual caffeinated beverage, Tecna pulled out her laptop and wireless headset. Minutes later, after logging onto a secure website, Tecna's eyes glowed as she uploaded her mind onto the internet.
Finding herself surrounded by streams of data, Tecna flew through Otherworld's information superhighway to another website, where she activated a group chatroom and hologram projector.
Tecna's consciousness materialized in another internet café, where a woman in her mid-40's with slightly graying brown hair sat at a table, an arm crutch leaning against her chair and a look of utter rage on her face.
"Mrs. Walker," said Tecna, "what are you doing back in Zenith? I thought you were…"
"My business on Earth ended early, Teressa," said the woman, Mrs. Walker, "and I think you know why."
"Rosalind," said Tecna, "I…is it true? Is she really back?"
"And in charge of Alfea again," said Mrs. Walker, "and as if that weren't as big enough of a feat, she also brought Andreas of Eraklyon back from the dead."
"Then…are you going to…what Farah Dowling asked you to do, are you…"
"I'll honor her wishes," said Mrs. Walker, "there was no love lost between us, but I made Dowling a promise and I keep my promises. Have you informed the others?"
"I was just about to," said Tecna. Her eyes glowed as she sent commands out onto the web, "there, the others should be online momentarily."
Mrs. Walker then smiled coyly, "you didn't happen to call out to your paramour, a certain specky hacker you met while playing World of Warcraft?"
"Timmy and I aren't dating!" said Tecna as she blushed, "I mean…we are, sort of, we've never met IRL."
"You may get your chance soon enough," said Mrs. Walker as she grew serious again, "Rosalind, that vindictive bitch. She just had to break out and ruin my life again, didn't she! I was perfectly happy, minding my own business, when she had to waltz back and stir up more trouble. Well, this time, dear Teressa, I'm ready for her. She'll face justice for her crimes, against me and against The Otherworld."
She then winced in pain and reached over to her purse on the floor, fumbling at the clasp to pull out a bottle of green capsules.
"Your hips again?" Tecna asked.
"They never stop hurting, Teressa," said a now flushed and sweating Patricia as she pulled the cap off the bottle, "it's just degrees of pain, some days are worse than others. Trust me, if this was a bad day, you'd know." She then swallowed one capsule and put the rest back in her purse.
"If you're in so much pain," said Tecna, "I'm sure there's better medicine out there, and surely by now there's a treatment or an operation…"
"There is no treatment or cure for what was done to me, Teressa," said Mrs. Walker, "no, Rosalind wanted to leave a lasting impression, a lesson I'd never forget. And I'd rather not get hooked on stronger narcotics. No, the only thing that will make me feel better is bringing Rosalind down. Now, shall we?"
"We shall," said Tecna as she touched Mrs. Walker on the forehead. She reached back into the internet, taking with her an avatar of Mrs. Walker and together they flew through the streams of data invisible to the naked eye.
Both Tecna and Mrs. Walker reached the main hub for their private chatroom. Waiting for them was an avatar of a cyberpunk gunslinger.
"Ah, Timothy," said Mrs. Walker, "you know Teressa, do you?"
"Uh…yes, well, yes, I do," said the cyberpunk gunslinger, "and my handle is Timmy2000AD4.0ALPHA," he then smiled and blushed at Tecna, "hi, Tecnastarcordon. How…how are…?"
"I'm functioning relatively well," said Tecna, "and I see you've upgraded your avatar. Is that a new blaster?"
"Oh, this?" Timmy2000AD4.0ALPHA, or just Timmy, said, as he pulled out a futuristic laser pistol, "just something I hope to make IRL, a fusion of magic and science."
At that another avatar entered the chatroom. This one took the form of a yellow and orange Sonic the Hedgehog with wings on his shoes. "Oh dang, I thought I'd get here first."
"You may be the fastest man in Otherworld," said Tecna, "but online, you're as slow as the rest of us."
"Some of us just know better ways to get around, that's all," said Timmy, "it's not your fault, Le…"
"Don't Use My Real Name!" shouted the Sonic avatar, "you never know who's listening!"
"No one is listening," said Tecna, "I've taken every precaution against unwanted intrusion. We are perfectly safe here, Le…"
"Speedstar8008, if you please," said the Sonic avatar, "better safe than sorry."
"Yes, better safe than sorry," said another avatar, this one in the form of an armored knight with spiked gauntlets and swordbreaker on his back, "especially since I'm a dead man if I ever show my face in Solaria again."
"Fist0Vengence," said Timmy, "we didn't know you'd come."
"As soon as I heard that Andreas of Eraklyon was alive and well, I had to come," said Fist0Vengance, "especially after hearing that Saul Silva was framed for trying to kill him. Saul Silva isn't guilty of attempted murder any more than I'm guilty of high treason!"
"Yes, Andreas does have a habit of falsely accusing those in his way," said Mrs. Walker, "with Silva behind bars, Andreas is free to resume his position as Specialist Headmaster at Alfea."
"And Rosalind's free to twist Alfea into a bootcamp for suicide soldiers," said another avatar, this one in the form of a lady pirate armed with a lightsaber, "she'll have an entire generation of Fairies and Specialists ready, willing and able to die at her command."
"And of course, that bitch of a queen is behind her all the way," said Speedstar8008.
"You leave Luna out of this!" snapped Fist0Vengance as he raised one hand with his fore and middle fingers crossed, "she and I were like 'that' back in the day."
"You mean before or after she posted the million Solarian Dollar reward for your head?" the lady pirate asked.
"I'm not the only one Luna fucked over, and you know it, WaveRyder654," said Fist0Vengance, "I remember when you doing the happy dance when you were promoted to captain of the Royal Guard."
He then looked at Speedstar8008, "and you were slated to one of the top command positions in the Solarian Army, until you got caught dicking around with one of Luna's Ladies in Waiting."
"I was set up!" shouted Speedstar8008, "that bitch set me up, and Luna's the queen of the bitches!"
"No, that title belongs to another," said a portly steampunk gunslinger avatar as he walked towards the group, "Rosalind."
"Well, well, well," said WaveRyder654 derisively, "finally decided to join is, Kl0ckm k3r. Your avatar's different, hmmm, have you put on weight?"
"Don't call me fat and I won't make fun of your shortcomings, Jill," said the steampunk gunslinger, Kl0ckm k3r.
"DON'T USE HER REAL NAME, MAN!" shouted Speedstar8008, "there could be hackers listening!"
"How many times do I have to assure you that we're perfectly safe here?" Tecna asked.
"That's just his perfectly healthy paranoia acting up," said Kl0ckm k3r, "and they say I've got issues."
"Oh, yes, your issues," said WaveRyder654, "tell me, Kl0ckm k3r, do you still bite your nails when you're outside after dark?"
"I don't like being too far away from home at night, that's all!" snapped Kl0ckm k3r, "you think I'm messed up in real life? When was the last time you tried to hook up and didn't totally freak out your date with your issues?"
"You wanna make this personal?!" WaveRyder654 asked as she activated her lightsaber, the energy beam glowing bright green, while the steampunk gunslinger drew out a large, steam powered pistol.
"ENOUGH!" bellowed Mrs. Walker, the force of her shout knocking WaveRyder654 and Kl0ckm k3r over, while Fist0Vengance and Speedstar8008 had to cover their ears.
"My, what impressive lung capacity you have, Mrs. Walker," said Timmy.
"The better to knock some sense in, my dear," said Mrs. Walker as the lady pirate and steampunk gunslinger avatars got back up, "now, let's all dispense with this nonsense, Jill, Andrew."
She then glarted at the moded Sonic and large martial artist avatars, "you too, Leon and Max. And you can also call me by my given name."
"You're right, Patricia," said Fist0Vengance, Max, "we shouldn't be fighting each other."
"Not when there's greater enemies running about in Otherworld," said Speedstar8008, Leon.
"Truce?" asked Kl0ckm k3r, Andrew, as he held out his hand to WaveRyder654, Jill.
"Yes, truce," said Jill as she shook Andrew's hand, "until we've achieved justice for what Rosalind and her ilk did to us."
"And to others," said Tecna as she pulled up a virtual tablet and called up a list, "I've already confirmed Laura, Steven, Jeff and Tyler. Aaron may need a bit more convincing, but if his brother is on board, he'll come too."
"What about The Dreamer?" Andrew asked, "and The Illusionist and The Trio? Will they come?"
"They're ready to help if asked," said Mrs. Walker, Patricia, "but before we go further, there's a few bridges we need to cross. First and foremost is why we're here."
"We know why we're here, Patricia," said Leon, "you started this Shadow Cadre as a secret support group for those who had their lives ruined by Rosalind and her ilk."
"For those directly or indirectly traumatized by Rosalind's machinations," said Patricia, "and through her, the maneuverings of Luna and Andreas, and I fear many more will suffer from their actions before this is over."
"Which is why we need to stop Rosalind before she gets who knows how many innocents killed in a pointless endeavor!" said Jill, "now, before she gets too entrenched in Alfea."
"The school was always her strong point," said Andrew, "we need to take her out before she draws too much power from the magic fonts beneath Alfea!"
"I'm afraid she already has," said Patricia, "but that's not important right now. You lot need to know why I started this conspiratorial support group. I wasn't always Mrs. Patricia Walker. Years and years ago, I was Patricia Dowling, daughter of Farah Dowling."
"Wait…you're Dowling's daughter?" Andrew asked.
"That's what she said, you dingbat!" snapped Jill.
"Don't call me dingbat!" spat Andrew. "Keep pushing my buttons, Jill, see what happens!"
"Oh, and just what are you going to do, hmmm? You gonna track me down in the real world and make me regret triggering you? You have no idea where on Otherworld I am, or even if I'm still on Otherworld. Whereas you, you haven't left your house since July of 2017. July 17th, to be exact."
"I don't have to take this!" said Andrew irately, "I don't have to take any of your bullshit! It said so in our divorce agreement! I'm logging out! Good luck stopping Rosalind without me!"
"Good, we don't need you, you bloody buffoon!" said Jill.
"We do need you, Andrew!" shouted Patricia, "and you Jill, shut your fucking mouth!"
Jill started to speak yet closed her mouth when she saw how serious Patricia was.
"Now," said Patricia in a calmer tone, "as I was saying, I am, I mean…" she took a bracing breath, "I was Farah Dowling's daughter."
"My God, Patricia, did she disown you?" Leon asked.
"I disowned her," said Patirica, "but that's not important right now. What is, is that long ago, back when I attended Alfea," she took another bracing breath, "I was not a strong Fairy, never was and never will be. My mother, she tried to be patient with my inadequate powers, but Rosalind, she wanted more than I had to give. She basically kidnapped and put me through hell to make me stronger. Instead, I wound up crippled. In real life, I can barely walk without screaming in agony."
"She has to take these horrible drugs just to tolerate the pain," said Tecna, "well, they're not horrible, but…"
"I won't take more than the minimal dosage," said Patricia, "I still have enough pride as not to become a narcotic addict. Moving on, Rosalind left me a cripple and my mother did nothing in retaliation, she was that afraid of the bitch."
"I don't believe it," said Timmy, "Dowling couldn't've been that heartless."
"Oh, she had a heart," said Patricia, "Rosalind just twisted it too much."
"You keep referring to your mother in the past tense," said Max, "something must've happened to her."
"I'll bet Rosalind's got Dowling locked away in whatever prison she was in for the last sixteen years," said Leon, "if we act now, we can find and bust Dowling out! With her help and insight into Rosalind, we'll take out the bitch in no time!"
"My mother is dead," said Patricia, "Rosalind killed her."
The silence in the chatroom could be cut with a knife, it was so thick.
"How…wha…how do you know your mother is dead?" Andrew finally asked.
Patricia pulled out her mobile device and activated a video file. A hologram appeared of Farah Dowling.
"My daughter, if you are seeing this, then I am dead, at the hands of Rosalind."
"Oh, that explains it," said Andrew, only to receive a smack upside the head from Jill as the hologram of Dowling continued.
"How Rosalind will escape from her confinement, I do not know, but knowing her, it's only a matter of time before she manipulates someone into unleashing her onto The Otherworld, and who knows how many innocents will suffer from her actions?
"My dearest Patricia, I know we parted ways on unpleasant terms. I should have been there for you when you needed me the most, and for that I cannot express how sorry I am. Had I known how hard Rosalind would push you, how ruthless her methods in bringing out your potential, how much I wanted you to achieve your potential, when I should have accepted you for the beautiful and talented girl you are."
"When was this made?" Max asked.
"At least sixteen years ago," said Patricia as she paused the video, "I'm not ashamed to admit I didn't cry when I got it, too many bad memories." She then resumed the video.
"Words cannot express how wrong I was to leave you with Rosalind, nor can I simply ask for your forgiveness, not with the bitterness you left with in your heart. But I know that, despite that bitterness, there's a drive in you to do what is right.
"I now ask you to do that right thing. Should Rosalind escape and I'm unable to stop her, I ask you to intercede. Not for my sake, not for Alfea, not for Solaria or Otherworld, but for all the worlds and all the innocents at risk by Rosalind's actions.
"If you choose not to act, I will understand. But if you do act, then act with great caution. Rosalind always has a plan and plans within plans. No matter what, do not underestimate her. Her singlemindedness to destroy The Burned Ones left countless victims in her wake, and I fear she will destroy you if you take her too lightly.
"Again, I cannot say how sorry I am for what was done to you. I can only hope that your suffering has given you the resolve to fight, yet not taken away your ability to love, for love is a magic greater and more mysterious than all others."
At that the video ended.
"That's it?" Leon asked.
"That's it," said Patricia, "and before you ask, no, there's no hidden message about how to beat Rosalind."
"So, it's just us, then," said Jill, "The Shadow Cadre, against one of the most powerful of Fairies in all of Otherworld, a living legend of a Specialist and the full might of Solaria. No pressure."
"No one is invincible," said Max, "everyone has their Kryptonite, we just need to find Rosalind's."
"And you happen to know?" Jill asked.
"I was hoping you would know," said Max, "my main beef is with Andreas."
"And I want to make Luna pay for setting me up," said Leon, "but how do we get to them without slaughtering our way through the Solarian Army? A lot of those boys and girls were my friends."
"We all have friends under our enemies' thumbs," said Patricia, "quite a few of my classmates from my days at Alfea might be able to help if they weren't so afraid of retaliation. Speaking of which, what about Ms. Katina Jones? Did anyone hear from her?"
"Katina's got issues of her own," said Max, "I'd rather she weren't pressured into coming."
"But considering she's among the more powerful Espers in Otherworld," said Leon.
"She'll come of her own free will, that's it," said Max firmly, "but that's not what we're talking about here."
"Yes, Rosalind, she's the real enemy," said Patricia, "take her out and what are Andreas and Luna? A bully boy and a monarch without a heart, considering what she put her own daughter through to make her stronger, no doubt inspired by Rosalind's example."
"How did Rosalind escape?" Andrew asked, "and how did your mother capture her in the first place?"
"That I do not know," said Patricia, "and I doubt we could duplicate my mother's method. As to how Rosalind is walking free again, she did what she does best: she had a plan."
"Well, I've got plans of my own," said Andrew, "I just need more details, anything you can give me can help."
"We do know some details," said Tecna, "don't we, Timmy?" at that she gave her fellow hacker a warm smile, earning a look of embarrassed delight from the bespectacled avatar.
"Well, yes, we do," said Timmy, "and it all concerns the first Fairy from Firstworld in a long, long time."
"That's impossible," said Andrew, "Firstworld, or Earth K-260 according to the maps of the Multiverse I've studied, magic died out there long ago."
"That's where things get a little problematic," said Tecna, "this Fairy, Bloom Peters is her name by the way, her official story is that she's an atavism from an ancient Fire Fairy bloodline. But according to the various social media accounts germinating from Alfea, Bloom Peters is a changeling."
"That makes much more sense," said Andrew, "but how did she end up on Earth K-260?"
"That's a little murkier," said Tecna, "again, this is all from the students' social media accounts, but Bloom had a vision of Rosalind from when she was very, very young. Apparently, Rosalind took her to Firstworld and implanted a message to come back and find her."
"And find her, she did," said Timmy.
"Rosalind, she manipulated Bloom into freeing her," said Andrew as he paced back and forth, "Rosalind must've known Dowling would betray her, so she used a Changeling as an insurance policy. But how could she know Bloom would come back to Otherworld? And how could Rosalind know Bloom would be strong enough to free her from Dowling's imprisonment? Farah Dowling was no slouch."
"We're still gathering the facts of what happened," said Tecna, "but what we do know is that after Rosalind tricked Bloom into releasing her, Rosalind siphoned the magic from the wells beneath the school like a parasitic leach binging on blood."
"Thank you for the graphic metaphor, Tecna," said Patricia.
"You're quite welcome," said Tecna as she blushed yet smiled with satisfaction.
"That still doesn't explain how Bloom could free Rosalind," said Max.
"Again, we're still sorting through the facts," said Timmy, "but we do know is that Bloom has great and terrible potential. She may very well be the strongest Fairy alive."
"We also know she's the one who ended the recent Burned Ones incursion on the school," said Tecna, "she singlehandedly defeated ten."
"One Fairy against ten Burned Ones!?" exclaimed Jill.
"All by herself against ten of those undead abominations?!" Leon demanded.
"Without Specialist Backup?!" Max asked, "back in the day, Luna and I could take out one at a time and we'd both be winded after the third one."
"Who is this girl?" Andrew asked, "I'd like to get to know her." He then saw the intense look Jill was throwing at him, "as a friend and a fellow intellectual, of course!"
"Again, we're going on rumors and social media posts," said Timmy, "but Bloom somehow tapped into ancient Fire Fairy magic."
"She realized her wings," said Tecna, "the first Fairy in ages to do so."
"Not even Rosalind has that kind of magic," said an impressed Andrew, "we've got to get Bloom away from her."
"I agree," said Leon, "the sooner the better, before Rosalind can corrupt the girl."
"This goes way beyond saving an innocent from corruption," said Andrew, "I think Bloom Peters is the key to bringing down Rosalind."
"Elaborate," said Jill.
"Oh, now you're interested in my ideas?" Andrew asked, "you weren't so keen on my plan to remove from power a certain psychotic liar from political office back on Earth S-11.
"We had an agreement when we first started together, Andrew," said Jill, "that we wouldn't interfere in the natural progression of a world."
"There's nothing natural about that lying megalomaniac!" snapped Andrew, "he wasn't even human!"
"You still think he's the antichrist, don't you!" said Jill.
"I never said he was the antichrist!" said Andrew, "just a false profit."
"Your plan, Andrew?" Patricia asked sternly.
"Oh, yes, sorry," said a much calmer Andrew, "where was I? sorry, I just really, really hate that man and everything he represents."
"We know that man triggers you," said Patricia, "but it's over and he can't hurt you or anyone else."
"You're right, time to move on," said Andrew in a more determined tone, "why dwell on past monsters when the real enemy is at your doorstep? Anyway, Rosalind, she has a habit of gathering and grooming Fairies and Specialists with potential, especially those she can mold into weapons against The Burned Ones.
"Bloom Peters fits into Rosalind's ideals for such a weapon. Whoever she is or where she came from is irrelevant, it's her powers and her potential that matters. If we're to defeat Rosalind, we need to get Bloom as far from her as we can."
"That's…logical," said Jill grudgingly, "and definitely humiliating if done right."
"Yeah, I can just picture the tantrum Rosalind will throw after we sneak Bloom out from under her nose," said Andrew as he gave a mischievous grin.
"Yes, it would definitely damage Rosalind's ego if we were to rescue Bloom," said Patricia, "if we can get her out of Alfea."
"That's right," said Timmy, "now that she's in charge of Alfea again, Rosalind's gonna beef up the security so much, she'll make Farah Dowling's measures seem like a piggybank." He then blushed slightly, "Uh…no offense, Patricia."
"None taken," said Patricia, "yes, Rosalind will be a tough nut to crack, especially now that she's got Queen Luna and Andreas on her side."
"Andreas won't go down easy," said Max, "back in the day I could take him in a fair fight, but he's had sixteen years to imagine a cornucopia of dirty tricks."
"Yeah, funny about the old boy" said Leon, "faking his death sixteen years ago, then coming back to have Saul Silva publicly arrested for 'attempted murder.' What else was he up to, I wonder."
"While Rosalind has the staff of Alfea cowed into submission by now," said Jill, "not to mention gods know what backup plans Rosalind's putting into place as we speak."
"Yes, Rosalind has always thought several moves ahead," said Mrs. Walker, "her cunning and intelligence are her greatest strengths," she then smiled confident, "giving rise to her weakness: pride."
"That and reliance on two-dimensional thinking," said Andrew as he looked off thoughtfully, "if we're gonna beat her at her own game, we need a three-dimensional stratagem."
"You've got something going, don't you," said Jill as she gave a slight smile.
"I certainly do," said Andrew, "it…it's hard to explain, if only I had a chessboard."
"Say no more," said Tecna as she imputed a command on her virtual tablet, summoning a chessboard and pieces.
"Teressa, if I weren't still conflicted about my feelings for Jill, I'd kiss you," said Andrew.
"Don't let that stop you," said an annoyed Jill, "we finalized our divorce years ago, so you can snog whoever you damn well want."
"I miss you too," said Andrew, "anyway," he then walked over to the virtual chessboard and began setting up the pieces, "yes, getting Bloom away from Rosalind is the key, but we shouldn't ignore the other students at Alfea, especially Princess Stella."
"Yes, Stella!" said Jill, "considering how much of a monster Luna is, it wouldn't take much convincing her to help us!"
"And Sky, what about Sky?" Leon asked, "he's Andreas' son, for fucks sake! Can we convince him to turn on his father?"
"Well, if Stella joins us, he'll come along just to keep her safe," said Jill.
"Oh, they broke up long ago," said Tecna, "apparently, Sky has a thing for Bloom."
"And Rosalind's paired them up," said Timmy.
"Bloom Peters and Sky of Eraklyon," said Jill, "in a Fairy/Specialist partnership, who knows how far they'll go?"
"They only place they'll go is on a suicide mission if Rosalind has her way," said Andrew as he finished setting up the chess pieces.
"You're gonna challenge Rosalind to a chess game?" Jill asked. She then smiled viciously, "a game of death?"
"Hey, that's an idea," said Max, "let Andrew put his head on the line!"
"Very funny!" said Andrew crossly, "so funny, my sense of humor gave out. Now, is everyone gonna listen to me? Or do I have to log out and delete my account from the network?"
"We're all eager to hear your plan, Andrew," said Patricia, "aren't we? Jill? Max?"
"Yes," said both Max and Jill, with Jill standing with her arms cross and a sour pout.
"Okay then," said Andrew, "having studied Machiavellian tactics under Rosalind lo those many years ago, I can honestly say, I can't outthink her, not if we play by her rules."
"Gee, and here I thought we could hop over her and get Kinged," said Jill.
"That's Checkers," said Andrew, "there's a difference, just as there'll be a difference in the game I want to play."
"We're talking about the fate of Otherworld, Andrew," said Leon, "and possibly the fate of Firstworld and the rest of the multi-verse. If Rosalind had her way, we'd all be soldiers in her wars."
"More like pawns," said Andrew as he began playing both Black and White sides of the chessboard, "imagine Rosalind as the player, Andreas as the King," he tapped the White King, then the White Queen, "and Luna the Queen, obviously. Then again, the Andreas is more like a Knight, and a Bishop, and a Rook, all wrapped up in one vicious bastard of a package."
"Tell us something we don't know," said Max impatiently, "so get to the point."
"My point," said Andrew, "is that Rosalind is always thinking several moves ahead." He moved enough of the chess pieces to put the Black King in check, "under normal circumstances, we can't beat her." He moved the White Queen and then knocked over the Black King, "she'll have us checkmated before we know it, and it's off with all of our heads."
"You know how I feel about losing my head, damn it!" said Max, "I swear, I'm gonna walk onto your social media pages and tell everyone how much an asshole you are."
"Max! Shut! The! Fuck! Up!" spat Andrew, slamming his fist onto the chessboard with the last word and scattering the pieces.
"As I was saying," said Andrew after taking several calming breaths and setting up the chess pieces again, then started another game, "we can't beat Rosalind if we play like her, two-dimensionally that is."
"What other way is there?" Leon asked, "unless you count that crazy 3D chess from Star Trek I can't make heads or tails of."
"EXACTLY MY POINT!" exclaimed Andrew enthusiastically.
"I don't get it," said Leon.
"I think I do," said Tecna, "we add a third dimension to the game."
"You see! She gets it!" said Andrew.
"Care to enlighten the rest of us?" Jill asked.
"Gladly," said Andrew in a smug tone, "I'm sure everyone here knows the basics of chess, specifically the rules on how each piece can move." He picked up a Black Rook, "take The Rook for example: it can only move up and down, left and right and in straight lines, not at an L angle like a Knight, or diagonally like a Bishop. But…"
Andrew then moved the Rook piece to the left edge of the chessboard, "if you were to change the rules to add a third dimension…" he picked up the piece and placed it on the right edge of the board, "then you've got a whole different game."
"Of course, Infinite Chess," said Timmy, "by turning the two-dimensional board into an imaginary three-dimensional sphere!"
"Thereby expanding the game to limitless movements and strategies!" said Tecna.
"Exactly," said Andrew, "if we're to have any chance of beating Rosalind, we need to work together on a whole other level."
"But can we?" Jill asked, "can we put aside our differences and gripes to defeat Rosalind? And then there's the other in The Shadow Cadre, you think we've got issues."
"Oh, we will defeat her," said Patricia, "my mother's immortal soul depends on it. Every innocent life lost to Rosalind's vile ambitions is counting on us. Oh yes, dear friends, Rosalind has no idea how big a swarm she unleashed when she kicked the hornet's nest. She will regret coming back, I guarantee it."