A storm roared outside the safety of the moderate-sized house in Gardenia, painting the sky black as the family quietly enjoyed their dinner. Though it was summer, the past few days had been incredibly cold. The rain had been going on without a stop for the entire week. This kind of weather wasn't unusual in Gardenia; summer storms were known to last long.

"That's a pretty bad storm going down out there," Mike said worryingly, pulling down the sleeves of his sweater as lighting struck, sending shivers up his arms.

"Why do you think it's bad? We haven't had rain in a few weeks." Rory, Mike's and Vanessa's granddaughter asked, her face stoic, big blue eyes bored, and not expressing any emotion. Her dark red hair was pin-straight, neatly tucked behind her ears, and reached up till her lower back. Her black ribbed long-sleeved shirt was tucked in her jeans, giving off an elegant aura.

As much as Rory's physical appearance resembled her mother, Bloom, Mike and Vanessa had a hard time figuring out their similarities. The two had opposite personalities. While they were both daydreamers, Bloom had no problem expressing her emotions and was extremely extroverted as a child. She used to be clumsy, careless, and liked to face her problems/obstacles head-on without any thinking. Her orange hair was always messy, as she did not bother to comb it most of the time.

Rory however, preferred to not waste time and energy talking about pointless affairs, and was very careful. She was neat, organized, and liked to have a plan. Being awfully introverted, she often had a hard time making friends, sticking to only one or two people at school she felt fit to hang out with.

The plate in front of her was still full, her boney hand fiddling with the fork. Somehow, she didn't have the appetite or interest in the small conversation. She hardly had any interest in anything these days. Summer has been too long for her, and for some reason not so hot at all. She often felt chilly in the afternoon, feeling the need to cover up. Though it made sense, as little as she usually ate, it made it hard for her to keep warm. Her poor eating habits was one of the things she needed to change after the summer break ended.

"She's right, Mike," Vanessa agreed, a soft smile on her face. "This summer has been pretty dry so far. A good storm every once in a while is a blessing. I'm sure it'll be over soon."

"Well yes. We need rain, but storms like this are often the cause of many accidents. I'm just worried it'll get too strong."

"Hopefully, it'll stop by tomorrow."

Suddenly, a bright light emerged from the entrance of the dining room, and a slim figure stepped forward. Normally, the Earthly couple would've been surprised, but after the incident with their adoptive daughter Bloom and her friend Stella; they've gotten used to it over the years. The magic and all. But even after more than 25 years of seeing the same old portal open and close, the couple had never gotten bored of it.

Rory, however, didn't like it at all.

Mostly because she was jealous.

"Hi, Lexi. How are you doing today?" Vanessa stood up from the table, to hug her eldest granddaughter who brushed her blonde curly hair back and returned the hug. She was insanely beautiful, her golden-like hair was soft and tangle-free, cute bangs framing her small and cheerful face. She was dressed in a casual green mini dress that hugged her figure perfectly, a fringe leather vest over it, and brown high boots to complete the look. Unlike Rory, the girl liked to show skin and was extremely comfortable with being the center of attention.

"I'm good, thanks. Hey grandpa! Rory."

The redhead ignored her.

"Lexi! Come, sit down with us. We're having gnocchi. Your favorite," Mike laughed, giving her a hug as well. Rory didn't budge from her seat.

"Mmm! You know I can't refuse gnocchi. I would much rather eat that than the tasteless jellyfish they prepared back at the palace. It's supposed to be Solaria's specialty, why it has no taste is beyond me. I still don't know how Jack and Ethan love it so much."

Jack and Ethan were their brothers. Ethan being the eldest was preparing to take responsibility for Eraklyon's royal affairs. He graduated from Red Fountain with excelling marks, being marked as one of the best students of his generation. As he was already 21 years old, he was also in training to take over the throne. That's why Mike, Vanessa, and Rory didn't see him often on Earth. He and the royal couple barely had any time to visit.

Though Lexi and Jack made sure to take frequent trips to Gardenia every now and then. Lexi was the second eldest, the crown princess of Eraklyon. She received special fairy training as well and was attending the Alfea, college for fairies.

Jack, third in line for the throne, was a very talented strategist. While he didn't attend Red Fountain, he was still a talented fighter, studying at Erakylon institute. Though he was very serious about school, he preferred to spend his free time sneaking out of the castle/school grounds, exploring new territories.

Rory, the youngest of the four, was nothing special. Her mother made that clear when she sent her away to Earth for not being born with powers. Being powerless in Magic Dimension was almost unheard of. Everyone had at least a spark in them, and with their advanced technology, the doctors of Magix could tell what powers a child is going to possess at a young age, whether is it going to become a fairy, a nymph, a witch, a sorcerer or a hero. Rory seemed to be that one in a million that was just born a human.

As bizarre as it sounded, humans weren't exactly popular in the Magic Dimension. They were labeled as primitive and stupid, marking Earth as a very uninteresting tourist location. So when she was sent to Earth, it was like her own mother thought of her as stupid, exiling her to such a place. She has gotten used to it though. For once in her life, she was normal. A human. She didn't have to worry about stupid doctor appointments, desperately searching for a spark of magic. If there wasn't any spark, so be it. She was very happy being a normal human. No drama and all.

Mike and Vanessa laughed at their talkative daughter and prepared another set of eating utensils and pulled up a chair for her. Vanessa then served her and they continued to talk.

"So what brings you here, Lexi? It's been so long. How has your summer been so far?"

"It was okay. I've been assigned to get more personal training, so I haven't seen my friends much, but I'm having a princess ball next month. I'm very excited. You guys should come," Lexi announced happily.

"Aww, that's wonderful, sweetheart. Are you going with that boy of yours?"

"What's his name again?" Mike questioned.

"Blaise. He's from the planet of Espero."

"I'm happy for you, sweetie. But be careful with boys. You know how they are. Moody, hormone-crazed teens. And make sure to use protect-"

"Grandpa!"

"That's enough, Mike," Vanessa warned her husband, giving him the look.

"You know how teens are these days. They're even worse than when Bloom was their age."

"Oh, by the Great Dragon. Can we not talk about that? I'm trying to enjoy my gnocchi," Lexi moaned out, clearly frustrated by the awkward topic. There was no way she'd want to talk about her sex life with Blaise with her grandparents. It was too much, even for an extrovert like her. She had her boundaries, there was nothing wrong with that.

"Good idea. Mike, do you want more?"

"Yes please."

"What about you, Rory? You barely touched your food. Eat before it gets cold." Rory, who had been lost in thought this whole time, looked up at her grandma, and then back to her plate. She loved gnocchi, she really did, but today was just one of those days where she couldn't even take a bite.

"Yea, sure."

"Are you okay? You've gotten awfully quiet over the years, sister."

"And you're still as loud as ever," Rory snapped back shooting her older sister a glare. The blonde princess only shrugged with a sly smile on her face. "What can I say, it's just that I have so much to tell. I have a life outside the books."

"Oh really? With your boy-toy from Mars?"

"It's Espero, darling."

"You're saying his as if we know where that is." Rory rolled her eyes and dropped her fork. Lexi sighed, shaking her head slightly. It was sad that the Earthly-ones still had no idea of the existence of the Magic Dimension. "Well, you should try to start getting to know our culture better, Rory."

"I don't live there anymore. It's not like I'm going back."

"You will be soon. Our beloved parents want you to come back."

Rory slammed her hands on the table, making Mike and Vanessa jump in surprise. "No!"

"You heard me. They sent me to tell you to start packing. You'll be coming back to Eraklyon in two weeks. And in September you're going to Alfea."

"I didn't agree to any of this. I'm not coming back to Eraklyon. Especially after Mom made it clear that I don't belong there. Why in the world would I go to a school for fairies when you know very well that I'm not a fairy?!"

"You sort that out with Mother, I'm just saying what she told me to say. Apparently, it's not up to you to decide. They want you in Magix so you'll be safe." Lexi explained, finishing her plate. The redhead desperately looked at her grandmother, begging her to help her.

"Granny! You won't let them take me away like this!?"

"Rory...if it's what your mother wants, then you should listen to her."

"She is not my mother!" The girl stood up, throwing the napkin she previously had on her knees on the table."What kind of mother abandons their child because they don't fit in society!? It's been 10 goddamned years and now she suddenly wants me back?!"

"Language, young lady!"

Lexi sighed.

"Are you gonna eat that? I'd hate to see all of that go to waste."

Rory clicked her tongue and ran up to her room. Just as she arrived, the door slammed behind her loudly.

"Give her a minute."

After finishing her diner, Lexi walked up to Rory's room. As much as she loved teasing her little sister, it made her sad, seeing the redhead like this. The grumpy girl hated every time anyone mentioned Magix or Eraklyon, and Lexi understood her feelings. She would've hated it if The Queen had done that to her as well. But it was her job, to try and make her understand. Not just because she was asked to do it. It was her duty as her older sister to try and explain the situation. So, without another question, Lexi entered Rory's room.

"Hey, sis."

"Hey."

Rory lied on her bed, staring at the ceiling. There was no emotion present in her eyes which made it hard for Lexi to read her. She always had a hard time reading this girl. There was just something about her eyes that seemed so...dead. She wanted to bring back the happiness to those beautiful eyes of hers. But she couldn't do that while she was in Magix and her sister stuck on this old planet.

"How was your summer? I haven't seen you since...Christmas? Is that still a thing on Earth?"

"It was fine."

"Are you still friends with Caleb and Lisa?"

"Yeah."

Lexi slouched on her desk chair, not making any progress with the small talk. Sometimes, getting through that thick skull of hers was harder than she predicted. She might've been raised on a primitive planet, but the girl was stubborn as a dragon. If not even more.

"I know you're probably overwhelmed, but it's what Mother thinks it's for the best. There had been some...political issues going on and she just wants you to be safe. Within her reach."

"I get it. I just need time."

Oh? Really? It was that easy? Her usual sly smile appeared on her face, jumping on her sister's bed, making the redhead curse in surprise as the blonde threw her arms around her shoulders. "Don't worry, girl. I'll introduce you to some people in Magix. Heck, there's a lot of cool people in Eraklyon. I'm sure you'll click with some of them. Maybe I could even set you up with a cute guy!"

"Stop! Don't even think of meddling in my business. I'll be fine on my own. I'm sure I'll meet some people that I'll be comfortable with."

"Fine. But if you ever need an invitation to a party or drinks or whatever; I'm here, okay?"

"Thanks."

That made Lexi only hug her sister closer. Every time Lexi visited, the duo usually fought, but moments like this only brought them closer together. Even if they lived in separate dimensions, they were still sisters. Besides, they had all the time in the world to get to know each other more.

"I can't believe you haven't been to Eraklyon in 10 years! You know how much everything has changed!?" her usual high-pitched voice made Rory's ears hurt so she backed away again, hand slapped over her left ear to soothe the pain. "Don't just yell in my ear like that! Who the hell do you think you are!?"

"Sorry... But seriously, everything changed so much! You need to hurry up so I can give you a tour of the Volaris City! You'll love it! I mean we'll have to be escorted by the guards, but you'll still love it!"

"I guess I'll see. But I was 6 when I left. All I remember was the royal garden and unicorns."

Volaris was Eraklyon's capital, one of the biggest metropolia in the entire Dimension. With a significant increase in the general population, economics, and great technological development, the City of Volaris was a perfect place for international communications and also a huge tourist location. Rory had seen the pictures from Lexi's very advanced cell phone. The whole place reminded Rory of some steampunk fantasy film; in fact, the whole concept of this particular place was working the public transport on steam, which was very popular among tourists.

It had incredibly tall skyscrapers with a golden hue to it at night. The locals were dressed in Victorian-like gowns, yet they used the latest technology form Zenith. Lexi and Jack had explained many times that it really was the cultural meeting point. One could find everything in Volaris. It was amazing to her that such a place even existed, that she was born as a part of that magic, yet she was never allowed to visit or speak of it with her friends. To her, it was all some kind of fanfiction. She had a hard time believing such a place existed.

"Don't worry about it. You'll love it."

'I don't think so.'

"I'm glad we're starting to get along."

"Yea."

Two weeks passed after Lexi's unannounced visit, and Rory was greeted with a limousine waiting in front of her house. She had already packed most of her things and put them in the living room. Now, she only had to get some 'essentials' from the local supermarket. The guards agreed to wait half an hour so she could say her goodbyes. Mike and Vanessa hugged her teary-eyed, as they were suddenly reminded of how they let Bloom go to Alfea decades ago. As parents, they were torn at seeing her go, but also extremely happy for the girl that she was finally going to spend time with her real family. They knew how hard it was for her to accept being sent to Earth because of such a ridiculous reason. So no matter how this situation turned out to be, they let Rory know that she always had a home in Gardenia. She was always welcome.

The ride was long. Although they left right after lunch, it was night when the Royal Palace of Eraklyon came to view. It was almost time for dinner. Descending the interdimensional limousine with big eyes, Rory gasped as she once again stood before the magnificent palace of Eraklyon. It was night time, so the whole building was illuminated with yellowish lights, which made the whole scene even more enchanting. There were some guards, riding away on huge, colorful dragons as their evening patrol started, others, riding unicorns on the ground.

She gaped like a fish as two of the guards on two magnificent, pearly-white unicorns stopped by her and announced her return. They escorted her to the gate, where a butler stood, welcoming her inside.

But before meeting the royal family, she had to change. As she was only dressed in a pair of black jeans and a floral ruffle blouse, she received some looks from the insiders of the palace. This particular style of fashion would've been accepted on the streets of Magix, but certainly not inside the Royal palace of Eraklyon.

They took her to the dressing room and ordered the fashion designer to get her something appropriate.

The lady, clad in blue, understood immediately and with a flick of her wrist, put her in a dress. Every time she flicked her wrist again, the dress changed. A bizarre feeling settled at the pit of Rory's stomach. She did not know whether it was excitement or fear.

It was magic.

Once she found the perfect dress, a black over the knee ruffled sleeveless dress with some glitter on the top to show off her pale complexion, she stopped, putting a small diamond tiara on top of her head, leaving her pin-straight hair to frame her face and complete the look.

The stylist clapped her hands in excitement, running out to call the butler, who then entered with a rather serious expression and a very heavy-looking book in hands.

"If you are ready, Princess, I was sent to inform you that dinner will commence shortly. You are expected to run through chapters 1 to 5 of the Basic Royal Etiquette in those 20 minutes that you have left. Once your time is up, I will escort you to the Dining hall," the guard suddenly shoved the huge book in her hands, sat her on a sofa, and then left her in peace.

Feeling her hands starting to shake, she sighed loudly. She had been waiting for this day for ages, the day she'd see her family as a whole again, but it wasn't as she expected it to be. Everything seemed to be so formal. Rory felt a weird sense of insecurity tug at her insides as she thought about the whole situation. Suddenly, she felt so small. She felt like a small bug, realizing how big the world really was. This palace? It was bigger than the Windsor Castle in England! Heck, even this dressing room was bigger than her whole house back in Gardenia!

The fact that there were other worlds twice as big as the Earth, full of people that casually traveled through some sort of space portals, using magic in their daily lives, casually fighting monsters that crossed their way scared her to death. The fact that she would not be able to protect herself against that kind of evil, now that she knew it existed paralyzed her. It was now that she understood why the Queen sent her to Earth. Outer space a.k.a. The Magic Dimension was a terrifying place.

So to relieve her sudden stress, she threw the book on the sofa and walked to the open window. She reached in the pocket of her jacket and pulled out a packet of cigarettes, lighting one up.

"Fuck the Royal etiquette."

20 minutes passed by quickly and after covering up the smell of cigarettes with perfume, Rory saw the door open. The butler then escorted her to the dining hall without asking if she managed to read everything and loudly announced her retourn.