Welcome to Magix
Faragonda had had far more practice remaining calm in trying situations than she would have liked to admit. But this particular situation was difficult even for her. It was hardly every day that she received a call letting her know that one of her students was injured and being cared for at Red Fountain.
The infirmary was quite crowded at this point. Faragonda had called Stella's parents who had been understandably upset about the whole situation, rushing over as quickly as they could, and bringing guards with them. Saladin had ordered that the guards remain out in the hall, and Codatorta had escorted them out. That left Saladin, the healer, herself, and the two Red Fountain students that had found Stella and the other girl.
Faragonda let her gaze drift to the other girl. She wasn't one of her students, and if she was a friend of Stella's, she was one that King Radius and Queen Luna didn't recognize. The poor girl's parents must be worried sick. Well, there was no helping that. Until one of the girls woke up and they found out who she was, they had no way of contacting anyone on her behalf.
"Shouldn't she be awake by now?" Queen Luna asked. She sat in a chair beside Stella's bed, clutching her daughter's hand while King Radius paced back and forth behind her.
"You must give it time, your majesty," Healer Akim said. He had a nice voice for a healer; deep and soothing. It was just the sort of voice that could calm injured students. "She has greatly depleted her winx. Rest is the best thing for her right now."
"The longer she rests the more time her attackers have to get away," King Radius snapped.
"There is time enough to bring her attackers to justice later," Faragonda interjected smoothly. "If rest is what Stella most needs right now, then rest she shall have."
King Radius glared at her, but Faragonda was unmoved by it. If she lost her nerve every time a monarch was upset with her, she wouldn't have lasted very long as Alfea's headmistress. Besides, King Radius wasn't truly upset with her. He was angry with whomever had harmed his daughter, and in that at least, he and Faragonda were in agreement. She might not frighten the girls like Griselda did, but no one harmed her students and got away with it.
Stella stirred in her bed, drawing everyone's attention. Queen Luna leaned over her. "Stella, sweetheart, are you okay?"
Stella's eyes flickered open. "Mom?"
"I'm here," Queen Luna assured her.
Suddenly Stella gasped and sat up, looking around frantically. "Bloom, is she - ?"
"Your friend is fine," Healer Akim said. "She's just over here, resting."
Stella's whole body sagged in relief as she caught sight of her friend. "Oh, good." Glancing around, Stella finally seemed to notice the rest of them. "Oh. Um, hi?"
"Don't 'oh, hi,' us," King Radius growled. "What happened to you? After you tricked your way away from the guards meant to escort you to Alfea that is."
Stella winced. "I would have been fine, really!"
"This is not what I would call fine," King Radius said.
"Radius, hush, and give her a chance to tell us what happened," Queen Luna chided.
"Well, I was on my way to Alfea," Stella said, "but someone interrupted my transport spell, and I ended up on Earth."
Faragonda frowned. Both pieces of news were troubling. It took quite a bit of skill to interrupt a transport spell, and Earth was not a friendly place for magic. It had not existed on Earth in centuries.
"Before I could restart my spell, I was attacked by an ogre and some ghouls," Stella said. "I was doing fine; I mean it was just an ogre."
Saladin's eyebrows rose at Stella's description, and Faragonda had to resist the temptation to echo his expression. There was no such thing as just an ogre. They might not use magic themselves, but they were strong and hard to hurt. Stella was obviously trying to downplay the amount of danger she'd been in.
"Anyway, things might have gotten a little dicey, but then Bloom showed up and helped out. She totally blasted the ogre through a tree. It was awesome!"
"Your friend is from Earth?" Faragonda asked.
Stella looked up at her. "Yep, she is! I don't think she'd ever even seen a real fairy before me, but she's got some major winx. You know, I really think she ought to come to Alfea."
An Earth fairy? That's impossible. There had been no fairies from Earth in centuries. She couldn't be from Earth, though Stella didn't seem to realize it. But if she wasn't from Earth, then who was Bloom really?
"Enrollment suggestions can wait until your tale is done," Queen Luna said firmly.
"Oh, right. Well, anyway, I was sort of wiped after that fight, so Bloom let me spend the night at her house."
"That all happened yesterday, and you didn't call for help?" King Radius demanded.
"Um, no-o," Stella said, dragging out the word. "But in my defense, I was really tired. I didn't wake up until…" She trailed off, glancing up at the clock. "This morning. It is still the same day, right?"
"It is," Faragonda confirmed for her. No wonder her winx was so low. She wore herself out yesterday, and that is clearly not the end of her story.
"So this morning after Bloom's parents fed me breakfast, the ogre showed up again, and he had more ghouls with him. That was, uh, kind of tough."
I wonder who she inherited her gift for understatement from.
"But Bloom helped me out again! After she destroyed the ghouls, I was able to get us out of there, and we ended up here. So, that's what happened."
"Why Red Fountain, if I may ask?" Saladin said.
"Oh, well, I didn't have a real place in mind," Stella said. Her eyes darted towards one of the Red Fountain students, the one that had been introduced as Prince Sky of Eraklyon, and away again. "I just wanted the scepter to take us somewhere safe, and I guess it did."
"Stella," King Radius said, "do you have any idea who this ogre was, or why he was after you?"
She shrugged. "I never heard his name, but he said he was after my scepter."
"I see," King Radius said. He nodded, as though coming to a decision. "Given these circumstances, we will be withdrawing you from Alfea until things are resolved."
Stella's jaw dropped. "But, Dad!"
"No arguments, Stella."
"If I may, your majesty," Faragonda interjected, stepping forward. "I believe that it would be for the best if Stella remained at Alfea this year. Our school has many protections to keep our students safe. I believe Stella will be just as safe within our walls as she would be in yours. It would be a shame if this ruckus meant that Stella's education had to lag behind."
Faragonda didn't add the word 'again', but she knew Stella's parents heard it. Stella's grades had not been completely hopeless the year before, though they hadn't been what Faragonda believed they could be if Stella had chosen to apply herself, but Stella had simply had one to many misadventures. The explosion in the potions lab had been the last straw, leaving Faragonda with no choice but to expel her for the year. Now Stella would be repeating her first year all over, if her parents allowed her to return.
"That's all well and good," Queen Luna said, "presuming Stella remains on campus."
Stella made a small noise of protest, clearly understanding her mother's implications, but didn't actually say anything, showing the best judgement that Faragonda had seen from her to date.
"I don't see why that should be a problem," Faragonda agreed. "Of course there are some teacher supervised excursions, but they are perfectly safe."
Queen Luna turned in her seat slightly to look up at her husband. He glared down at her for a moment before relenting with a sigh. "Oh, very well. But hear me now, Stella. If I receive word that you've left Alfea and put yourself in danger even once, I will pull you from the school and you'll have to make due with tutors. I will not take unnecessary risks with your life. Once this matter is resolved, then we will see about granting you more freedom."
"Yes, sir," Stella said. Her downcast expression and slumped shoulders showed that she clearly didn't like the restrictions, but she didn't argue about them. But Stella wasn't one to remain glum for long, because in the space of a heartbeat she was turning back to Faragonda. "So do you think there's any way you could let Bloom come to Alfea too?"
Why is she so insistent on bringing Bloom to Alfea?
Truthfully, Faragonda was interested in having Bloom at Alfea, if only to get to the bottom of where she came from. Because if Bloom really was from Earth, and magic was somehow beginning to make a comeback on that world, Faragonda wanted to know. But if Bloom wasn't from Earth at all, if her family was from another realm and hiding out on Earth, Faragonda wanted to know that too.
Stella, on the other hand, was unlikely to be considering such things. It could be something as simple as Stella feeling as though the two of them had bonded through their life and death battle, but Faragonda's intuition told her that it was more likely something that Stella hadn't mentioned to them yet. After all, she hadn't been very clear on what sort of help Bloom had given her that had caused Bloom to be so worn out.
"That would require some discussion first," Faragonda said, unwilling to commit one way or another just yet.
"Well, I believe if the conversation is turning to Alfea's admissions standards, that is my cue to leave," Saladin said. "Of course both girls are welcome to remain in the infirmary as long as they need. Come on, boys."
Prince Sky looked over at Stella, and it was clear from his expression that he'd rather stay and have the chance to talk to her, but his blond friend grabbed his arm and pulled Sky along after the headmaster.
Queen Luna focused her attention on Healer Akim. "When will Stella be ready to travel to Alfea?"
"She may make the trip at any time, so long as she is not the one trying to run the transport spell," Healer Akim replied. "I would rather her friend remain here until she has woken up first."
"I'm not leaving Bloom by herself," Stella said with more force than used for anything else so far.
"Of course not," Faragonda replied. "I'm sure it would be rather alarming for her to wake up without a familiar face nearby."
Stella relaxed then, sinking back into her pillows and stifling a sudden yawn. She probably wouldn't manage to remain awake much longer. More rest is precisely what Stella needs right now.
Queen Luna patted Stella's hand. "We need to return to Solaria, dear."
"But we'll be leaving an escort to make sure you make it to Alfea safely," King Radius said. It was hardly necessary; Faragonda would like to meet the person that could interrupt one of her transport spells. But all things considered, she could understand why King Radius would want the extra assurance of Stella's safety.
"Okay," Stella said, her eyelids lowering.
Leaning forward, Queen Luna kissed Stella's forehead and then straightened. By the time her parents left the room, Stella was sleeping again.
With Stella asleep, Faragonda moved towards the bed that held Bloom. Healer Akim held his hands over her again, surrounded by the soft, pale glow of healing magic. Faragonda patiently waited for the signs of his magic to fade before speaking. "How much longer do you think before she wakes up?"
"Several hours," Healer Akim replied. "Based on Stella's tale, this was Bloom's first time accessing her winx at all. To have depleted it so completely her first time will give her a longer recovery period."
Faragonda nodded. "Well then, I'd best get myself a chair."
Bloom regained consciousness slowly. At first she was only vaguely aware of feeling warm. Eventually, she recognized the feel of a firm mattress beneath her, and soft blankets tucked around her. The sensation struck her as odd, though in the hazy space between sleep and wakefulness, she couldn't say why.
The ghoul!
Heart racing, Bloom sat up with a gasp.
"Easy, Bloom, you're safe."
She wasn't at home any more. The room she was in reminded her vaguely of a hospital room with its pale cream colored walls, tiled floor, and row of cots against the wall. Bloom spotted Stella quickly, sleeping in the bed next to hers. There were two adults in the room as well, a tall man with brown skin and dark eyes, dressed in blue and white floor length robes, and a woman with fair skin, an ageless face that could have been anywhere from thirty to sixty, silver hair pinned up in a neat bun, and dressed in a rather matronly outfit. It was the woman that had spoken to Bloom, so she focused on her.
"Where am I?"
"You're at the infirmary of Red Fountain," the woman replied. Her eyes crinkled behind her glasses when she smiled. "Though I suppose with you being from Earth, that doesn't mean much to you. Red Fountain is the school for heroes in the realm of Magix. Stella transported the two of you here after your fight with the ogre. I am Ms. Faragonda, the Headmistress of Alfea, the school for fairies that Stella attends."
"I am Healer Akim," the man said walking towards her. "How are you feeling, Bloom?"
Bloom leaned back against her pillows as the rush of adrenaline left her. "Tired," she admitted. She felt like she had weights tied to her limbs. "And hungry." Her stomach gnawed at her, as though she hadn't eaten in days.
Healer Akim nodded. "Not unexpected. That's a standard reaction to winx depletion. With plenty of food and rest, you should be just fine, Bloom. But I don't recommend that you attempt to use any magic for at least a week."
Bloom nodded. "Um, okay."
This is surreal.
Talking to Healer Akim almost felt like talking to any regular doctor. Except of course on Earth, there was no doctor that would give her instructions like 'don't try to use magic until you're better'. "So, what exactly is winx depletion?"
"It's what happens when fairies use too much of their magic," Healer Akim said. "Overextend yourself too much, and you run the risk of burning out your winx completely."
"Oh," Bloom said. Then the full implications of his words sank in. "Wait, are you saying that I'm a fairy?"
"Since it is only fairies that can suffer from winx depletion, yes, you must be," Healer Akim said.
"But how is that possible? My parents are humans," Bloom protested.
"That is the question of the hour," Ms. Faragonda said. "I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you. There were fairies on Earth, many centuries ago, before that world lost its magic. If magic is somehow returning to Earth, then it's possible that one or both of your parents have fairy ancestors."
"I guess that could make sense," Bloom said slowly. It was still sort of confusing; what exactly would cause magic to return to Earth now when it had been gone so long? Why was Bloom the first one to be born a fairy, and not someone further up the family tree? And Ms. Faragonda had used the word 'if'. "But…what if magic isn't returning to Earth?"
"I don't know," Ms. Faragonda said slowly. "If that is the case, your story is something more complicated."
That statement left Bloom uneasy. But what else could it be? A fairy ancestor somewhere way back was probably it.
"Now, Bloom," Ms. Faragonda said, "Stella filled us in on some of what happened while she was on Earth, but she didn't stay awake long enough to fill in all of the details. If you feel up to it, could you tell me what happened, starting yesterday when you and Stella first met?"
"I think so," Bloom said.
Healer Akim moved towards a desk at the other end of the room, saying, "If you think you'll be awake long enough for it, I'll call for a meal for you."
Bloom perked up at the thought of food. "Yes, please." Then she turned her attention back to Ms. Faragonda and told her about finding Stella in the park fighting the ogre. Since the headmistress had said she was looking for details, Bloom tried to fill in as much as she could, but she had to suppress a shiver when she got to the part about the ogre turning on her.
She'd made it to the part about them having breakfast at her house by the time a tray of food arrived for her. Bloom's mouth watered at the smell of the thick stew, accompanied by a roll and some unfamiliar greens. With the tray settled in her lap, Bloom ate while she finished telling Ms. Faragonda about the attack.
"The ghoul jumped on me, and then…" Bloom frowned, swirling her spoon around in the stew as she thought. "I'm not sure exactly what happened after that. Everything gets kind of fuzzy. I remember…I think I remember Stella trying to get me up, but that's it." Bloom looked between Ms. Faragonda and Healer Akim. "I don't even remember using magic, so how did I end up with winx depletion?"
"I can't say for certain," Ms. Faragonda replied, "but my guess is that your winx reacted to protect you when your life was in danger, just as it did when the ogre attacked you yesterday. But since you've never learned to control it, it must have severely overreacted, which is what would have drained you."
"I guess that makes sense," Bloom said. She finished the last few bites of her meal, and Healer Akim took the tray from her. With her stomach full, Bloom found that her weariness was weighing even more on her than it had been earlier. "Hey, how long have Stella and I been here?" She didn't see any clocks, and the room's one window had the shades pulled closed, so Bloom couldn't judge what time it was.
"You've been sleeping for about ten hours now," Healer Akim replied.
Bloom shoved herself up in a sitting position. "Ten hours! My parents! They don't know that I'm okay!" She kicked the blankets off. "I've got to get home."
"Easy, Bloom, no need to panic," Ms. Faragonda said, standing. "Of course we will return you home, if Healer Akim believes it is safe for you to travel."
"So long as you are the one working the spell," Healer Akim said to Ms. Faragonda. "And so long as Bloom gets more rest soon."
"I will," Bloom promised, eager to return home. She glanced over at Stella, who had somehow slept through the noise. Bloom hated to leave Stella without saying anything, but there was no telling when she'd wake up. Bloom didn't want to leave her parents worrying any longer than she had to.
"Now, Bloom, I know you are from Earth, but where on Earth do you come from?" Ms. Faragonda asked.
"Gardenia," Bloom replied. "Though I guess you probably don't know where that is, do you?"
"I don't need to know the exact location," Ms. Faragonda replied. "Just having a name helps." She held out a hand for Bloom. "Shall we?"
Bloom took her hand and Ms. Faragonda smiled at her. "Just think of home, Bloom."
Closing her eyes, she did just that, imagining the cozy and familiar living room, with its well-used furniture, cheerful yellow walls, and numerous family photos scattered around. Bloom felt a strange sensation, as though for a second she'd become fifty pounds lighter, but the feeling passed as quickly as it came.
"Oh dear," Ms. Faragonda said, letting go of Bloom's hand.
Bloom opened her eyes and gasped, hands flying up to cover her mouth. This can't be real! They were standing in her living room, but the room was charred black. Puddles of water pooled on the floor, leftovers from the hoses that would have been used to put out what must have been a raging fire. "How could this happen?" Bloom asked, turning slowly in a circle to try and take in the extent of the damage. When she had turned enough that she was facing Ms. Faragonda again, she asked, "Could the ogre and ghouls have done this?"
Ms. Faragonda shook her head. "It is unlikely. Besides, Stella told us that you destroyed all of the ghouls."
"Me? But how could I have…" Bloom trailed off as a horrible thought occurred to her. "Did – do you think I did this?" She gestured to encompass the room around them.
Ms. Faragonda looked around, and then her gaze came back to rest on Bloom, not unkindly. "Only Stella could tell us for certain, but given what I know, yes, Bloom, I believe it is likely that your magic did this."
The world seemed to tilt, and Bloom swayed. Ms. Faragonda slipped an arm around her shoulders, steadying her. "Easy, Bloom, easy. Just breathe, dear."
Bloom did, taking a deep breath, and she tasted ash in the air.
"Bloom!"
Bloom's head snapped up to see her father coming through the front door. Stumbling away from Ms. Faragonda, Bloom reached out for him. Mike met her halfway, catching her up in a hug so tight her feet lifted from the floor. "Dad, I'm sorry," Bloom said.
"It doesn't matter," Mike said. "I'm just relieved that you're okay."
After a minute that wasn't nearly long enough, Mike set her back down and pulled back a little so he could look her over. "Bloom, what happened after you ran in the house?"
Bloom cringed, realizing that he didn't know that she was the one that had set their house on fire. The words stuck in her throat, and she looked back at Ms. Faragonda.
The woman stepped forward, clearing her throat to get Mike's attention. "If I may interrupt a moment. I am Ms. Faragonda, Headmistress of Alfea."
"Mike Peters," he answered automatically. Mike frowned. "That's the school that Stella girl mentioned."
Ms. Faragonda nodded. "That's correct. Stella transported herself and Bloom to our sister school, Red Fountain, to get away from the ogre. I would have returned Bloom to you sooner, but they were both unconscious when they arrived."
Mike whirled on Bloom. "You're hurt?"
"I'm fine!" she protested.
"She has what's known as winx depletion," Ms. Faragonda added.
"And what's that?" Mike asked, frustration creeping into his tone.
"It means that Bloom overused her magic, exhausting herself," Ms. Faragonda said. "She'll need plenty of rest, but she should make a full recovery."
Some of the tension left Mike's shoulders at that. Still, he frowned down at Bloom as he asked, "What did you do?"
She couldn't meet his gaze, instead looking around the room. She heard Mike's sudden intake of breath, and looked back up at him to see understanding flicker across his face. "You started the fire," he said.
"I didn't mean to," Bloom said. "One of the ghouls attacked me, and I just…"
Ms. Faragonda stepped forward. "I know this may not be the most opportune moment, but it's the only one I have to speak to you. Mr. Peters, your daughter needs training. Now that she's accessed her magic, it will continue to make itself known, whether she intends for it to or not. She needs to learn how to use it properly in order to avoid more accidents like this. Magic has not been used on Earth in centuries, so she will find no one here to help her. I'd like to extend an invitation for Bloom to attend Alfea on scholarship." She waved a hand, and in a shower of sparkling lights, a booklet appeared. Ms. Faragonda held it out for Mike to take.
"This contains some information about Alfea. I know you and your wife will probably need some time to talk things over before you come to a decision. The school year starts the day after tomorrow. If it's alright with you, I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon for your answer."
Mike reached out and took the booklet. "Vanessa and I will certainly discuss things."
Ms. Faragonda nodded. Glancing over at Bloom, she smiled. "Despite the circumstances, Bloom, I am glad we met. I'll see you tomorrow. Don't forget to get some rest." Ms. Faragonda waved her hands again, and a shimmering portal appeared beneath her feet. She quickly sank into it, and then she was gone, leaving Mike and Bloom in silence.
Bloom leaned against Mike. The shock of seeing her home in ruins was starting to wear off, and weariness was creeping up on her again. "Where's Mom?"
"She's at a hotel," Mike said. "I came back here to – well, it doesn't really matter." He hugged her close again, kissing the top of her head. "Let's get going so we can let her know that you're okay."