Hey everyone! Sorry I deleted last chapter, I kinda didn't like it. Well anyway, I hope you will enjoy this one.
I'm super hyped up today. There's Miner Festival (Havířovské slavnosti) in town today. I'm so excited. There will even be Sabaton singing and a lot of attractions. This will be fun. Hey, maybe some of you will be there. But we're not here to listen to this. I'm just too excited.
Oh well. Here's the chapter. ENJOY!
Day flew by as if it never happened. Bloom spent whole day on Solaria helping her 'new' friend to deal with nobles. Many of them were loyal to King Bane and demanded his immediate return. Unfortunately for them, Bloom's presence meant Stella had support of Domino. As one of most powerful kingdoms, nobody wanted to go against them. Not to mention Bloom's powers were known everywhere as almost equal to Dragon Flame. If they knew this Bloom has no idea how to use her magic… God knows what would happen.
Next day
Nick was walking through halls of Domino. His sight was aiming down as he was thinking hard about recent events. He felt so useless. His big sister needed huge help and only thing he could do was just watch and stay out of her way. Just now he received a message from Princess Varanda. She and other 'Bloom's friends' were worried about recent news about Bloom and Domino. They wanted to meet in Isu palace. But how was he supposed to convince Bloom to go there and be nice to everyone? Surely there would be Diaspro and by what Alex said… Dragon knows how Bloom would react. Especially since she was supposed to marry Sky tomorrow.
As he was passing all rooms he eventually heard moans of effort coming from before him. Nick realized he was close to training chamber. Was somebody training?
Curiosity made him pick up the pace a little. He entered the arena inside training chamber and saw them. Bloom and Alex were fighting together. Fists, elbows, knees and feet, all parts of their bodies were weapons. Their movements were really fluid and smooth, yet precise, strong and fast. Nick could barely see some of them. It was as if they wanted to kill each other and yet… none of them showed even a glimpse of pain.
Nick was observing two of them for few moments before hearing another voice "Hi Nick."
He looked right to see his little sister, Nerina sitting on ground in her training suit. Nick sat next to her "Hi, Nerina." Together they were observing the fight "So, how long have they been at it?"
"Maybe an hour." Nerina looked up thinking how much time could've passed.
"An hour?" Nick snapped back his eyes getting real wide.
"At least since I came here." Nerina giggled. She now really thought her big sister was amazing. Sure, she had tough training behind herself with Master Ada, but still. She has never seen her practice hand-to-hand combat. And fact that she was training with Draken surely didn't have anything to do with her feelings. That was sarcasm for those who didn't get it.
Suddenly as if time stopped. Two fighters stood there, right arms crossed, left arms at their bellies. They were exact mirror images of each other. Nobody moved an inch before Bloom turned her head at her siblings "Wanna try it?"
"I'm in!" Nerina suddenly shot up on her feet as if on a spring. She was really happy to finally train with Draken. She was actually the only one so far who was so hyped up about them being on Domino. Alex guessed they really must be like superheroes from comics for these people… or at least for her.
"Sure, why not?" Nick got up too. He was more like curious than charmed like Nerina.
Alex and Bloom left their stance and waited for those two to join them. Nick stepped before Alex while Nerina was in pair with Bloom. She was smiling so much, like a child on Christmas Eve.
"Now, basic stance." Young Draken showed his opponent basic stance. Side towards him, right hand at shoulder height, left one by belly. Legs spread and bent in knees a little.
"Like this?" Nerina asked as she tried to mimic her big sister.
"Right elbow a little higher." Bloom replied and her little sister obeyed "There."
"Good." Alex replied as even Nick had good stance "Now, as I count, mirror our stances." Two younger trainees nodded "Now, one!"
Bloom and Alex changed stances, Nick and Nerina were mirroring them. There were 4 stances, including the basic one. Every time they changed them, Alex and Bloom made sure they were doing it right and also if they were touching the same spots every time. There was meaning to that.
After just half an hour, they were doing it almost automatically.
"One, two, three, four!" They all were yelling in unison, moving accordingly to the rhythm.
"All right, that's enough." Bloom said. Nerina was gasping for air and was visibly sweating. Bloom didn't want to strain her more than was necessary. Nick wasn't any better. He too could barely hold his arms up.
"I agree." The moment Alex said that, two loud thumps sounded. Both Nick and Nerina fell down on the ground, gasping like crazy.
"By…by the… Dragon." Young princess managed to say "How… how come we're… so exhausted?"
"That was just a taste of Penonym technique." Alex was giggling at this sight "Don't worry, Bloom was like that too yesterday."
"Pe…Penonym… technique?" Nick was super exhausted.
"If you remember, our stances were touching same spots every time." Bloom pointed at red spot on her arm "We call thee M-spots. It's where magic is being stored in body. Since we use hands to cast spells, most of our energy is here."
Alex smirked at how much his cousin remembered. So she didn't get that soft while she lived on Domino. He suspected her to neglect the training. Then again, it wasn't really like her.
He continued from there "This training makes that energy go into whole body. Sudden flow of magic will can be… exhausting. But you'll get a lot stronger. You can concentrate that force into any part of body, make it as tough as a stone, sharpen your senses, or simply put up much stronger barrier."
"Wow." Nerina managed to catch some breath and sit up "So if I train like this every day…"
"This was just the basic training." Bloom caught Nerina's hand and helped her back up "You see, once magic is storing on more places, you need to hit them all. Even what we're been doing with Alex is considered basic."
"Really?" Nick asked getting up as well. He was rubbing his painful spots on arms "Just how many of these M-spots can be in body."
"Well…" Bloom looked at her cousin "Once you master it, like Alex here, your whole body is just one big storage for magic."
"Will you teach me!?" Nerina's eyes were sparkling at young Draken. Those weren't even puppy eyes. That was just like from anime. Two huge stars for pupils that were shining with excitement.
"Sure. If you're up for the task." Alex shrugged. He wouldn't mind teaching this princess his family technique.
"YAY!" she just screamed for a moment forgetting how exhausted she was. At least till she threw her arms up and in result she fell into Bloom's arms "Oh… I guess I was more tired than I thought."
"You two should get some rest." Bloom suggested smiling. She couldn't explain it, but she felt proud of them both. Maybe especially of Nerina. She always wanted a little sister, but accepting her was… troublesome. She and Nick were representing the change. Differences between these timelines were overwhelming. She had to accept it, there was just no other choice, but that doesn't mean she has to like it.
But what she hated most… were arranged marriages. Nick told her earlier about everything. How he is engaged with Princess Varanda. He told her about Sky and Diaspro, Bloom and Ethan of Ciel. This was all wrong, at least that is what she was raised to believe. Most of Earth has already left those traditions decades ago. She decided that whatever it might take, even if it meant giving up her status as Princess of Domino, she would never marry somebody she doesn't love.
But she didn't want to think about it. If she did… she would realize Sky is marrying Diaspro tomorrow. That would break her. So she was concentration on getting strong again. Learning how to use her powers and become Penonym technique user again.
"I think we should." Nick exclaimed stretching his back "Oh yeah, I got a message for you. You see… your friends want to see you. I mean… you friends from this timeline."
"Including Diaspro, right?" she snapped back with a cold glare. Nick suddenly realized just how much she hates her. Getting over that hatred will be tricky.
Nick nodded "Yes. Well, you are supposed to be her bridesmaid." He was really uncertain about that sentence. Telling her this maybe wasn't the best idea, but she needed to know.
Bloom's hands turned into fists. Her hatred for that girl were getting best of her again. She was about to burst with powerful wave of fire. Alex was even ready to put up a barrier around Nerina and Nick. Luckily Bloom managed to control herself and instead of using her flame to compensate her sudden hatred, she just stormed out of there. Nick tried to catch her, but Alex stopped him "I'll talk to her."
Bloom was stamping towards her chamber. She soon realized Alex was following her "Leave me be!"
"Bloom." He sounded really demandingly "Bloom stop."
She stopped in the middle of hallway and turned towards her cousin. She gave him a very cold look. Almost as if she could go on a killing spree right now "What do you want, Alex? You actually want me to go on a wedding of boy I love with girl I hate almost as much as Icy? Well no thanks."
"I'm not saying you have to go." He snapped back "I'm saying you should. If nothing else consider your reputation as Princess of Domino."
"Do you think I care!?" She yelled so loudly Alex was sure everyone in palace heard that "Do you think I care about how people will see me? I never cared, you know that."
He had to admit that was just a desperate move. He sighed very heavily as he continued "Look, Bloom. This isn't our timeline. I saw her and she truly cares about you. This Diaspro didn't do anything to deserve such hatred. She has nothing in common with the one from our timeline. She is your friend and a true one at that. At least give her a chance."
"NEVER!" she yelled even louder "She tried to kill me, she used love potion on Sky, she threw me into Vortex of Flames! I will never give her a chance!"
'Isn't throwing her into Vortex same as trying to her?' Alex thought to himself "She didn't do any of that! If Icy would be here and would actually be helping others, would you just try to fry her with your flame?"
Despite how much Bloom wanted to say she would… she couldn't. Icy was her archenemy, one she battled so many times she couldn't even count it. But if Icy would be good in this timeline… how could she just attack her "I guess I wouldn't."
"Then why don't you give Diaspro that chance?"
Bloom was on verge of tears. She was doing her best not to sob or let out any tear, but some had to escape "I… I just don't what to do. I don't want to give up Sky to her, I love him."
"I know, Bloom." He said trying to sound sympathetically "But you cannot hold on to the past anymore. We all have to move forward, trying to find new loves."
Bloom's eyes went wide as she suddenly realized it. Alex too had lost someone he loved. Roxy and he were… they had a thing for each other. She realized that so far she had only thought of herself, never considering feelings of others "All right. I… I will give her a chance. But please don't make me go to that wedding."
"I won't." With that he turned around and as he was walking away, he said one last sentence "But if you are so cold, how are you better than Icy?"
She knew he was right. This wasn't her world, her time. Everything was different and she either had to adapt, or become renegade. Choice was hers and at least for her family honor, she had to be proper princess.
Well, what do say, guys? I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any ideas, suggestions or even if it's about grammar, just say so. I'd like you to like it and also I'd like to get as good in English as possible. Well… I'm off to festival. See ya around guys.