It was the day of her mother's execution. Tecna watched as her mother slowly marched up the steps to her demise. Her father's voice echoed in her head, "Countrymen, a great tragedy has befallen Zenith. We have evidence which leads us to believe that our beloved queen had an affair."

"What evidence," Tecna screamed at King Cryos in front of the crowd.

As if she wasn't there, King Cryos continued, "As you know, this is country of law and order. It is with great sadness, that I must announce that Queen Magnethia has been tried and sentenced to death for her crime. Any last words?"

Tecna screamed as she saw Timmy kneeling where her mother once was.

"No!" Tecna's fearful shout rang through the room. Timmy jumped out of bed from the sound. He quickly put his glasses on and looked over to the fairy, who was now sobbing. The sudden screaming had alerted all the other Specialists who instantly ran into the room.

"What happened?" Helia asked, concerned.

Tecna tried to explain, but she was struggling to breathe.

Riven got tired of waiting for her to respond and called her a 'wuss' before going back to bed.

Timmy frowned and said, "You know, Riven, for someone who had such a hard life, you sure know how to kick a person when they're down."

Riven walked back in and yelled, "What was that Mainframe?"

By now Tecna had composed herself enough to stand between the two boys and stop them from fighting. Once they were separated, she quietly walked out of the dorm and headed outside. Timmy pulled on his favorite green sweater and a pair of pants as he watched her leave. He glared fiercely at Riven who said, "You need to put a leash on that bitch, so you don't have to chase after her constantly."

That was it… Riven had crossed a line. Before anyone could stop him, Timmy pulled his arm back and slammed his fist into Riven's stomach.

…

While the boys were busy trying to kill each other, Tecna walked outside to one of the benches. She was glad no one followed her because she needed to get those images out of her head. She inhaled deeply as a gentle breeze blew through the schoolyard. Suddenly, the snap of a twig caught her attention. She turned her head and stood up hastily when she saw the Trix standing there.

"Aww, you don't look happy to see us," Darcy said with a pout on her face. While Tecna was distracted by Darcy, Icy appeared behind Tecna and threw a wave of icicles. Tecna tried to dodge the attack, but it was too late.

…

Timmy and Riven broke into a full-blown fight. Brandon and Sky fought desperately to separate the two, but Timmy was too angry, and Riven was too stubborn. They would have continued if they hadn't heard an ear-piercing scream. Instantly, the two boys made an unspoken truce and ran out the door with their weapons.

Upon making it to the school grounds, Timmy was shocked to see Tecna standing there with blood trailing down her arm.

"Tecna!" Timmy called out fearfully. He ran to help her when Stormy blew him backward into a brick wall. Tecna stood her ground, both furious and in pain. Suddenly she felt electricity build up around her.

"It's back," Tecna thought excitedly. She aimed her hands at Icy and Stormy and released all that pent-up energy. As it left her body, Tecna realized something wasn't right. This was not her magic. This was something different, darker.

It struck too fast for Icy and Stormy to move. They were knocked back instantly on impact. Tecna then aimed a large blast at Darcy, who was anticipating it and about to counter when she saw that the boys at Red Fountain had surrounded her and her sisters. She rolled her eyes and said, "Looks like it's time for a strategic retreat. Later losers."

Timmy ran up to Tecna to administer first aid when she stopped him.

"Timmy, don't come any closer. I can't control it," she said as bolts of electricity surrounded her like the electrode inside a plasma ball.

"You're a fairy; your magic won't hurt me," Timmy said as he walked closer, "Fairy magic doesn't hurt the innocent."

"This isn't fairy magic," Tecna replied, backing away from him. Other Specialists squads began to gather around, looking both confused and scared.

Codatorta had seen all the commotion out in Red Fountain's courtyard, and when he approached, "Calm down, Tecna," He reassured her, "You haven't used magic in a long time. I am sure you're just not used to it anymore."

Tecna shook her head and backed away. Timmy didn't want her running off, so he tore his sweater in strips and placed them on the ground. "Here, dress your wound, then we'll go back to the dorm. If you don't want to talk about it, we won't make you. Just please take care of your arm," he said desperately.

Tecna nodded and grabbed the ripped pieces. Her body glowed from all the electricity zapping around her, which her magic had never done before. As she became distracted by tending to her arm, Timmy slowly walked up to her.

"Does it hurt," He asked.

She nodded and replied, "Yes, but I will be fine. I just need to figure out how to expel this excess energy."

"We have some clay disks you could practice shooting," Sky suggested while Codatorta sent the other groups back to bed.

Brandon tried to be optimistic about the situation and said, "Well, at least you can defend yourself again."

Tecna kept quiet. She didn't summon this power. This was black magic, not fairy magic. So, where did it come from?

Although Riven was still mad about being woken, he realized that he may have gone overboard. He grabbed a clay disk thrower from the training grounds and brought it to Tecna.

"Thanks, guys… But, you all should go back to bed. You have a race coming up in a few hours," she said, trying desperately to hide how scared she really was.

Thankfully, the boys seemed to agree and headed back to the dorms. Tecna let out a relieved breath before setting up the disk thrower and starting to practice.

Little did she know, one Specialist was still concerned for her safety. He grabbed a sleeping bag from the closet and set it up on the balcony of the dorm. He watched her use her magic until he finally fell asleep.

…

By the time Tecna had finished expelling that excess energy, her entire body was trembling. She carefully stumbled up the stairs and crashed on her bed, only to hear her alarm go off. She forced herself up irritably and thought, 'I really do have the best timing.'

She grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom to prepare for the Day of the Rose festivities. For once, she was grateful Stella gave her a bag full of makeup. It would help hide the bags under her eyes.

…

When she came out of the bathroom, the room was empty. She walked over to the balcony and noticed a discarded sleeping bag. 'What is this doing here?' she wondered. She rolled it up and moved it out of the way before she noticed all four boys were below her, prepping their bikes for the race. A smile warmed her face as she heard them smack-talking each other over who was going to win.

Then, she went downstairs, grabbing a cup of coffee for her and Codatorta. He was also outside with the boys, but he was helping a group of freshmen who were competing for the first handed him the cup and asked, "So out of all the guys at Red Fountain, who do you think has the best chance at winning this year?"

Codatorta looked at all the guys competing and said in a lowered voice, "Timmy is by far the most skilled rider, but I doubt he will win. The two with the best chance of winning are probably Riven or Sky."

"Why do you say that?" Tecna asked curiously.

Codatorta let out a yawn, "Timmy's driving skills are superior to most, but he's also cautious. Other bikers are going to be aggressive and play dirty tricks throughout the race to get ahead. Timmy isn't like that." He took a sip of his coffee and asked, "So, do you have all the details yet on our outing with Timmy's family?"

Tecna nodded and pulled Codatorta's phone out of his shirt pocket. She pulled up an app and typed in some coordinates, "We are meeting here for lunch before the race. It's on the roof of a business that Timmy's Aunt owns. Apparently, the spot has a great view of the entire route, so we shouldn't have to worry about relocating after we eat."

"Sounds great," Codatorta commented, noticing Timmy walking up with two bike helmets. Codatorta smiled and added, "I'll meet you there when I finish with these guys. You better not keep your boyfriend waiting."

Tecna tried to correct Codatorta, "He's not my…."

"It's only a matter of time," Codatorta said simply, causing Tecna to blush.

Thankfully, Timmy didn't appear to have heard the conversation between father and daughter.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked. Tecna nodded and waved to Codatorta before putting on her helmet and wrapping her arms around Timmy.

On the ride over, Tecna rested her head on Timmy's back. Part of her was doing it to take some of the pressure off her injured arm, but another part of her was simply exhausted. She silently hoped that Timmy didn't mind.

Every inch of her body was aching from the magic she used yesterday. Despite how tired she was, she still felt like she had pent-up magic trying to break free. She needed to be careful today.

…

Timmy slowed his bike down slightly to extend the ride to the picnic. He was enjoying how close Tecna had gotten to him and wanted it to last a little while longer. He contemplated going around the corner once, pretending that he passed it up, but he knew that his family would call him out on it. He pulled up to the front of the building and walked to the front door with Tecna.

He smiled at his Aunt Greta as she opened the door carrying a ladle in her hand.

"What are you cooking, Aunt Greta?" He asked. Greta owned quite a few restaurants in town and was known for her food. As she turned to face him, she frowned when she saw Tecna standing next to him.

"Dragon fire soup," She answered, "Now get in here. I don't want to air condition the neighborhood."

Timmy didn't notice the frown this time, but Tecna did. She hesitantly came inside with him and asked, "Is there anything I can do to help you, Ms. Greta."

To her surprise, Greta replied, "Sure," then she added, "Timmy, your father needs help setting up on the roof."

When Timmy left, Tecna followed Greta into the kitchen and asked, "What do you need me to do?"

"Leave," Greta replied simply, "Timmy is a good boy with a kind heart. He doesn't need a heartless Zenithian as his girlfriend."

"But, I am not his girlfriend," Tecna argued. She knew this woman didn't like her, but she didn't want to leave Timmy either, "We're just friends. My mom passed away a few months ago, and Timmy invited me here so I wouldn't be alone."

"Oh sweetie, I know you miss having a mother in your life; but being here is not going to bring her back. And you don't really want to be in a place where you're not welcome. So why don't you call up your dad and ask to spend time with him instead," Greta suggested.

Tecna turned away; Greta was right. She didn't want to be in a place where she wasn't welcome. As Tecna walked out the door, she headed to the nearest open restaurant and texted her father to meet her there instead.

…

When Greta brought the pot of dragon fire soup to the roof, Timmy looked around and asked, "Where's Tecna?"

"Oh, she said she felt a little under the weather, so she went back to Red Fountain," Greta lied.

Timmy grabbed his keys and said, "Maybe I should check up on her."

Greta stopped him and replied, "No, she told me that she just had a cold. I even sent her home with some soup. She'll be fine, Timmy."

Jimmy looked over at his son and said, "We have been preparing for this race all year, don't let me down now. Your mother always wanted to see you come in first. Now come sit down and eat before the food gets cold."

Timmy let out an irritated sigh but agreed. He didn't want to let his mother or his father down by missing the race. Instead, he sent a text asking if she needed anything.

…

Codatorta pulled up at the restaurant and saw Tecna sitting at a table outside. She had already ordered a drink, so Codatorta sat down and did the same. He noticed she looked upset and asked, "Where's Timmy and his family?"

Tecna bit her lip and explained, "I left… As much as I like spending time with Timmy, I don't belong there. Besides, the Day of the Rose is a Day about family. You're pretty much the only family I have left."

While Codatorta knew there was more to the story, he let it go. This was the first time she ever referred to him as family, and he didn't want to ruin the moment. Instead, he lifted the menu and asked, "Well, what are we eating."

Tecna went to pick up her menu when her phone went off. She looked down and saw it was a text from Timmy, "Aunt Greta said you felt like you were catching a cold. Would you like me to bring you some medicine or anything before the race?"

Tecna gave a weak smile. Timmy was sweet but so naïve. She texted back, "I'm fine. Codatorta is here with me. I would tell you good luck, but we both know I don't believe in luck… Be fast!"

Tecna chuckled as she sent the text. She could practically feel Timmy shaking her head at that message. She looked up at Codatorta and finally answered, "I think I will have the spinach lasagna."

….

After they ate, Tecna and Codatorta headed to the barricades to get a good spot. Tecna wasn't very far from the start of the race. She looked down the road and could see the Specialists, including Timmy, lining up for the race.

Queen Luna of Solaria was giving a speech before the race. Tecna then noticed Stella was standing in a racing check top with a vibrant red dress and statement earrings. She was holding two flags which Tecna assumed would trigger the start of the race.

She then noticed the other Winx watching their boyfriends behind the barricades on the opposite side of the street. For a moment, Tecna locked eyes with Bloom, but she quickly looked away. Tecna clicked her tongue irritably. She must still be mad at her over the Sky and Diaspro thing.

Queen Luna finally stopped talking and moved out of the way. Stella raised her arms up in the air and signaled for the racers to start. They zoomed past her, causing her hair to fly backward.

"Rude," She screamed as she walked away from the starting line to grab a hairbrush.

…

The race consisted of three laps. Timmy was making his first turn when he thought he saw Codatorta and Tecna in the crowd. He didn't dare look back since he had to maintain control of his bike. He worked hard to pass between bikes and gain a lead. If that was Tecna, he wanted to impress her. After all, girls were only interested in winners.

By the time he was on his second lap, he had made it to fifth place, which was great considering he was the 20th in line at the start of the race. He paid attention this time as he came up to the turn and smiled as he realized it was Tecna there cheering him on. Now that he knew she was there, he was more determined than ever to win. He sped up his bike and managed to pass two more competitors. Now Sky, Riven, and Timmy were leading on the final lap. Timmy was trying his hardest to take the lead, but Riven kept blocking his attempts.

…

As Timmy approached the turn, Riven was going too fast and pealed out, nearly hitting Timmy. Tecna gasped in horror, and from where she sat with Codatorta, she created a shield which surrounded the two boys. Riven let out a sigh of relief and gave Tecna a thumbs up to say thanks. Then, he sped off to catch back up in the race.

Tecna leaned on the railing of the barricade to catch her breath. Her magic had drained her significantly; she felt ready to collapse.

Codatorta looked at her and asked, "Are you feeling alright, Tecna? I can bring you home if you would like."

Tecna shook her head and replied, "I'm fine. I want to be here for the guys."

…

As the finish line came into view, Sky looked at Timmy in his peripheral vision and could see the determination on his face. They were nose-to-nose when something unexpected happened. Sky's wheel had a blowout and he lost control of his bike. Tecna tried to create another shield for him, but her last spurt of magic had drained her too much. She was forced to watch Sky fall off his bike.

Timmy saw his friend in distress and slammed on his breaks. He was literally inches away from the finish line. Riven had sped past him screaming, "Yeah, I won!" While Riven was busy taking his victory lap Timmy was busy carefully dodging other racers to help his friend up and out of the way. Bloom ran up to Sky on the sidelines and said, "Sweetheart, are you alright?"

Tecna walked over to the two, and Bloom quickly turned angry, "This is your fault."

"Me? How is it my fault?" Tecna asked.

Bloom transformed, her eyes red with rage, "You saved Riven and Timmy, why couldn't you save Sky?"

Tecna went to explain, "I tried, but my magic…."

"You didn't try hard enough," Bloom screamed before aiming a fireball at Tecna.

Timmy quickly pulled Tecna behind him and pulled out his phantoblade to reflect the attack.

Sky stood up with a hobble and yelled, "That's enough, Bloom. I know you're mad at me, but that gives you no right to treat Tecna that way. I asked her not to say anything. Geez, what's gotten into you?"

Bloom looked taken aback. She looked around at her friends, who all had the same judgmental facial expression. "It's not me. She's the villain here," Bloom said with tears in her eyes.

"Bloom, you're not acting like yourself. What's wrong?" Sky asked.

Finally, Bloom broke down in tears and said, "I don't know…" She then ran off crying.

Sky was going to go after her, but Brandon stopped him, "Oh no, you are going to go get patched up first. I am not having your father breath down my back over a temper tantrum."

Sky agreed irritably and walked away with the rest of the group. Timmy was the only one left, he turned to Tecna and asked, "Are you okay?"

She nodded and said, "Yes, Thank you."

Just then, she saw his aunt approaching and said, "Timmy, I'm still not quite feeling well. I am going to head back with Codatorta."

Timmy frowned but nodded, "Okay, I guess…"

…

Dinner with his family that night was intense. Timmy had a chance to win, but he blew it by trying to be the hero, so none of his family was talking to him. Timmy let out a sigh and walked to the kitchen to refill his drink. As he approached, he heard his aunt talking to his sister in a hushed voice. He didn't think anything of it at first, they were in the kitchen getting ready to serve desserts. But when he overheard the word Zenith, it piqued his interest.

"So where did that Zenithian bitch go?" his older sister, Tammy asked, "Dad told me she was going to be spending the day with us, not that I'm complaining."

Greta smirked and whispered, "Ugh, I practically had to breastfeed her to get rid of her. When I told her that Timmy didn't need a heartless Zenithian for a girlfriend, she claimed her mom died, and Timmy invited her, so she had a family to spend the day with. That bitch has a father, so I told her that being here wasn't going to bring back her mom and that she should leave. She left shortly afterward."

Timmy nearly fell over from the conversation. He threw his cup in the sink, not caring that it shattered before walking out of the house.

Hearing the noise, Greta and Jimmy ran after him, "Timmy, what's wrong?" Greta asked, pretending to be concerned.

Timmy was seething with rage, "As if you don't know."

"Timmy, you deserve better than that unfeeling bitch," his aunt argued.

"The only unfeeling bitch I know is you!" Timmy said before driving off towards Red Fountain.