S1E6 "Mission at Cloud-Tower"

In the early morning hours of the upcoming weekend, Bloom had nested herself in the quietest, most unfrequented corner of Alfea's Library. She'd been sitting at a desk piled high with books, a few including "The Extensive History of Solaria", "Tenebris Magicae: The Dangers of Witchcraft, and "Amorelli's Boy Dictionary, Volume Five" (which she had frantically scoured the library for). The book she was currently studying discussed famous enchanted items from across the Magic Dimension, which she figured would include The Solarian Scepter Ring on one of its pages.

"Battlestar...Bea's Blade...The Beacon of Leridia?" Bloom whispered to herself. She flipped through several sections, seeing glimpses of pictures pass with each swipe.

"Sonder Lady, Spectral Dagger, wait-" She backtracked, hiking her fingers up the page. "Sol-Solarian Scepter Ring!"

There it was, in full detail. The ring was thoroughly labeled in big, glowing letters, with a brief summary of its cultural and societal importance placed below it.

"The Scepter of Power..." Bloom read. "Within lineal rights of the Solarian Princess, and/or Sun and Moon Fairy."

"Psst." A voice said. "Bloom."

Bloom turned to see Stella sitting adjacent to her, a single orange notebook in her hand.

"You missed class today." She said, attempting to keep her voice down. "I don't blame you though, that lady's a hell of a bore."

"DuFour, that's right..." Bloom said, closing the book. "Oh well, I guess."

"Trust me, you didn't miss much." Stella said as she read the book's title. "But what are you doing now?"

"Researching your ring," Bloom replied. "The Trix were obsessed with getting it, and I'm trying to figure out why."

"Well, plenty of reasons, probably." Stella said, crossing her legs. "Money, power...it's a decent looking accessory, too. They go to Cloud Tower, stealing's right up their alley."

"They do?" Bloom asked. "But they tried to kill you! Kill me, too! Cloud Tower has rules for that, right?!"

"Yeah, no doubt." Stella replied, playfully rolling her eyes. "They're just bullies, Bloom. They scare you with the k-word and cackle like maniacs, but will they actually do it? No. They know better than that."

Tecna, now donning a "Student Librarian" pin, hurriedly walked past without noticing the two.

"Look at her." Stella said affectionately. "Our little nerdlette's going places. She needs to get her ass over here-"

"Stella?" Bloom chastised. "She's clearly busy. Let her be."

"I don't understand the appeal of this place." Stella said as she lowered back into her chair. "It's too quiet...and cold...and we can't even eat in here? Lame."

"Tecna seems to love it."

"Well, duh. She's in her element."

Stella watched as Tecna turned a corner and disappeared.

"I just hope she doesn't blow his cover."

Tecna followed the three fairies to the library's back section. They were whispering and giggling in hushed tones, passing door after door of individual study rooms before discreetly stopping near the dust-collecting "X-Xu" section of books. Her concern didn't involve the girls themselves, but rather their role in a pattern of maneuvers she'd seen occur almost daily. Girl after girl, ignoring any and all texts or Magitech resources, beelining for this same exact door at the back of the library. She found this behavior peculiar, and while it didn't warrant disciplinary action, it did perplex her so much that her own investigation would be necessary.

"This is it?" One girl whispered, no match for Tecna's hearing.

"Yeah, I think." The other whispered back. "That's what Stella told me."

Stella? Well, she wouldn't be surprised if the rule-breaking princess herself was involved.

The third pulled out her phone, careful to put it on vibrate, and called a number that picked up after a couple of buzzes. The volume was very low, and even Tecna was having trouble understanding the conversation.

"Year, Class, and Instructor." The male voice seemed to say. "And one at a time, please."

The first girl spoke. "Um...First Year, M-Metamorphosymbiosis...Wizgiz?"

"Ayye, easy one." The male voice said, amused. "Alright, approach the door, grab it, and then leave immediately."

"Got it." She whispered. A laminated sheet of paper was swiped out from underneath a door. Tecna nearly gasped, confused that the door's glass panels suggested an empty study room. The girl swiftly picked up the sheet and walked off, placing it in her backpack as she left. The other two followed suit, and before long Tecna walked out of her hiding place. She approached the door; it was a fairly small room, with a single lamp, chair, and a built-in desk. The lamp was off, and there was clearly no one inside. Was...music playing, though? Faintly, but how? What strange phenomena had she walked into?

She continued on towards the front, but stopped herself, turning back around as her investigative skills got the best of her. She swiped open the door, entering the space with her hands on her hips. The silence was eerie, and there was certainly a shift in the surrounding air. But there was nothing, no man or word, and she left in bewilderment.

And soon the tinkling, upbeat music resumed.

"According to the legend," Bloom explained to the others as they walked in the courtyard. "The Scepter of Solaria was created a long time ago, sculpted out of sunstone ore and immersed in the Spring of Light. Which still flows today!"

"Oh, wow." Musa said. "That's a fancy piece of jewelry you've got there, Stell!"

"Only one of many gifts offered by the Great Sacred Fire." Bloom added.

"I always thought Solarian history was ultra boring growing up," Stella said. "But after this...I must have missed a bunch of the good stuff!"

"I know!" Bloom replied, excited. "I should have checked out the book when I had the chance."

She rubbed the side of her neck. "And not just the one on Solaria, either. Another book said that the Enchanted Universe of the Magic Dimension as we know it was created eons ago by the Mythical Dragon who sparked the Sacred Fire, otherwise known as the Dragon's Flame!"

"Wait, so is the Dragon real?" Flora asked, walking along Bloom's side. "Or is it symbolic of something?"

Musa shrugged. "Maybe the Dragon is like the embodiment of Good vs Evil?"

"Stella's been here the longest," Bloom said, grinning. "You have to know about most of this, right?"

"Ancient History's never been my strongpoint." Stella said, shaking her head. "Besides, a princess has better priorities-dancing, appearances, the blasé royalty schtick, you know. No time for looking up fire-breathing dragons on my schedule."

"I've learned so much today, but there has to be more..." Bloom said. "I think I'm gonna head back to the library, one more time. See you later, girls?"

"Okay, bye!" The others said.

Stella waved goodbye. "Say hi to Tecna for me!"

The group split off, and Bloom began retreating back towards Alfea's Library. She was still amazed by all the fantastical stories she read, of harrowing battles between rival kingdoms and the daring adventures of legendary knights. Soon she was daydreaming, a smile growing on her face. She was halfway down the outside corridor before the distracting sound of clicking heels grew nearby.

"Well hello, Miss Bloom," said Headmistress Faragonda, coming from the main entrance. "Where might you be off to, this morning?"

Bloom fumbled on her words. "I-um...to the library, Headmistress. I've been doing a lot of studying, on the Magic Dimension, its history...and the Drag-"

"The Dragon's Flame?" Faragonda answered, almost as if she predicted it. Her eyebrows raised in a curious manner.

"Yes, actually!" Bloom said, beaming. "The origin story-it's just so fascinating! Like nothing I've ever read before. I want to know more."

"Well then." Faragonda crooned, politely clasping her hands behind her back. "Perhaps my advanced age and decades-long research may be of service to you?"

Bloom's eyes widened, almost at a loss for words. "Yeah-yes!"

"Follow me to my office, dear." Faragonda began walking, gesturing Bloom forward. "We'll have much to discuss."

"In the beginning, there was nothing. But then, out of the deep darkness, a dazzling light appeared-The Great Dragon."

Bloom listened while reclined in a fancy office chair. She had always wondered how the nondescript room at the top of the grand staircase looked from inside, but never guessed that she'd be dazzled by such a breath-taking interior. It was a room of gold, brightened by vibrant tapestries and consecutive, floor-length windows.

"With his fiery breath," Faragonda continued. "He created a multitude of different worlds, and spread life, light and heat across the barren universe."

"So he is real..." Bloom said quietly.

"Yes dear," Faragonda answered. "Very much so. A living entity."

"But with time the Great Dragon grew exhausted, and so he chose to lie down in a place called Domino."

The place's name lingered in Bloom's thoughts.

"Stella said that Domino is a cold, dark, uninhabited place."

"In modernity, yes." Faragonda said, sighing. "But at its height...Domino was a land of wonder and prosperity, and the Great Dragon's home."

"What happened, then? For it to change so much?"

"Dark, malevolent forces, dear Bloom." Faragonda answered in an ominous tone. "Forces strong enough to put out the Dragon's Flame then, and likely for centuries to come."

"Who were they?" Bloom asked, overflowing with questions. "Is the Great Dragon still alive? Is Domino and the Dragon's Flame truly lost? Will it ever be returned to the universe?! How-"

"My word, Bloom." Faragonda placed her hands on her desk. "I do wonder where your recent fascination stems from?"

Bloom felt embarrassed.

"I don't know, really." She replied, adjusting herself in her chair. "I guess I've just grown...curious? Being from Earth, everything is so new here..."

"Yes..." Faragonda pondered the words. "I can understand that, I suppose."

Bloom sighed. "It's finally starting to hit me. The magic, the fairytale landscapes, the ancient kingdoms...after years of wondering...I know it's all true now."

"It is much to take in, dear." Faragonda said. "Eons worth. Do take your time."

Bloom's phone buzzed. Stella was probably calling to remind her of her next class. Not wishing to answer it in front of the Headmistress, she excused herself from the office.

"Um...thank you for explaining the lore to me, Headmistress." Bloom slightly bowed. "Thank you for everything."

"Of course, dear Bloom." Faragonda bowed her head in return. "Farewell."

She watched as Bloom exited the doors, a look of concern growing on her face.

Much later in the day, the girls watched as Stella paced her bedroom floor. Her brow was furrowed and her lips were pursed, and above all, her face was remarkably bare. The candidness of her appearance signified her determination.

"I might get expelled for this. Banned from Alfea, maybe." Stella said without making eye-contact. "And you all, too, by association..."

Flora winced. "Not really liking the sound of this-"

"Shush." Stella stopped pacing for a second. "But listen...hear me out..."

She nervously raked her bangs. Bloom entered the room and immediately sat on Stella's bed, Kiko hopping into her lap.

"The Trix consists of Icy and her 'sisters', and they're all in their third year at Cloud Tower." Stella began. "And like Alfea and Red Fountain, classes stop for the weekend and resume the Monday afterward. And like us, the witches leave campus to fool around and hang out in the meantime."

"Yeah?" Musa mumbled.

"So," Stella took a deep breath. "Given our recent streak of rule-breaking shenanigans-"

The apartment door clicked open, announcing the arrival of a stressed, post-shift Tecna. She chucked off her library pin and joined the others in Stella's room, standing to the side with her arms crossed.

"Damnit, Tecna." Stella said. "You're late."

"Late for what?"

"Stella's telling us her genius plan for getting the ring back." Bloom said. Stella seemed flattered by her choice of words.

"Oh, alright." Tecna said, now invested in the conversation. "Keep going."

"Anyway..." Stella resumed. "This means that Cloud Tower is practically empty on Friday nights. It'll be a little risky, I know that, but..."

Stella raised her hands for the big reveal. "...why don't we go there tonight and steal it back?"

An uncomfortable silence grew over the group. Flora played with her hair, Musa nervously bounced her crossed leg, Tecna frowned, and Bloom stared, wide-eyed and at a loss for words.

"Hmm?" Stella gave a cheeky grin. "How about it? Thoughts."

The girls struggled to speak.

"So..." Tecna said, still frowning. "We're just breaking all the rules this year, aren't we?"

Stella crossed her arms. "Did you mean that in a positive way or a negative one?"

"Yes."

"Well, what, are we just going to wait then?" Stella said derisively. "Wait till our next fight with the Trix, hoping that it's in their pockets and not locked away in some witch box somewhere?"

"I'm not...disagreeing, per se." Tecna replied. "I just think this plan is a little short-notice? And dangerously risky. Too risky, actually."

"So we should?"

"Stell-"

"It doesn't have to be, like, now...we can wait a little bit."

"That's not the point."

"How are we...getting there, exactly?" Flora added, quiet in tone.

Stella paused, then began massaging her cheeks with her fingers.

"There's a set of connecting tunnels under the school." Bloom finally said. "The Trix used them to sneak into Alfea during the Gala. Goes to Alfea, Red Fountain, and Cloud Tower."

"Okay," Tecna said, stroking her chin. "That's convenient."

"But what's going to happen when we get there?" Musa asked.

"That, I haven't figured out yet." Stella replied, sighing.

"And how do we know the Trix will be out tonight?" Flora added. "Not to mention Headmistress Griffin and the other instructors."

"That's also up in the air right now."

"I dunno guys." Musa said, adjusting one of her gauges. "We'll just have to wing it, I guess."

"If we get expelled," Bloom added. "At least we'll get expelled together?"

Giggles erupted from the group. Kiko hopped into Flora's lap, who secretly gave him treats from her skirt's pockets.

"Alright then." Stella said, feeling accomplished. "We leave at midnight."

Hovering above ground with their legs crossed, Icy, Darcy and Stormy meditated to draw out the ring's energy. It was taking a significant amount of effort, but even then, nothing had been produced from their struggling. White, pulsating light swirled around them, transferring and shifting between their bodies. The tension grew higher and higher, until an unexpected explosive reaction forced them apart.

Icy groaned as she lay supine on the floor. "I...I can't believe this shit."

"I think my nose is bleeding..." Darcy mumbled out in a nasal tone.

"Please let that be our last attempt for the night." Stormy said, her breathing labored. "My body can't take much more of this."

"Where is it?!" Icy rose to her knees. "The energy is in there, I can feel it, but it refuses to come out!"

"It's a lost cause." Darcy said, wiping her red nostrils. "I personally doubted it from the start."

Stormy rubbed her neck. "The Dragon's Flame couldn't possibly be contained in this stupid thing!"

"It doesn't take a genius to figure that o-"

"Quiet!" Icy yelled, hair in disarray. "I've devoted too much of my precious time to securing this ring! It can't be all for nothing, because I won't allow it to!"

She grabbed the ring, attempting to crush it in her hand to no avail. She threw it across the room, cursing at the ceiling and collapsing back onto the floor.

"The power of the Dragon's Flame will be ours..." Icy said with shuddering breaths. "Even if we must start the search all over again!"

They rose to their feet and quickly followed Icy towards the exit.

"Um...are you sure this is the right way?"

"Trust me, Flora." Bloom said. "Following this path, we'll land directly under Cloud Tower Castle."

The girls continued down the tunnel, a flashlight their only light source. Stella, being the farthest behind, panicked at the consuming darkness that followed them. Further and further they walked, before a sigil-marked door opened and allowed them inside.

"Wow, we're actually inside." Flora whispered. "We're actually in Cloud Tower."

The environment was a chaotic mass of purple staircases and gothic architecture. The groans of the surrounding infrastructure suggested an organic quality, as if the place were alive. The air felt heavy, constricting even, and left the girls completely disoriented.

"What do we do now, though?" Musa asked.

"I don't know," Stella replied. "I guess we'll have to search around for the Trix's dormitory."

Icy soon glided down a nearby set of stairs, forcing the girls into makeshift hiding places. Darcy and Stormy followed after her.

"What do we do with the ring, then?" Stormy asked. "Do we just...give it back?"

"I know you did not just say that." Icy said, nearly hissing.

Darcy chortled. "Go ahead and transfer to Alfea, darling."

"Oh come on! Not funny!"

"We'll figure it out later." Icy said, not amused. "Let's go."

Bloom watched as they phased through a wall towards the outside courtyard.

"Up the stairs, everyone." Bloom said. "It's our best bet."

They trekked upwards for several flights, reaching an identical set of numbered rooms believed to be the dormitories. Bloom gestured to the girls to be as quiet as humanly possible, for fear that any lingering witches may be alerted to their presence. The Trix's apartment was pretty obvious, with an ornately decorated door and their names illuminated with silver etchings. The door was surprisingly left ajar, and they entered the space, fragrant incense filling their noses.

Tecna looked around. "This apartment is huge. It's like a mansion!"

Stella picked up a creepy looking trinket. "I guess we know where their superiority complex comes from."

"Stella's ring could be anywhere around here." Flora said. "Do we have enough time to look?"

"Let's just search what we can." Bloom said, walking further into the space. "Make sure to put everything back where you found it."

The search began; a look into the Trix's belongings revealed the wacky, disturbing, and sometimes sadistic items they exacted their chaos with. Tecna picked up a bug-eyed doll with two of her fingers, while Musa nearly impaled her hand on a medieval torture device. Stella recklessly sniffed her way through potent ingredients, gagging at a jar of brined bat wings.

"Eugh." Stella groaned. "This place makes me sick."

"This place is an absolute mess." Bloom said under her breath. "There's cobwebs and dust everywhere, look."

Flora shrugged. "Maybe that's just a witch thing?"

"I guess..."

A light glinted just as Bloom passed. Looking down at the pile of dust, she saw just the tiniest sliver of sunstone peeking out from the surface.

"Wait, Stella." Bloom beckoned her over. "Come here."

Stella squinted as she approached. "Is...is that?"

She reached down and brushed away the dust. There, glimmering like a diamond in the rough, was the Solarian Scepter Ring.

"It is!" Stella squealed, placing it back onto her ring finger. "Guys, it's here! We've got it!"

The other girls breathed a sigh of relief, joining each other at the center of the room.

"Alright then." Tecna said, searching for the exit. "Time to get out?"

Tecna approached the door they came in through, growing alarmed that no handle was present from the inside.

"What?!" Tecna hissed. "What kind of logic is that?!"

"There has to be another way."

Bloom came across an old-fashioned wooden door. It seemed to compel her forward, a force that made her linger for a while as if drawn to go inside.

"How about this one?" She said.

"Anything goes." Musa said, stroking her pigtails. "I'd take a window at this point, if they had one."

When Bloom opened the door, it revealed a dark unused library. Books were placed haphazardly on the shelves and strewn about the floor, minor remnants of light breaking out from the ceiling. They stared around in awe, before Bloom grabbed the nearest book and began reading its contents.

"What a strange looking library..." Flora mumbled.

The book was a volume in a series of historical accounts, its yellowed, mite-bitten pages barely secured to its bindings.

"It's an archive." Bloom said, flipping through pages. "These are-"

The next flip elicited a pulse of white light. Bloom quickly shut the book, but she feared the damage had already been done.

"I hope that didn't blow our cover!" Musa whispered.

Bloom laughed nervously. "Let me just...put this back here."

They resorted to reading the titles instead.

"A book about a witch-born fairy..." Flora read. "Eleanor De La Rochefeu."

"Adagilde the Unyielding." Musa muttered. "Kind of looks like Griselda, don't you think haha?"

Stella held in her laugh. "Wow...it does actually!"

"Can you imagine, guys?" Bloom said, amazed by the archive's contents. "The history of every witch and fairy that ever existed, all in here."

"It's fascinating, I'll admit it." Tecna said, listening for any sudden noise. "But we should really be getting out of here while we still can."

"I know, I know, but get this," Bloom replied, grabbing another book. "A book about each of us, currently in the making! We could learn about our origins, our futures. I could finally learn about my history and why I'm a fairy in the first place."

Tecna gave a nervous sigh. "...Make it quick, Bloom."

Bloom searched around, noticing books that looked clean and far newer in appearance. One particular book stood out, placed on a pedestal and illuminated in a single beam of overhead light. Even more exciting, the book was titled her name, delivering a promise of new information that she couldn't resist.

"That's it, isn't it?" Flora said, joining Bloom's side.

"It is." Bloom replied, beaming. 'Let's see what's inside-"

"-Bloom." Tecna held the cover shut. "Think about this. Are you really ready for what the past reveals? Do you really want to know your future? Knowing can drastically change things."

Stella sighed. "Man, I'd give my right arm to find out about my future."

"What the future has in store for us is not always pleasant." Tecna lectured. "If I were you, I wouldn't do it, but it's your choice, Bloom."

Bloom paused. "I just want to find out about my powers, nothing more. Where they come from."

She grasped the book cover's corner. "...Just a peak."

Tendrils of magic grabbed her hand before she could open it. Bloom recoiled, panicking as the magic snaked up her arm. She yanked her arm away and nearly fell to the floor. The book transformed, contorting into a face that laughed maniacally.

"Bloom, I don't think that book wants to be read!" Musa said, urgently guiding her towards the door. "Let's get outta here, come on!"

The girls approached the exit, but it immediately phased out of existence, leaving them trapped within the archive.

"Guys this is bad!" Tecna yelled, panicking. "We're stuck here!"

"Magic, everyone!" Stella said, angling her blast. "Use it!"

They took turns blasting the wall, with no spell managing to leave a dent.

"Okay?!" Musa started yanking at her pigtails.

"Um..." Tecna said, sweating. "How about...some convergence?"

"What?!" Stella spat.

"Converging our powers!" Tecna explained, already beginning to transform. "You'd know what chapter we were on if you actually paid attention in class!"

"Okay!" Bloom said, powering up. "Magic Winx!"

After a series of transformations, the girls readied their powers.

"Everybody ready?!" Bloom yelled as they formed a convergence circle. "All together, now!"

Five blasts pelted the wall at full force. Breaking free, they barreled out the room and into the corridor before stopping to catch their breaths.

"There...doesn't..." Flora said between breaths. "There doesn't seem to be a way out of this place."

"This isn't the same corridor we came through." Tecna added.

"How can you tell?" Stella said, leaning over on her knees. "They all look the same!"

"It's my photographic memory. A Zenith thing." Tecna said, looking in both directions. "I think the building is...changing itself?"

"Guys," Bloom said, panicking. "Please tell me we're not completely lost."

A sound of rustling grew nearby. It grew louder, into a roar, before revealing itself as the pattering footsteps of numerous large spiders.

"S-Spiders?!" Musa choked out. "No! Nonono!"

"They're everywhere!" Flora yelled, backing up into the others. "We're trapped!"

"Another convergence, everyone!" Tecna yelled. "Forcefield!"

In a circle like before, they projected a protective field of magical energy around them. The spiders scratched at the barrier, crawling over it with large hairy extremities. One bit with enough force to tear a tiny hole in the forcefield.

"Forcefield breach! What now?!"

"Everyone up!" Flora yelled. The girls hovered high into the air, watching as the spiders scattered around below them.

"And thanks to Palladium's lesson today," Flora said, conjuring something large. "I present to you...a hungry Spider Eater!"

The furry ox-faced quadruped emerged, immediately eating spider after spider with its long, sticky tongue. The girls cheered as it trampled and ate its way through the horde before evaporating as the spell wore off. But soon enough, the spider remains amalgamated into another eldritch beast that bellowed before them.

"Nope, enough of this!" Bloom yelled. "Time to go!"

They dashed the opposite way down the corridor, the creature crawling its way after them. They unfurled their wings and instead began to fly, eyeing for any possible exits in their path. To their horror, the corridor eventually turned into a dead end.

"Damnit!" Stella cursed. "This place is getting on my nerves!"

"We have to face it, then!" Tecna shouted, turning around. "Ready yourselves, girls!"

The girls pelted the creature with magic as it approached, ripping through its slimy appendages before obliterating the creature entirely.

"Okay-"

Tecna ran through the door, rushing inside to reveal another disorganized room filled with books and abandoned belongings.

"Not again!" Musa groaned. "Where are we?!"

Another insect, now equipped with a stinger, charged from the darkness.

"Bake-o-Monsters!" Musa squeaked, clearly traumatized at this point. "I swear, it never ends!"

"Sun Shower!" Stella shouted, radiating energy that tore the creature apart. It was an overpowered move, and it set the flammable room ablaze as a consequence.

"Stella!" Tecna yelled. "The room's going up in flames!"

Fire swirled along the room's perimeter, blocking them from the door. Smoke filled the air, and they were cornered and ultimately trapped. It would be any moment before the witches became aware of the flames, not to mention the Trix ensuring another fight upon arrival. They would surely be expelled now, if they managed to survive their current predicament. Bloom closed her eyes.

Bloom... She heard someone say.

Come forward...

Bloom panicked, looking for its source. Nobody else seemed to have noticed. It was a voice from her own head. A voice that was addressing her directly.

Come with me, Bloom. Follow me...

She slowly walked forward, immersing herself in the flames. They were painless, flickering around her body without singing her skin and clothing.

"Bloom, what the hell!" She heard Stella shout after her. "What are you doing?!"

Within the flames, the voice beckoned her once more.

I will lead you to safety...

Here… The voice instructed. Through here...

The flames were doused in front of her, revealing a hidden circular door. Bloom placed a hand on its surface, leading to it sputtering open to reveal a chute flowing directly into the underground tunnels.

Through here...

"Through here." Bloom repeated aloud. Her attention was stolen by Stella's frantic calls, which seemed to grow louder as her mind returned to present reality.

"Bloom!" Stella yelled, shaking Bloom's shoulder. "Bloom, snap out of it! The door's open!"

"W-what, wait?" Bloom shook her head. "Did you guys hear that? The voice? Was it just me?"

"What? No!" Stella brushed off her words. "Into the tunnel before we die of smoke inhalation, please!"

Like magic, the flames grew in size, chasing the girls with scorching heat as they slid through the downward chute. Each slumped onto the ground below, forming a pile of their crumpled bodies.

"Ow. Get off me, Tecna!" Stella groaned. Tecna was sitting on her shoulder blades.

They reorganized themselves, dusting off their outfits and fluttering their wings. They walked down the tunnel in silence, despite Bloom's racing thoughts.

"I heard a voice, back there." Bloom blurted out. "She spoke to me, and told me how to get out."

"I know you're a fire fairy and all." Musa said, shuffling beside her. "But since when can you walk through flames?"

"I don't know." Bloom replied. "I really don't. It's nothing I've ever experienced before."

"Well, whoever it was, tell them thank you." Stella added. "Because any longer, and we'd been toast!"

"Wanna make a bet on who gets expelled first?" Tecna mumbled. "I say Stella."

"Yeah, forgot about that..." Bloom said sheepishly. "Do you think the witches noticed?"

"We didn't really run into any, right?" Flora replied. "But then again, you never know..."

"Let's just hope for the best." Bloom said, sighing. "At least Stella has her ring back."

"Yes she does!" Stella quipped, kissing her ring finger.

They ventured further down the tunnel and back onto Alfea grounds.

"My body aches..." Musa groaned the following morning. "It aches all over."

"Same."

"I can't feel my face."

"Alright everyone, don't look too miserable." Stella muttered. "Let's just lay low and enjoy the weekend. We don't need Griselda-"

"Griselda, you say?"

The girls looked up to see the Head of Discipline walking rapidly towards them. She seemed to have a smirk on her face, one specifically for Stella. The sound of her heels clicking down the east corridor was horrifying to them, and they could only assume the worst would come as she approached.

"Girls!" She shrilled. "...Stella."

Bloom and the others held in their breaths.

"Yes, Miss Griselda?"

"I see that it has become very apparent." Griselda said, crossing her arms. "That you all, in particular, enjoy routinely breaking the rules."

"Hmm?" Stella said, appearing as coy as possible. "Me?"

"You." Griselda said, eyes narrowing. "You and your friends are in big trouble."

She turned on her heels. "Follow me."

Bloom's heart sank, and the others, Flora and Musa in particular, looked as if their souls had left their bodies. It was finally setting in that they'd be dealing with the consequences of their actions.

Tecna heaved out a sigh.

"Shit."

"This morning," Faragonda said, clearly upset. "I received a message from Headmistress Griffin, of Cloud Tower."

Bloom felt so jittery it was making her nauseous.

"She was furious. I was informed that a group of fairies broke into their school last night. Wreaking havoc and destroying their archives. And worse yet, her descriptions of the girls were nearly identical to you all, who stand before me."

"Is this true?" Faragonda removed her glasses, storm-colored eyes swirling behind them. "I will only ask once."

The girls avoided her gaze, signaling that they were to blame.

"Yes." Faragonda said, sighing. "This kind of behavior will not be tolerated at Alfea. What do you all have to say for yourselves?"

Bloom swallowed, still looking at the floor. "W-we're really sorry, Headmistress."

The other girls nodded.

"Regardless of their apologies, Headmistress..." Griselda added, hands clasped behind her back. "Their punishment should be exemplary, and it is certainly overdue for a select few."

Stella cut her eyes to Griselda before quickly lowering them again. Her brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"Seeing that these students went out without permission," Griselda explained, hiding her amusement. "I would suggest they be grounded and their magic powers revoked until such a date that you feel most adequate."

"Wait, what?" Stella blurted out. "You wouldn't do that to us, Faragond-"

"Wouldn't I?" Faragonda interrupted, hands firmly planted on her desk. "Dear...there are very few things I wouldn't do, given the degree of blatant student misconduct!"

Green, imposing magic swarmed the girls.

"And revoking your magic is not one of them!"

Bloom felt as her magic was leached from her body. It was painless, but nothing short of uncomfortable, a draining feeling that she'd never experienced before. She watched as her magic's essence converged with the others for a final time, before evaporating into the surrounding air.

Upon their return to the apartment, a fuming Stella raced to her room and slammed the door shut. The others sat down on the loveseat, or simply paced the floor to alleviate their anxiety.

"I don't know what she's so upset about..." Tecna mumbled, feeling depressed. "She's the reason we went there in the first place."

"No magic, no classes." Flora sighed. "There goes my outstanding GPA."

"You know what, I'm actually taking this pretty well." Musa said. She had started pulling out strands of her hair.

Bloom walked onto the balcony, hopelessly staring at the flourishing courtyard below. The removal of her magic wasn't any different to how she was in Gardenia, passing off as a simple earthling girl devoid of powers. But it still hurt knowing that they were gone, regardless. She bit her lip, feeling her eyes well up with tears. She returned to the living room with the others, just as a puffy-eyed Stella emerged with her cellphone pressed to her face.

"I hate her, Sky!" She cried, mouth quivering. "Both of them, at this point...like, you can't just do that to someone-to a fairy! Like, why?!"

Sky's muffled voice consoled her, and she poured herself a glass of water before returning to her room.

Tecna sighed. "This is the absolute shits."

"I know." Bloom said, leaning on the loveseat's edge. "We've got to get our powers back."

"Somehow."