Chapter 16: A Party to Remember
"Good morning, class," Palladium said as he entered the room.
"Good morning, Professor Palladium," came the replies from the assembled students.
"Now, how are you all feeling about the approaching midterms?" the enthusiastic elf asked.
This time, the reply was much more varied, consisting of both happy exclamations and despairing groans.
"Same as every year then," Palladium remarked with notable bemusement. "Now, today we're taking a break from general spells and rituals. Instead, today we will be learning about various topics of interest that will be part of the written part of your midterm. We'll start with elemental spirits. Does anyone know what that is? James?"
"My Dad says it's living matter," the boy fairy responded.
"I suppose that is one way to put it," Palladium mused. "It's not incorrect, so to speak, but it is rather... How to put it... Imprecise, I guess is the best way to put it". He mumbled a bit as he considered it. "I'll just try to explain what an elemental spirit is," he finally said with a shrug. "Basically, an elemental spirit is a shard of magic that has come to a sort of life. It has much in common with an imprinted aura, except that it did not come from a living creature in the first place. Like all magi, it has a knack and it shapes its body from that knack. An elemental earth spirit would look like walking rocks for example. Thus, they resemble imps a lot, except that no one knows how to create an elemental spirit. They just sorta pop up from time to time. They are capricious and fickle creatures, their thought processes not rooted in conventional logic. They can be nice one day, murderous the next, with little reason other than the spirit felt like changing. They are mostly made from non-living matter like sand, air, water and such, but there has been the occasional elemental spirit related to animals or plants. Elemental spirits are sometimes bound within artefacts and the resulting items are much more powerful than they would otherwise have been. The downside is that if the items broken or even damaged, they will release an angry creature made of magic and matter. Plus, the ethics of it has been questioned in recent times. Some groups see it as akin to animal cruelty. Personally, I mostly dislike the practise because of the inherent risk. Elemental spirits are dangerous enough as they are, without extra provocations. Now, can anyone guess why this is part of your curriculum? Flora?"
"Presumably because there is a risk of us running into one such spirit while practising our knack," came the brunette's suggestion.
"Exactly. Elemental spirits are often attracted to magic that affects their domain," Palladium explained. "And you can never predict how they'll react. Some will be curious and friendly, others will be murderously insulted. However, elemental spirits have some notable weaknesses. Their bodies can be manipulated with the right general spells or knacks, and the spirit itself can be killed by dispelling it with the correct spells. Now, you shouldn't fear running into any of these beings around here. Alfea is warded against such beings. The barriers will automatically repulse their purely magical essence, should they try to enter. And that's basically the gist of it. If you've been paying attention, you should be able to explain what an elemental spirit is. Now, next we'll talk about magical variance. As we've discussed while talking about how magic and magi affect each other, some worlds can have really low or high levels of ambient magic. Bloom brought up Earth as an example. But did you know that even on a planet with plenty of magic there is still variance in the level? Take the Wildlands for example, a nature preserve run by the republic of Dolona. Even though it's on Magix, the area has really low ambient magic. The reason for this is poorly understood, but one theory is that magical energy is finite and that concentrations of magi draw magic away from some areas. Another theory is that a given area can only hold so much magic, as if the area itself has a limit to how much magical energy it can store, like the case is with magi. The problems with these and other theories is that they have yet to provide anything resembling hard evidence and data, though they are working on it. So far, the best we can say is that the area has low magic for some reason. Now, I mentioned two theories, but if you would turn to page one-hundred and forty-seven, you will see that there are many more, including Professor John Gladstone's theory of..."
The elf continued discussing theories, asking questions and having the students defend whatever hypothesis they felt made the most sense. Soon, class was over and the students left the room.
"A very enlightening class," Flora stated as they went out into the hall. "What do you think, Bloom?"
"I think I understood enough to pass the midterms," the redhead commented. "Hey, by the way, are you busy this weekend?"
"No. Why?" Flora asked.
The redhead adjusted her bag and said: "Well, I got a call from Mitzi and she invited me to this year's Halloween celebration in Gardenia. I've already talked with Faragonda and though she was kinda uncomfortable with the idea, she has agreed to let me go and bring you all with me if you have the time. I guess I should explain. See, every year, they arrange this party when..."
"Did you say party?" Techna eagerly asked as she suddenly appeared beside Bloom, almost causing the redhead to jump into Flora.
"Were did you come from?" Flora asked a bit surprised.
"I was nearby," the scarred girl replied with a grin.
"Yeah, well, could you go find my heart then?" Bloom asked while clutching her chest. "I think it ran screaming in that direction".
"So what is this party about?" Techna questioned.
"What happens is that a lot of the local shops work together to arrange a Halloween party. They rent rooms at the Silent Villa hotel, get some food brought out, put up some decorations. In the afternoon, it's for kids and in the evening, the teens move in to party. The latter is the part we've been invited to," Bloom explained. "I've been to those parties ever since I could walk. It's super-duper fun".
"Is there a dress code?" Flora asked.
"Yeah. Costumes," Bloom replied. "It's a Halloween thing. Dressing up in silly or scary outfits and costumes".
"I am not unfamiliar with the concept," Flora stated. "Dressing up is a common theme in many sorts of celebration".
"And I've already got an idea," Techna said eagerly while rubbing her hands.
"Just remember. No magic," Bloom advised the magenta-haired girl.
"Well, I would like to join you too," Flora said. "It sounds like a fun opportunity to be a part of your culture".
"Now we just need to ask the others if they've got the time," Bloom said.
"Also, finally about time you drag me along for something interesting," Techna added.
"Still sore about that?" the redhead questioned.
"You went off to fight ninjas without me. Of course I am," the scarred girl pouted.
...
Inside the common room, Livy was shuffling a deck of cards with a thoughtful look on her face.
"Whatcha doing?" Piff asked as she fluttered over to the pixie messenger.
"Just thinking about what I should predict," the blond pixie responded.
"Predict?" Piff asked.
"Yeah, with my cards," Livy replied. "I dabble in fortune-telling occasionally. It's my hobby".
"Why?" Piff asked surprised.
"Because if I can get good at it, then I can deliver messages from the future," Livy said excitedly. "Isn't that amazing?"
"Well, if you can get it to work," Piff said, enthusiasm rising. "Oh, oh, how about the party the girls are going to tonight? Can you predict anything about that?"
"I'll try," Livy said, conjuring a small whirlwind to shuffle the cards. "Alright, first we've got..." She grabbed a card at random. "...the subject of the prediction". The card showed a group of people wandering through the woods, accompanied by a beast of burden with a wagon attached. "The Travellers," Livy stated.
"Well, they're going to Earth again, so I guess that makes sense," Piff commented.
"Alright, so we've got the subject. Next is action and then the result," Livy said and drew another card. It showed some woodland animal fleeing across a meadow.
"They're going to be frolicking?" Piff asked.
"The Scared Prey," Livy stated. "It means they should or are going to be scared".
"Well, they are going to a scary party. Again, makes sense," the pixie cheerleader said. "So, last one then?"
Livy pulled the third card out and gasped.
"What? What?" Piff asked eagerly and flew around so she could see it. The card depicted three crooked girls with long black hair walking through the mist. Their faces were pale, blank surfaces devoid of features.
"The Three Faceless Sisters," Livy said. "They symbolise betrayal. Specifically betrayal through an inability to discern truth and lies. This is a grim omen indeed".
"So they will go to a party, get scared and that will make somebody betray them?" Piff summarized, scratching her hair. "I don't get it".
"Well... Neither do I," Livy admitted. "But I must warn them. There is a slight chance that this could somehow be important on some relative scale".
...
Bloom gave Livy a sceptical look. Then she turned to the other girls and questioned: "I have to ask. Are fortune-telling and prophecy real around here?"
The girls had gathered in the courtyard, since Stella had agreed to use her sceptre to gate them to Earth. Both she, Aisha and Musa had agreed to come with Bloom to Gardenia's Halloween celebration. The pixies had also come along, though only because an exasperated Faragonda found that she really couldn't argue against the point that they counted as clustermates, what with living in the same cluster as the girls. She had refused to let anyone else join however, so Mirta had only shown up to say goodbye to them.
"It is. But it is also very unreliable," Flora pointed out. "Predicting the future works by using magic to analyse the most likely outcome. The more specific the fortune is, the greater the risk of it being wrong".
"But the more broad the fortune is, the more double meanings and such it will have, which of course only increase the chance of it being right in some sense," Musa added. "Honestly, I don't put too much stock into it. The future is not set in stone and her prophecy, if it even is genuine to begin with, can have a thousand different interpretations. It might be as innocent as somebody promising not to scare you and then making you jump with a prank".
"Would that count as a betrayal though?" Stella questioned.
"It might. Especially when the question is as broad as 'how will the Halloween party go'," Flora said.
"What do you think, Livy? Is it important?" Bloom asked.
"That's the thing. I don't know," Livy added. "I'm still not good at it. People who have trained in the art of fortune telling can get a feeling for what the signs mean. But I'm not that good yet".
"Even if you were, history is full of professional oracles and prophets getting their predictions wrong," Flora said. "They are just as fallible as the rest of us".
"Like that complete catastrophe that was the 'Angel of Doom' prophecy," Musa muttered. "Took the paladins decades to clean up that particular PR disaster".
"What happened?" Aisha asked.
"There was a prophecy made by a very well-known prophet that a respected and famous paladin would be known as a traitor and a monster of the worst sort. And that his order would shield him from imprisonment and harm," Flora explained. "So people went about trying to figure out who that would be".
"They found the guy that seemed most likely and wanted him jailed and executed before he could do anything wrong," Musa added. "So he holed himself up in his order's tower while his fellow paladins tried to disprove the accusations. Mostly by pointing out how baseless they were".
"Wait a minute," Techna said in realization. "No, that can't be right".
"It is," Musa said dryly. "The prophecy predicted how people would react to the prophecy".
"What a headache," Aisha sighed.
"I just feel sorry for the poor paladin. Being accused and hounded just because some fearmongering prophet spoke about the subject," Tune added. "I for one do not put my faith in such vague statements about hypothetical future events".
"They do sound kinda unreliable," Bloom admitted. "Sorry, Livy. I'll keep your prediction in mind, but I honestly don't think I'll have much use for it".
"That's okay," Livy said. "I just wanted to mention it. The Three Faceless Sisters are a very ill omen".
"Three women who represents trouble. Seems awfully familiar," Musa dryly commented.
"I know whom you are thinking off, but personally I think the Ancestral Witches would be a better match for the card," Flora brought up. "As dangerous as our three adversaries have been, I do not think they rank nearly as high as the Ancestral Witches when it comes to being ill omens".
"Point," the black-haired musician admitted.
"Alright then. Let us go to Earth," Stella said and called forth her sceptre.
"Well, then I'll see you when you come home tomorrow," Mirta said after giving Flora her goodbye kiss.
"Of course. Have fun," Flora said, before vanishing in a blink of light.
...
"So I'm starting to notice that this Halloween thing involves a lot of orange fruit," Musa remarked as they walked down Main Street. The pixies had taken refugee inside Musa's backpack after she had sworn she had made more air-holes and cleaned the inside thoroughly. "And everybody's dressed up all the time, not just at the party proper".
"The pumpkin lanterns are pretty traditional, though I can't remember why," Bloom admitted. "I think it all started with some European holiday that got brought along with the pilgrims or something like that".
"So as with most holidays, it is a long story," Flora added.
"Pretty much," Bloom replied with a shrug.
"So when are we getting into our costumes?" Techna asked eagerly.
"Relax, still a couple of hours until the party starts," the redhead said. "First we go home and say hi to my parents. Then the costumes".
At that moment, Mitzi drove up beside them on her scooter. "So you made it. I was beginning to worry I had sent the invitation too late," she said as she braked. "And unlike last time I saw you, you don't look like a ghoul. Maybe you should have kept that look. Would have added to your costume".
"Nah, I want to go to the party as something different than you," Bloom retorted.
"Oh, good one. You're sharp today," Mitzi remarked. "Saved that up from all the energy you didn't spend on your costume? I imagine you're sticking to yours and Selina's little extra tradition".
"You wish you had so cool an idea you didn't have to change it every year," the redhead replied. "By the way, is Selina coming too this year?"
"Yep. Got confirmation a couple of days ago. Jasper will be there too along with a couple of his buddies. Even got one of them to be DJ".
"Then hopefully we will get some proper music this year," Bloom sighed. "What was up with that snot-nosed beehive they brought in last time?"
"Or the year before that. Sounded like a bear growling to the delightful tones of a brick in a tumble-dryer," Mitzi commented. "Oh, are those your friends from... Wherever it was you went to school?"
"Yes. We've got Stella, Musa, Aisha, Flora and Techna," Bloom said, the respective fairies raising a hand to indicate whom she was speaking about.
"'Techna'?" Mitzi questioned.
"It's her nickname," Bloom explained. "Her real name is..." She was interrupted by a snowball suddenly colliding with her face.
"Ups, my mistake. I dropped it," came the scarred girl's cheerful voice.
"Is that a snowball? Where did she get a snowball from?" Mitzi asked surprised.
"She probably brought it from school. It snowed a couple of days ago," Bloom said. "Well, now that she's used that, I can tell you..." Another snowball hit her.
"I'm sorry, I just seem to keep dropping them," came Techna's obviously insincere apology.
"Brought them apparently," Mitzi commented with barely hidden amusement.
"How many did you bring?" Bloom asked, brushing the rapidly melting snow off her shoulders.
"Keep yapping and you'll see," came the magenta-haired girl's incredibly cheerful threat.
"Alright, we'll save that part for later then," Bloom remarked, giving up on the idea of revealing the girl's real name. "So, I'll see you at the party".
"See ya," Mitzi said as she got ready to drive off. "Oh, and do fix yourself up before arriving, Bloom. Wouldn't do to look so scruffy at an adult party". Then she sped off.
"And she's gone. And I had such a good reply to that," Bloom muttered slightly annoyed.
"You are friends with that girl, right?" Aisha asked as they continued the walk down Main Street.
"Well, yes, of course," Bloom replied slightly confused. "Why does everybody keep asking me that?"
...
A couple of hours later, which were spent in Bloom's parents' house, the girls decided to change into their respective costumes. Musa was the first to finish, having used her sewing skills to make herself a scarecrow costume, which was decorated with the colourful patches that adorned all her clothes. So she went downstairs, both to show off her costume to Bloom's parents and give the other girls some extra space. From the amount of cloth some of them had stuffed in their bags, they would need it.
"That's a pretty good... Either scarecrow or hobo," Mike said as he noticed Musa.
"Scarecrow, actually," Musa said. "I feel dressing like a stereotypical poor person just makes unnecessary fun of a real problem".
"Hmm, I guess I can see your point," the blond admitted.
Then Stella came down, wearing an impractically large, frilly, multicoloured dress of several layers of different fabric, that added at least a meter to the Solarian princess' width. Parts of it, especially around her arms, were puffy and round, restricting her movement considerably. On her head was a heavy, gem encrusted, gold and silver tiara of a complicated, knotted design.
"And what are you, besides currently worth more than everything we own?" Vanessa asked.
"Why, I'm totally a princess of course," Stella replied with a beaming smile.
"How original," Musa flatly commented.
At that moment, Bloom entered, dressed in a dainty teal dress with fake butterfly wings on her back and a glittery wand in hand. "And I'm a fairy," she said.
Musa shook her head before calling up the stairs: "Any other font of creativity who wants to show off their unrestrained vision for costume design?"
"Actually, I'm always a fairy for Halloween, even if it is a bit redundant now," Bloom admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. "That's the tradition Mitzi mentioned. Me and Selina always go as fairies, usually in complimentary colours. We've been doing that since... Well, since we were kids".
"I have tried to convince her to try something else for once, but she just won't budge on the issue," her mother commented.
Then Aisha came down the stairs, wearing a sparkly mask that covered half her face and a full body suit in many colours. "Well?" she asked a bit nervously. "What do you think?"
"Looks good. And way more comfortable than Stella's cloth orgy," Musa remarked.
"Hey, don't make me come over there and bump into you," the royal blonde remarked defensively.
"You kinda look like a jester," Mike remarked.
"A harlequin, actually," Aisha said. "I've seen them at the masquerades we sometimes hold. I've always liked their costumes, but that is not proper princess wear. So I thought, since Halloween is about dressing as somebody else, maybe it would be okay not dressing like a princess".
"Well, I see no problem with that," Vanessa added supportively.
"Only thing is that the mask makes it kinda hard to see," the brunette princess admitted.
Down the stair came Flora, dressed in brown suit and pants, with a little brown hat with a press card in it.
"A journalist I take it," Bloom said. "What took so long? It looks simple enough".
"Techna had some issues getting it all to stay on her, so I offered my assistance," the noble brunette remarked.
Seconds later, Techna jumped down the stairs, wearing an odd mixture of cloth, rubber, metal bits and make-up. "I AM A ZOMBIE-ROBOT-SPY! FROM THE FUTURE!" she triumphantly declared.
The others stared at her.
"I'm trying to be surprised. I really am. But it's just not happening," Musa snarked.
"Well, we should get going," Bloom remarked after looking at the clock. "Thanks for letting the pixies stay here while we're at the party".
"They're adorable. The blonde one even promised to put on a show with the redhead," Vanessa said. "Do they have any dietary requirements or can they have normal people food?"
"I think you can just give them normal stuff. Though I get the feeling they'd really like some candy," the redhead replied as the group made for the front door. "See you later".
The trip to the Silent Villa hotel took about an hour, mostly because two of the girls constantly had to help Stella hold up her dress so that it wouldn't drag the ground.
"Why did you choose something so impractical?" Musa grunted in frustration.
"I got this from some very loving, if out of touch relatives. If I can't wear this to a costume party, I'm never going to find an occasion for it," Stella replied.
"I am pretty sure that with little effort, you could have this remade into at least five dresses," Flora remarked. "As it is, it is just an uncomfortable waste of expensive cloth".
Not soon after, they arrived. The Silent Villa had been built on top of a hill, surrounded by garden grounds filled with trees and bushes. Everywhere, pumpkin lanterns lit up the night, creepy sounds played from the hidden loudspeakers and a fog machine added to the atmosphere, as the girls wandered between creepy decorations, including gravestones and false corpses.
"This is a kinda... Morbid holiday," Aisha remarked nervously, keeping an eye on their surroundings.
"It's awesome. It's like the entire area has been decorated like a horror movie," Techna said delighted.
"I assume there is a point to it," Musa remarked.
"Sure. I just can't remember it," Bloom admitted. "Halloween is a time to celebrate things both spooky and fantastical. The only time of year you can dress completely outrageously and nobody will bat an eye". After a moment, she added: "Though the trend of making everything with pumpkin flavour has gotten a bit out of hand in my opinion".
They walked up to the hotel itself, which was decorated with grisly imagery. From inside came the soft thumping of music. Flora knocked on the door and a woman in a classical maid uniform opened the door. "And you are?" she asked, bringing out a list.
"Bloom Peterson, plus five friends," the redhead responded.
"Ah yes, you're on the list," the woman said, opening the door to let them in.
"Are you in costume or part of the staff?" Flora asked as they went inside.
"Both actually," the woman replied. "Part of the seasonal motif we got going. We have special uniforms for almost every major holiday".
"That is an interesting way to add flavour to the stay," Flora commented.
The girls walked in where the main party was going on. It was a big room filled with teens from all over the city. Some were dancing, others having a chat and some were eagerly harvesting the massive buffet table that had been set up in one end.
"That's a lot of costumes," Aisha remarked, covering herself with her arms. In the presence of so many people, she was starting to feel a bit self-conscious over how tight her costume was. "I can't even guess what half of them are".
"Let's see what we've got. Over there's a guy in black armour with an oversized red flashlight," Techna commented.
"And over there we got a fedora wearing burn victim with sharp fingers," Musa pointed out.
"Some of them are references to pop culture," Bloom said as they walked into the teenage throng. "So it's really not a surprise you don't know who they are".
Somebody noticed the recently arrived girls. With a cheerful grin, Jasper sauntered over to them, his white suit exchanged for a blood-red one. "Well, babe, didn't think you'd be back to party so soon. And with so many pretty friends".
"Well, neither did I," Musa admitted. "But Bloom here invited us along for the ride".
"Heh. Well, if I had known, I'd have brought my proper dancing shoes," the Suits leader said. "But without the proper kicks, I could never match to your wild style in a dance off. So I hope you're not disappointed that we won't have our rematch to the tune of Halloween screams".
"It would also be rather sad to crush your dreams on such a festive holiday," Musa remarked. "So it's probably for the best".
"Right, well, while the two of you are flirting shamelessly, I'm going to see what they've got at the buffet table," Bloom interrupted. "Anybody else wants to come along?"
"I do. I might, like, also need help with the snacks," Stella said as she waddled after Bloom. "I'm starting to regret my choice of costume".
"And I'm going to hit the dance floor," Techna said excitedly. "It is time to par-tay".
"I concur," Flora added as the two of them mingled with the dancing teens.
"I think I'll just find a quiet corner to sit in for now," Aisha said as she slinked off. She was starting to feel a bit vulnerable, what with usually being dressed in many more layers of cloth.
"Where did she get something like that?" Jasper asked, looking at Stella who was slowly making her way across the room. "It looks very fancy, if stupid".
"Some rich relatives thought it would make for a good gift," Musa remarked. "According to Stella, they're kinda out of touch".
"Honestly, would have guessed she inherited from a great-great-grandmother or something," the Suits leader commented. "Her family must be loaded with dough. Or have been at some point. Is that iron on her head real?"
"Think so, though I'm not an expert," Musa replied with a shrug. "So, how have things been going around town?"
At the buffet table, Bloom had to patiently assist Stella, whose range of movement was severely hampered. "So, how long before you just snap and tear this... Princess costume catastrophe to shreds?" she asked as she filled up the dish with a variety of snacks.
"I've been through worse. At least here I'm tots allowed to point out how ridiculous it is for everybody involved," Stella commented as she took the dish with stiff movements. "By the way, thanks".
Out of the corner of her eye, Bloom noticed someone walking over to them. She turned to face the person and with utmost joy, she squealed: "Selina".
"Bloom," the other girl happily greeted and enveloped her friend in a hug. Selina was about Bloom's age, with a large stack of hair the colour of hay and a red fairy costume to match Bloom's blue. "So glad you decided to show up. Haven't seen you since... I can't even remember".
"Yeah. I wish I could visit Gardenia more often," Bloom sighed as she let go of her friend. "Just a shame we couldn't see each other last time I was in town".
"Well, I had promised to be home while my godmother was visiting," Selina said with a shrug. "So, is the blonde one of the friends you've been talking about?"
"Stella Guildenstern," the blonde said and shook Selina's hand with considerable effort.
"Pleased to meet you. So, brought any other friends?" Selina curiously asked.
"A couple. Though they seem to have spread out all over the place," Bloom commented while scouting the room. "I'll introduce you to them later".
"Just be careful or you'll end up with a face full of snow. Again," Mitzi commented as she walked over to them, dressed in an elaborate jellyfish costume. "So, you two are fairies again. I think there's a new guy who's just moved in five blocks from my house who might be slightly surprised at tis discovery, but I wouldn't count on it".
"You're one to talk," Selina commented with a smirk. "You always dress up as some sort of fish".
Mitzi looked down her costume. She shook her body a bit, allowing the tassels that acted as tentacles to dangle around. "Okay, do you need glasses? How does this look like a fish?"
"But it is a fish. A jellyfish to be precise," Bloom pointed out.
"Congratulations, you've just managed to taint the entire field of marine biology with your ultra-lame humour," Mitzi dryly commented as she walked off. "I'm going to get the DJ to kick the party up in gear, but if you two want to stay here and exchange dad jokes, then fine by me".
"Actually, hitting the dance floor sounds great. You coming along?" Bloom asked Stella.
The blonde princess took one long look down her dress. "Well, like, this will be an experience," she briefly commented.
"Hey, DJ, let's kick it up," Mitzi yelled as the four girls made their way onto the dance floor.
"Yo, yo, yo, everybody. Let's kick this Halloween into overdrive," Thomas the enthusiastic DJ said as he fiddled with the station. "Everybody, let's rock out!" And then the music started blasting.
"Think you're going to enjoy this?" Selina asked her redheaded friend.
"Yeah, it's a fantastic party. There's all kinds of creative costumes," Bloom said. "Like that guy who's dressed as a vampire. Or the doctor over there".
Selina eyed the doctor, who was currently introducing himself as 'the best doctor in town', before she commented with an amused smile: "Yes, let's just stick to calling him a doctor. Much better that you stay innocent".
"What?" Bloom asked as her friend headed through the dancing teens. "No, what did you mean by that? Hey, Selina, wait, what's so funny about that?"
...
"I need a break," Bloom gasped as she dropped into a chair besides Aisha. "I feel like my legs are about to fall off".
"Has it been a while since you last danced?" Flora asked as she took the seat next to her.
"Actually, yeah. Haven't really had many oppertunities," Bloom said, fanning herself with her hand. "Plus, I'm... Kinda out of shape".
"Maybe you should do more training than the occasional school mandated walk in the woods," Flora suggested.
"But exercising is boring," Bloom groaned in protest. She gave her stomach a poke. "Though I wouldn't mind losing some weight," she muttered. "You'd think after all I've been through I would have lost a couple of kilos at the very least".
"Yes, but while strenuous, your adventures are also very sporadic. Permanent change comes from changes to your lifestyle," the noble brunette pointed out.
"I could give you some pointers on that," Aisha offered. "The diet I have been mandated in order to keep my slim figure is very effective".
"But diets suck too," Bloom groaned. "Isn't there a weight loss spell or something?"
"Well, of course there is, but like all transformations done to magi, they have a habit of snapping back unless you internalize the new look," Flora explained. "And internalizing is easier if you've put effort into the change, much more effort than what is required to lay down on a table and having the fat magically removed".
"That sucks," Bloom commented before noticing something on a table. "Oh hey, a newspaper article". She picked it up and read: "The tragic story of Silent Villa. When this place was first built in the early nineteen hundreds, it bore witness to a true tragedy. Four sisters had made this place their home, but the youngest died in an accident when part of the house collapsed, due to subpar construction. The rest of the sisters became reclusive after her death and rumours circulated that they had learned witchcraft in order to resurrect their sister. Eventually the three sisters died childless and old, but occasionally their ghosts have been seen on the grounds. It is said that one day they will succeed at bringing back their sister". She put the newspaper down.
"Well, that's creepy" Aisha said with a shudder.
"You seem surprised," Flora remarked at Bloom's expression.
"Well, I just never knew this story," the redhead replied. "I mean, I know that the hotel is roughly twenty years old. Maybe they bought the place and renovated it".
"Hey, Flowergirl, mind giving me a hand?" Techna said as she walked over to the three, sweat dripping from her reddened face. "Some of the stitches are coming undone".
"I will try, though Musa is better at it," Flora said as she got up to assist.
While she was fiddling with the loosened threads, Techna asked: "So, what have you three been doing?"
"Taking a moment to relax mostly," Bloom said. "And reading a rather creepy article. Apparently, three ghost sisters supposedly haunt this place".
"Would that have anything to do with that really freaky hallway picture?" the scarred girl asked.
"What picture?" the redhead questioned.
"I'll show you once my costume's not coming undone," Techna replied. "This isn't one of those get naked parties after all".
"Should we bring Musa and Stella along?" Flora asked.
"Nah, they're kinda busy," the magenta-haired girl said and pointed. In the middle of the room, Stella had tripped and fallen to the floor in a great pile of expensive cloth. Several people, Musa and Selina included, had come over to help her up, though they were having considerable trouble finding out what was up and down on the giant princess dress ball.
"Maybe she should have shared half the dress with you, Aisha. Then you could both have been comfortable," Flora commented as she finished working on the last of the stitches.
After that, the girls went to the hallway, were there was indeed a picture of three women. Old and crooked shapes, with long black hair hiding their faces.
"Right. Apparently the sisters look like something out of a Japanese horror movie," Bloom commented. "Creepy".
"Thought so too. Figured it was part of the decoration when I saw it," Techna added. "Reminded me of that card Livy was waving around earlier".
Both Bloom's and Aisha's eyes widened considerably at the scarred girl's comment.
"What is up with the paper?" Flora questioned.
"Paper?" the others asked confused.
"Yes. Right here," the brunette said and tugged at the barely visible corner of the paper, pulling it from its hiding place behind the picture. She unfolded it and read aloud: "My research has led me to conclude that the three sisters were indeed witches and that they initiated a century long ritual to revive their sister. They allowed themselves to become earthbound spirits in order to ensure they would live long enough to finish the ritual, which would also return them to life. To complete it, they will need host bodies. I will try to bring this up with the hotel manager, though I doubt they will believe it". She studied the paper. "Unsigned," she remarked.
"Do you think there's something going on here?" Aisha asked while looking nervously around.
"No... I mean, stuff like that doesn't happen here on Earth," Bloom said, though she sounded like she was trying to convince herself as much as Aisha. "Right?"
"Well, Earth does have low ambient magic. But that does not preclude magical events," Flora noted.
"Hey, have you girls seen Mitzi?" a teen in a nurse costume asked.
"Well, not since the music was kicked up to eleven. Why?" Bloom asked.
"Because she and two of her friends have disappeared. Figured they might have gone somewhere and told somebody," the nurse said with a shrug. "Oh well, I'll keep looking".
Bloom stared at the back of the leaving nurse, then at the paper, then at the others. "This is not good," she finally said.
...
"It's no good. They don't seem to be anywhere in the hotel," Musa stated. The girls, minus Stella who kinda had to remain in place, had spent the better part of an hour running up and down the hotel and asking everybody if they'd seen either Mitzi or her friends, without any success.
"Livy warned us about this. Three faceless sisters," Bloom mumbled as they met up in the entrance hall.
"Let us not jump to conclusions," Flora stated. "While yes, magical phenomena can occur on Earth, they will be nowhere near as potent as on other worlds. So let us not assume the worst just yet".
"Honestly, I hope we have to smash some creepy creeps," Techna said. "I've been itching for some action for a while and stuff always seems to happen while I've been busy elsewhere".
"Techna, with all due respect, one should not look forward to, nor hope for, dangerous encounters," Flora admonished. "Unlike your videogames, real life has much harsher consequences than a loss of points".
"And don't I know it," the magenta-haired girl responded, tracing one of her scars with a finger. "I am a bit of an adrenalin junkie if I have to be honest".
"At least you possess self-awareness," the noble brunette mused.
"I'm agreeing with Bloom. This has bad news written all over it," Aisha added.
"Maybe they've gone outside," Musa suggested. "Plenty of things to look at out there. Even if it has gotten dark".
"If we do that, then we should probably inform somebody, just in case we get napped by the ghosties," Techna pointed out.
"Then let us tell it to Stella. She is not going anywhere in that dress of hers," Flora commented. She turned and walked over to the princess in question who was currently, with some effort, sitting in a chair while chatting with Selina and Jasper.
"...is now in a badass style that makes me a threat to my enemies with just my vibe alone," Jasper explained, gesturing to his hair.
"Wow, I have no idea what that means," Stella responded. "But it sounds totally cool".
"Excuse me, we are going outside for a moment. We will check if Mitzi and her friends are out there somewhere," Flora said, gesturing to one of the windows.
"Alright. I'll just, like, sit here and drown in my stupid dress," Stella commented. "Fortunately I can tots donate it now that I've at least worn it once".
As the five girls excited the hotel, they noticed the cold wind that had started blowing and the actual fog that had arrived, mixing with the one produced by the fog machines and obscuring the entire area around the hotel. Only small pinpoints of light from the various lanterns and lamps were there to guide those who ventured outside.
Techna gave her pipe a couple of practise swings before commenting: "Sure wish I had brought my shotgun".
"You have a shotgun?" Musa asked, clearly hoping the scarred girl was just messing with them.
"Homemade. Modified vacuum cleaner that blasts shrapnel," Techna replied with a grin. "Mom said I couldn't bring it to school. Or inside the house for that matter. A friend of mine is hanging on to it for the moment".
"I dread the day Red Fountain forgets to relieve you of any weapons you've borrowed from them," the black-haired girl said mortified while shaking her head.
"Not now, girls," Bloom said. "Let's try to investigate the grounds". The five girls slowly made their way through the fog-covered grounds, the cold wind chilling them to the bone.
Bloom kept looking around, squinting and straining her eyes to distinguish shapes through the misty weather. She suddenly halted when she saw a roughly humanoid shape and asked: "Hey. Who's there?" Getting no response, she slowly moved closer. "Oh, just a scarecrow," she said relieved and turned around. "No problem. It's just a scarecrow". Her smile faltered. "Girls? Hey, girls, where are you? Really not the moment to be hiding". She looked around, but was unable to spot her friends. She began breathing heavily as panic slowly seeped into her mind. Had the same fate that had befallen Mitzi also befallen them? The fear that began to infect her thoughts made the scenario seem very plausible. Desperation was setting in. Close to panicking, she drew a deep breath and focused. Happy memories bloomed in her mind and she could feel the comforting heat of the dragonflame as it ignited. She smiled as the fear and worry burned away like paper touched by the flame, leaving only certainty. She would find her friends. And she would hurt whomever or whatever had done them harm. Confidently, she strode forward through the fog. Neither fake ghosts nor false cadavers affected her any more. She felt almost invincible, letting her power flare brighter and brighter, confidence swelling in her mind as the memories of her many victories grew in strength. She strode into a clearing and stopped. She was certain she had heard movement. And that's when she saw them. Through the mist came the crooked shapes with faces obscured by long black hair.
Bloom would not let them hurt her. She wouldn't give them the chance. The moment she recognised their shapes, fire formed in the redhead's hand.
Some distance away, the four other girls continued through the woods.
"Should never have gone around that bush," Musa grumbled. "The moment we weren't looking, BAM, she was gone".
"Kinda reminds me of that one time you got kidnapped while Stella was kidnapped," Techna commented. "It's surprising how quickly people can vanish when you don't pay attention".
Suddenly, there was an explosion close to their position, the bright flare of fire shining through the milky fog.
"On the other hand, some people are really hard to miss," Techna wryly commented as the group charged towards the origin point.
They burst into a clearing, the smell of smoke in the air.
In one end, Bloom sat on the ground. Her face was pale and she seemed to be mouthing something while tears slowly streamed from her eyes. She was shaking, her limbs wrapped tightly around her body.
"She seems to have gone into shock," Flora stated as she hurried over to the redhead.
"Oh fuck," Techna commented, as she looked the other way.
"What is it...?" Musa asked as she turned to see. She raised a hand to her mouth as she gasped.
Thrown around like rag dolls by the explosion lay the unmoving bodies of Mitzi and two other girls, the ghostly costumes they had been wearing charred and burnt by the heat.
...
The Gardenia General Hospital was very clean and white, with only a few Halloween decorations to spice up the sterile monotony. Musa sighed and eyed Bloom, whom both Techna and an out-of-costume Stella were supportingly patting on the shoulders, as the three of them sat in a black sofa. The redhead had shifted between fits of sobbing and periods of deep silence. The realization that all the creepy papers and ghost things had been an elaborate Halloween prank had more or less shattered her.
"Alright," Bloom's dad said as he walked over to the group. "I talked with the doctors and they said that besides some minor sprains, bruising and minor burns, there should be no permanent harm, though they are still wary of potential concussions". He rubbed his neck. "The police are currently scouring the area and interviewing all the guests in order to find out who..." He sighed painfully. "Who threw that illegal piece of firework".
"Then things have developed as well as they could," Flora said and stood up from the chair she had been sitting in. "I am sorry, but as grateful as we are for your assistance, we have to leave now".
"Already? Why?" Mike asked in surprise.
"Because not only will Bloom need help with a problem that the psychiatrists of your world are ill-equipped to handle," Flora began. "But if what I have been told is correct, then Bloom's little flare of power will have attracted unwanted attention".
"That is a good point," Mike commented, rubbing his chin. "Go to the bathroom then. And quickly. If anyone asks, just say you're helping my daughter".
"Will do," Flora said and the girls helped the broken redhead up.
"Don't forget, we still love you, Bloom," Mike said heartfelt but quietly as the group passed by him. They disappeared around a corner and Mike turned around with a sigh, only to freeze as a familiar face appeared in the crowd of hospital goers.
"Mr. Peterson. We seem to be running into each other a lot," Ogren commented, briefly stroking his goatee. "Allow me to introduce you to my associate, Duman".
Duman was a man in his late twenties, with a prominent pink mohawk and a very angular face and piercing eyes. His black leather clothes were sleeveless and pockmarked with metal studs. He couldn't be more unlike Ogren if he tried. "Yo," he said with a brief hand gesture and a light French accent. "So I hear we got a situation at hand".
"Indeed. If you would follow along, then we have reserved a small room for us to talk privately," Ogren said and gestured towards a door.
"And what if I refuse?" Mike asked.
"Then I will be forced to assume the worst case scenario based on what facts I have been able to gather," Ogren commented neutrally. "Since that will involve accusing your daughter of aggravated assault, I think you will find it much better to just give yourself the opportunity to explain your side of the story".
Mike growled, but followed the two into the room. Duman closed the door and stood guard as Ogren and Mike sat down in the small office.
"Now then, to business," the redhead started. "First of all, know that I am by now fully aware that the official story is not only false, but unlike our first meetings, I also know that it is intentionally false and not an attempt at not sounding insane. I've also managed to find out that your daughter goes to a school called Alfea. No such school exists here in the States. But there happens to be one in another dimension. With that out of the way, your daughter attacked three non-magical human teens with a fire spell that would have caused considerable damage had her aim been better. As you might understand, this looks very bad".
"Listen, this is the only thing I'm going to tell you," Mike growled. "Because I don't trust you guys at all. Bloom did not mean to attack them. She got scared and panicked. And she's suffering enough without the likes of you probing her for answers or whatever it is that you want".
"There is really no need to be hostile, Mr. Peterson," the red-haired man replied. "We are only doing this to protect people. Do you not see that this doesn't make things better? It ties back to what I told you earlier, about the dangers of magic users. Your daughter has, because of a Halloween prank, suffered emotional damage and caused physical harm to three innocent civilians, one of whom happens to be her friend. By accident, Mr Peterson. That's the keyword. Magicians are dangerous and their powers need regulations and control. And don't delude yourself into thinking that the societies beyond this world will be equipped to train her. Trust me," he added, a hint of bitterness creeping into his voice. "I know from personal experience that magical societies tend to be bad at policing themselves".
"And what are you going to do with her? Lock her up?" Mike asked with barely hidden contempt.
"Depends on how dangerous your daughter is. Our foremost concern is her and her fellow citizens' safety," Ogren replied. "But hopefully, strict training and monitoring will be the only necessary means. She will probably be removed from Gardenia until we judge her capable of interacting with normal society, but it is hard to say at the moment. Once we've talked with your daughter and gotten an idea of her powers, I'll be able to provide a much clearer answer".
"Good luck with that," Mike grunted. "By now, she's long gone".
"I see," Ogren commented with a raised eyebrow. "Powerful allies or equipment then. Well, that is disappointing to hear. I would have thought that tonight would have opened your eyes to the danger your daughter poses without the proper control. But you are not the first, nor will you be the last parent to protect your charge from a perceived danger". He sighed and got up. "I guess this concludes our meeting. But do consider what I've said. Maybe once you have slept on it, you will see the wisdom in my words. Have a good day, Mr. Peterson".
Mike just grunted as the two men in black left the room. When the door closed behind them, he sighed and seemingly deflated, before burying his face in his hands.