Okay so I know that it has been forever since I have updated and I really have no good excuse, except maybe writer's block, but even that is not good enough. So yeah, after taking a while to figure out where I wanted this story to go even though I thought I knew, it was hard to find time and motiviation to write. At least I edited the two previous chapters and will give you more chapters hopefully soon.
Also thank you those that have stuck by me and not given up on this story, and in future never believe me on when I will update just know that I will never abandon a story forever. Lastly, I do not own Winx Club, just the plot.
Thanks again and enjoy!
Chapter 2: The Reunion
Two weeks after my date with Thoren, the day finally came when I could see my sister again. Ms. Faragonda told me and the boys to come to her office at 7 pm sharp for a meeting about the Winx Club and I am super excited, though they (minus Thoren) have no idea what is going on.
When the boys arrive I am already standing in the office along with Ms. Griselda and Ms. Faragonda herself. They push through the door and Sky speaks before Ms. Faragonda or Ms. Griselda can say a word.
"Please tell me this meeting means the Winx are coming back," he says exasperatedly, clearly frustrated with the long wait.
"Yes Sky, it does," Ms. Faragonda replies calmly, "And now that you are all here I'd like to reintroduce you to the Winx Club," she finishes as six girls materialize in her office right on cue, three of them holding children.
There is silence as everyone takes in the sight of each other, neither party having seen each other for three years and most of the Winx Club having changed drastically. In fact, the smallest changes are in Flora, who only has a hair style change, Tecna, whose hair has grown down to the bottom of her shoulder blades, and Aisha, whose hair has been cut to just below her chin. The change in the other girls is not so much physical but in basic feeling as it is so odd seeing them with children and imagining them as mothers. Stella and Musa are each holding a toddler, both of them girls, one magenta-haired and the other brunette, while Bloom is holding a toddler and a baby carrier. The toddler, who is, judging by appearances (except for the hair which is blond), the twin to the toddler Stella is holding, is male and the baby in the baby carrier is not visible. Besides the children in her arms, Bloom has changed in other ways as well: her hair is no longer red, but a light brown and only reaches her shoulders now. She is also wearing a big comfy sweater and looking very self-conscious. This is different from the other girls, who, even though their style has changed a bit, still look like themselves. It is kind of hard to explain, but basically, even with change everyone else still seems like themselves except for Bloom.
A few minutes later everyone snaps out of it and goes to greet their significant other, all with different reactions. Flora and Helia embrace lovingly, and Tecna and Timmy kiss passionately and start to catch up, while Musa introduces a bewildered Riven to their daughter. Across the room, Aisha is trying to get Roy and Nex to leave her alone and Stella is introducing her twins to their father, but my focus is solely on Bloom and Sky who are staring at each other awkwardly both knowing what the baby in the baby carrier means.
"So, it's good to see you again," Sky starts off awkwardly.
"Y-Yeah," Bloom says shyly, when did that happen?
"So who's the baby?" he continues trying to make conversation again after a pause.
"Oh, this is Skylar. I, uh, I'll explain later," she says abruptly ending the conversation and walking away to talk to Ms. Faragonda. I sigh confused. This is not the Bloom I knew, the one who would jump at a conversation, was never shy and would be ecstatic to see her boyfriend (fiancé, now that I remember), especially after three years. I am so into my thoughts about Bloom that I don't even notice Thoren come up behind me until he taps my shoulder and startles me.
"Thoren! Don't do that, you almost gave me a heart attack," I say angrily, but with a smile on my face so he knows I'm not really angry.
"Sorry, didn't realize how deep in thought you were," he replies, "What were you thinking about anyway?"
"Bloom," I say as my answer before continuing, "She is not the girl I remember and I think it has something to do with that child. I just wish I knew what happen to her to make her change so much," I sigh exasperatedly.
"I know all the girls seemed to have changed. Even I can tell that and I didn't even know them that well, but I believe she will tell you when she is ready, you just have to have faith," he tells me comfortingly while wrapping an arm around my shoulders. I sigh, knowing he is right, before going back to watching the couples, happy and otherwise, interact.
After what seems like ages, Ms. Faragonda calls us over to discuss something else and materializes armchairs and couches around the room for everyone. Tecna and Timmy, Flora and Helia, Musa, Riven and their daughter, and Thoren and I each take a love seat, while Stella, Brandon and their kids take the only big three seater couch. Lastly, Aisha, Bloom, and the three other guys all take individual armchairs.
Once everyone is seated, Ms. Faragonda calls for our attention and starts to speak.
"I know that I should have told both the Winx and the Specialists about the other, and I see now the distress my decision caused, but from a safety point of view it was worth it. The Trix could not use the boys to get to the Winx and the Winx could not reveal themselves by coming back to see the boys. Though I would make the same decision again, I am deeply sorry for the pain I caused by not telling you, Winx, when we found the boys a few days later and Specialists, where the Winx actually were," she said looking around the room at everyone's faces.
"We forgive you Ms. F, we know you did what you had to do," Stella speaks up after a minute. When did she get so wise? I guess motherhood matured her more than I thought.
"Thank you Stella, and with that out of the way, I believe some introductions are in order. Girls. . ." she says looking towards Stella, Musa, and Bloom in turn.
"These two are Lucille and Leopold, or Lucy and Leo for short," Stella says gesturing to her twins, who wave shyly, "They are two and a half years old," she then finishes.
"And this little one is Matlyn or Maddy for short," Musa chimes in looking at the little girl on her lap, "and thanks to her magenta pig tails it's obvious who her father is," she finishes as she nudges Riven who puts an arm around her and Maddy. By this time, Bloom has taken Skylar out of her carrier and I can see while she is being swaddled that she has Bloom's red hair.
"This is Skylar," Bloom says simply, not looking up from her adorable daughter. Stella, who is sitting beside her, puts a hand on her shoulder as silent comfort, and Bloom smiles in return, and I again wish I knew what happened to her.
"Thank you girls, and I will let you provide your friends and boyfriends with details if they so wish," Ms. Faragonda says silencing questions before they can be asked.
'Oh and before more serious topics can be discussed, Ms. Griselda could you please watch the three toddlers for a little while?" she says looking directly at the Deputy Headmistress.
"Of course. This way, children," she responds as Stella and Musa explain that the scary looking lady is not scary and safe to go with. Then she leads them out of the room before Ms. Faragonda continues.
"Now on to more serious business," she says, "As you may or may not know while most of the Winx Club were hiding and healing, Tecna was on a secret mission with Roxy, and-" she pauses, "Tecna, where is Roxy? She was supposed to be here for this meeting," Ms. Faragonda says looking directly at Tecna.
"Uh, can I talk to you in private, Ms. Faragonda?" Tecna replies scratching the back of her head nervously.
Ms. Faragonda sighs, "Very well, follow me. The rest of you talk among yourselves," she says gesturing for Tecna to follow her as she exits the room. The girls start to chat and my focus immediately goes back to Bloom who is holding her baby lovingly while conversing quietly with Stella and Sky who looks visibly pained by the fact that he is the only one who can't go near his girlfriend. After a few minutes of looking back and forth between them I decide to make it my mission to figure out what is wrong and get them back together.
A few more minutes later and Ms. Faragonda and Tecna re-enter the room, the headmistress with a distressed look on her face. However, only I seem to notice the look on her face before she schools her expression as everyone else is still engrossed in conversation.
"Ahem" she says getting everyone's attention before continuing, "Tecna was simply informing me of a slight hitch in our plan, but it is no matter as the rest of the plan can go one anyway," she sums up vaguely while Tecna looks uncomfortable and everyone else just looks confused.
"Now, the actual plan for their secret mission went as follow," Ms. Faragonda says as she gets back to business, "Roxy was to disguise herself as a witch and infiltrate Cloud Tower to get information on the Witches while Tecna kept in contact with her and went on her own mission to find the key that locks the Legendarium-" she starts before being interrupted by Stella.
"Wait, wait, wait, why have Roxy be the one to go undercover when we are more experienced and powerful than she is?" Stella asks confused. I guess I spoke to soon about her being more wise, though it is a good question because magic is very good at making disguises, so it is not because they don't know Roxy that she was chosen.
"Good question Stella," Ms. Faragonda begins echoing my thoughts, "Roxy was chosen, partially because they don't know her, but also because she is not very experienced in magic and is more able to shift her magic to be witch magic. Not only that but because they don't know her at all only a small disguise is needed to make her look like a witch and she doesn't have to change her personality that much, making the ruse easier to keep up," she explains. I did not know that Ms. Faragonda had thought things that far through three years ago.
"Well that makes sense, Ms. F, sorry for interrupting," Stella responds, again being wise, I guess though she has changed some things will always stay the same.
"Thank you Stella, and it is okay, that was a very good question anyway," she tells her before moving on, "Anyway back to the plan, after having Roxy training under Ms. Griffin for year in how to be a witch, she then went undercover and tried to get as much information as possible.
"While she was doing that, Tecna was stopping the Trix from attacking and damaging too much and looking for the legendarium key. Now, two years later, we have the Legendarium key and Roxy has become best friends with Selina and has told us what she is up to. Selina is trying to free a spirit that is trapped in the Legendarium, a spirit called Acheron, the creator of the Legendarium," she finishes, but I can sense that she is leaving out part of what happen, I just can't tell what.
"So where do we come in Ms.F?" Musa asks in the following pause.
"Well, I am going to teach you how to re-access your previous transformations and fully come into your powers so that you can defeat the Trix and stop Selina before Acheron is free," she explains. I did not those that it was possible to re-access previous transformations, but I do know that the Winx had become too dependent on their transformations before they were split up.
"But Ms. F, why can't we just get a new power or transformation. I mean if Bloomix can't even beat the Trix and Selina, what makes you think Enchantix or Charmix will? Why go backwards?" Stella asks and I can see that the rest of the Winx (except Tecna) are agreeing with her and are curious for the answer.
Ms. Faragonda sighs, "That's where you girls seem to have an issue, you believe that each successive transformation you get is more powerful than the last, but the reality is that every transformation you've had after Enchantix is equal in power to it, just more useful in different circumstances,"
"So Enchantix power is just as strong as both Believix and Sirenix?" Musa asks incredulously.
"Yes Musa, and you girls, except for Tecna of course, are going to need to be trained in how to go back to Enchantix," she says in reply.
"Why doesn't Tecna need to be trained?" Stella then asks confused.
"Because I've already been trained, that's why,' Tecna says a little indignantly. When did she get so snippy?
"Thank you Tecna, now girls I believe it is time for bed and retrieval of the little ones from Ms. Griselda. You have a long day tomorrow as our training begins, and before you ask Ms. Griselda, Tecna, or their fathers can watch the children whichever you wish," she says dismissing everyone, but before anyone can leave Bloom speaks up, the first words she's said to anyone but Stella since talking to Sky.
"Ms. Faragonda, what was the hitch in the plan?" she asks quietly.
Ms. Faragonda sighs, "I want to avoid telling you for now because it might be fixable, so for now just rest in the knowledge that regardless of what happens with this 'hitch' as I called it, the plan does not change or become any less effective," she says rather cryptically. What isn't she telling us?
"Thanks for at least trying to answer," Bloom says quietly again and I find myself again asking what happened to her.
"One more thing before you go girls, your dorm room has been set up to accommodate the boys for the night just this once so you don't have to separate again after being so close. Ms. Griselda even agreed it was a good idea after how long you have been apart," she pauses and I see smiles grow on 4 of 6 Winx Club girls, "Most everybody is rooming the same just with someone else, except that Bloom, her baby and Stella's twins have beds set up in the loft above Stella's room and Daphne and Thoren are set up in Bloom's room. Also, there is a bed for Aisha and Maddy in Musa and Tecna's room, as well as air mattresses for Sky, Roy, and Nex in the living room. So that option is available if wanted, and you can all go now, goodbye," she finishes and everyone starts to leave the room.
As I walk down the hall to the Winx Club's dorm room, I find myself caught up in my own thoughts. Thoughts about how interesting tonight is going to be, thoughts about what happened to Bloom, and thought about what all these changes mean for the Winx Club. I am no stranger to the effect being away for a long time can have on a person, I mean it is not every day that you go from being 18 years older than your sister to being the same age as her. Thanks to that experience, though I know that relationships that are strong can survive most anything as our family is still intact and going strong, despite three-quarters of us being trapped and not there for Bloom's childhood.
So I believe that if our family can survive what it did, then the Winx Club can survive as well, even though it will take time and not be easy. Those girls are stronger than they give themselves credit for, I think as Thoren comes up behind me and puts an arm around my shoulders somehow knowing what my thoughts are. We both knew, though, that, as long awaited as this day was, it, and everything after it would be hard. So as we share a look and each other's embrace while walking toward the Winx Club's room, Thorn and I both silently acknowledge that this is the first day of the rest of our lives.
Well there it is. Feel free to send me your ideas of what the hitch in the plan is, what you think will happen and what did happen during the three years. Also I don't know when I will update next, but it will happen eventually so don't give up on me and don't forget to REVIEW! Seriously, your reviews are what kept me going in writing this, especially the guest who said they read the first two chapters 50 times (you rock!). So yeah, please REVIEW and I will see you later,
Lps