Last time the two Blooms confronted each other in the school basement. The duplicate Bloom was backed into a corner and was about to attack, when Morgan knocked her out using a special acupressure maneuver (I'm not calling it the Vulcan nerve pinch, I'm not getting sued). On with the show!

Chapter 5: Analyses

Bloom and her friends watched from behind a one way mirror as the duplicate Bloom thrashed about on a hospital bed. The duplicate had been restrained, a look of hate on her face. "My gods," said Flora, "It doesn't seem real, does it." "It's very real," said Bloom as she nearly lost her balance again. Stella managed to catch her from falling. "What's happening to me?" asked Bloom, "Why am I so tired all the time?"

"I think I know," said Elise, "And I'll explain it, so bare with me: What we have here is a rare opportunity to study the different aspects of the human mind; the concept of good and evil. On one hand," she indicated the restrained Bloom, "We have the negative aspects: fear, rage and lust. And on the other hand," she gestured at the original Bloom, "We have the positive: compassion, love and tenderness."

"You're talking about Bloom's mind like it was a dissected frog, for crying out loud," said Musa. "I wouldn't put it that way," said Elise, "But let me try to explain it another way. Haven't you noticed that Bloom's magic, her Winx is at it's strongest when he's angry or upset?" "I've noticed," said Flora. "Me too," said Layla.

"Same here," said Musa, "Whenever someone you care about is threatened, you get angry and blast whoever's doing the threatening." "That's my point," said Elise, "You Bloom, your power, The Dragonfire is at it's strongest when you're feeling a mixture of positive and negative emotions. It is your dark side, when properly controlled and mixed with positive feelings, that is the source of your strength."

"That would explain a few things," said Tecna, "It's a surprise I didn't think of it sooner." "What happens if we can't get the two Blooms back together?" asked Flora. "That's the problem," said Elise, "I've been going over the medical scans for the evil Bloom and she's losing energy as well. I'm afraid if the two Blooms don't become one, then they'll both die."

With that Bloom sat down as if she just received a great emotional blow, yet her face remained calm. "They both have the same intelligence," said Layla, "The same life experiences. That's got to count for something." "But how long can my mind keep me alive?" asked Bloom in an unnervingly calm tone, "How long can memory alone keep the both of us from dieing?" "If I seem insensitive to what you're going through, Bloom," said Elise, "Please understand, it's the way I am."

Just then Faragonda entered the observation room. "How is she?" asked Faragonda. "Not very good," said Tecna, "And both Blooms will only get worse if they aren't put back together." "I may have some good news on that," said Faragonda, "Professors Palanium and Wizgiz have managed to purge the virus from the Magical Reality Chamber computers, and they believe they can reverse the process that split Bloom in two by simply beaming the two Blooms back into the chamber via the emergency transport."

"That is good news," said Stella, "So what's the bad news?" "The bad news is," said Faragonda, "That Palanium and Wizgiz aren't sure that the process can be reversed. Even if it can be done, the shock of two separate minds becoming one might be lethal." "That is bad," said Stella.

"It gets worse," said Faragonda, "The power conduit that was destroyed in the basement just happened to be the one connecting to the Magical Reality Chamber. The backup just isn't powerful enough for a reversed emergency transport. It would take at least a day to fix the primary conduit" "We'll that's bad luck if I ever heard it," said Musa.

"I can fix the power conduit in six hours," said Tecna, "Four if Timmy were to come over from Red Fountain, and in two hours if Elise were to join me in this venture." "I'd be delighted," said Elise as she and Tecna headed back to the basement.

"I still find it hard to believe," said Flora as she watched the duplicate Bloom, "Not too long ago she was ready to kill us all. Now look at her; she's scared half to death." "I know she tried to kill us," said Musa, "But to not be able to feel anything positive, to only express yourself through hate and violence, to feel only fear and anger, that's no way to live."

"I'm gonna try to talk to her," said Bloom. "Do you think that's wise?" asked Layla. "It may not be wise," said Bloom, "But it seems to be the right thing to me." She then entered the isolated hospital room. The duplicate Bloom wasn't thrashing about any more; she was lying still, sweat poring down her forehead; a look of absolute terror on her face. "Stay away from me!" she exclaimed in a terrified voice, "Just leave me alone!"

"I'm not gonna hurt you," said Bloom as she sat beside her double, "Nobody here's gonna hurt you at all." "Please," said the duplicate, "Help me. I'm so scared, I don't want to die." "You're not going to die," said Bloom, "Don't be afraid, here's my hand," she grasped her double's hand, "Hold on, I won't let go. Use your mind, you won't be afraid if you use your mind to fight back, think, fight back!"

With the original Bloom talking to her, the duplicate began to calm down. "That's it," said Bloom, "Fight back; fight to live." Why are you doing this?" asked the duplicate, "I wouldn't, I would have killed you back in the basement." "It's called the right thing to do," said Bloom, "You knew what it was once, soon you'll know what it is again." "I'm tired," said the duplicate, "So tired, so tired…" her eyes closed and her hand slipped form Bloom's as the duplicate fell asleep.

"So am I," said Bloom as she stood up and leaned against the wall. Stella then entered the room with a soda can in her hand, "I think you could use another of Elise's energy sodas," she handed the soda to Bloom. "Make sure the other me gets one when she wakes up," said Bloom as she drank the soda.

"I have to take her back, Stella," said Bloom after she finished the soda, "The other me, I have to take her back, inside myself, I'll die without her." "I know," said Stella. "But I don't want to take her back," said Bloom, "She's like an animal, a thoughtless, brutal animal. Yet she's me, and I am her."

As Bloom was talking to Stella, neither of them knew that the duplicate Bloom had heard every word. "You're no different than anyone," said Layla as she walked in, "Everyone has his or her dark side, it's half of what makes us who we are. That woman on that bed is part of who you are, whether you like it or not."

"I thought it'd be a cold day in hell before I ever agreed with a witch," said Musa, "But I have to agree with Elise. Without your dark side you wouldn't be who you are, you couldn't be."

"We're just trying to help you through this," said Flora, "Sure your dark side is partly an animal, and it's human nature to have an animal locked up inside all of us." "What do I have?" asked Bloom. "You have compassion," said Flora, "Love, wisdom, and us most of all."

"Thanks guys," said Bloom, "I feel much better now. I think I'll get that rest I need." "We'll help you back to your room," said Stella. "No," said Bloom, "I'll stay here. I don't want to leave the other me alone." "Then I'll stay with the both of you," said Layla. "If you don't mind," said Stella, "My room needs to be severely cleaned." "I'll help you," said Musa, "Me too," said Flora as they left the room, leaving Bloom and Layla with the duplicate Bloom.

The end of chapter 5. Next chapter, well, you're gonna have to read the next chapter to believe what happens. See you next time!