Last time Elise determined that the duplicate Bloom is in fact Bloom's dark side made life. Faragonda then told the girls that the two Blooms can be put back to together, but it would be dangerous, and it couldn't be done for at least a day while repairs were made to the power conduit for the Magical Reality Chamber. Tecna promised that, with some help, she'd have it ready in two hours. On with the show!
Chapter 6: Betrayal and Conclusion
Down in the basement Tecna, Timmy and Elise were just finishing up the repairs to the damaged power conduit. "That should do it," said Timmy as he used the intercom to call up to the control room for the Magical Reality Chamber, "How does it look up there, Professor Wizgiz?"
Back up in the control room Wizgiz and Palanium were amazed as the computers activated again. "I didn't think it could be done in such a short time," said Wizgiz, "But it's working." "What's our time?" asked Timmy. "Exactly one hour, fifty-nine minutes, and forty-two seconds," said Palanium as she checked his watch. "Excelsior!" exclaimed Tecna, Timmy and Elise form down in the basement. "Now all we need to do if figure out the exact way to get the two Blooms back together," said Palanium, "Without killing them."
Meanwhile Elise and Tecna had returned to the isolated Hospital room where the two Blooms were resting. Their success in the basement seemed to have been forgotten as they were arguing. "Whatever Palanium and Wizgiz come up with," said Elise, "They'd better do it soon, the longer we wait, the closer the two Blooms are to death." "And if we try to reunite them too soon," said Tecna, "Could die anyway. The shock of joining them could kill them."
"And they'll die if we do nothing. Besides, they both share the same intelligence. Their awareness might be string enough to overcome any shock." "And what if you're wrong," said Tecna, "What if it's the act of fusing them that kills them? What then?"
"If you two don't mind," said Layla, "There are two people in here who are trying to get some sleep." "Sorry Layla," said Tecna, "We'll take this outside." "We'll take it to the control room," said Elise, "Where we can work this out properly and get some work done as well." With that the two brains left.
"Those two could argue the paint off the walls," said Bloom. "Did they wake you up?" asked Layla. "Not really," said Bloom, "But they didn't help me go back to sleep either." "I just remembered something," said Layla, "I'll be right back." She then left the room. Bloom sat up and put her head in her hands. "If they try whatever they're gonna try," said Bloom to her double, "It could kill us. And if we do nothing, we're still good as dead."
"Damned if you do," said the duplicate, "And damned if you don't. The question is which do you prefer?" "If I'm gonna die," said the original Bloom, "I'd rather die trying." "I hate to agree with you," said the duplicate, "But you're right, I'd rather try and fail than not try at all."
"Whatever they come up with," said Bloom as she undid the restraints on her double, "We'll do it together." "I have no reason to fight you now," said the duplicate, "Would you mind helping me up? I'm a little stiff." "No problem," said Bloom as she helped the duplicate of her sit up. Before she knew what happened, the duplicate had blasted the real Bloom with a fireball, sending her crashing to the floor.
"An animal, am I?" sneered the duplicate as she kicked Bloom in the ribs. "Got to get out of here," said the duplicate as she left the room, "They're all trying to kill me, the whole thing's a trap. They're all out to get me, got to get away."
Layla returned to the room to find the real Bloom gasping for air on the floor, and the duplicate Bloom nowhere to be seen. "What happened?" asked Layla as she helped Bloom up off the floor. "Apparently deceit and paranoia are part of the negative side of the mind," said Bloom.
The duplicate Bloom hurried down the hallways of the school towards the front door and, to her, freedom. She nearly tripped; her energy was failing her again. The duplicate of Bloom leaned against the wall to regain her breath. "I won't let them get me," she said to herself, "I won't let them kill me."
As luck would have it, she ran into Sky. "Ah, Sky," said the duplicate, "Glad I found you. That whole mess with the imposter has been cleaned up, all taken care of." "Are you sure it's over?" asked Sky, a little more than concerned due to the fact that the Bloom standing before him had a black eye exactly where he hit the imposter earlier.
"It's all taken care of," said the duplicate, "It's yesterdays' news. I got to tell you," she chuckled, "That imposter put up quite a fight. She even gave me a black eye so we couldn't be told apart. Well, I've got something Faragonda wants me to do, so I'll be seeing you."
The duplicate continued on her way down the hall, then paused and turned around to say, "Oh Sky, I'd like to talk to you later on, alone." She chuckled and continued on her way. It took a minute for Sky to realize that it was the duplicate he'd been talking to. (There are times when men can be complete idiots about women).
The duplicate Bloom had made it out the front doors and was halfway to the front gate when Morgan appeared, blocking her path. "Where do you think you're going?" asked Morgan. "I'm just going for a walk," said the duplicate Bloom through gritted teeth, "So kindly get out of my way, before I gouge your eyes out with a nail file."
"I don't think so," said Carmen who was right behind the duplicate. Before long, Stella, Flora, Musa, Tecna, Layla, Sky, Brandon, Riven, Helia, Timmy, half the student body of Alfea, the faculty of Alfea and the real Bloom had surrounded the duplicate.
"Why are you running?" asked the real Bloom, "Where are you going to go? We'll both be dead in a few days if you run." "You mean you'll be dead," said the duplicate, "You're the imposter!"
"Apparently lying is also conceived in the human dark side," said Elise. "No!" exclaimed the duplicate Bloom, "I'm real! She's the imposter!" She then aimed a fireball at the original Bloom, "Stay away from me! All of you stay back! I'll kill her if I have to!"
"Can half a person live?" asked Bloom as she slowly walked over to her double, "How long would you live if you were to kill me now?" "They're trying to kill us," said the duplicate, "They want us both to die!" "And we'll both die if we don't try to rejoin," said Bloom, "I'm willing to take that chance, and so are you."
"Stay back," said the duplicate in a tone that was changing from rage to fear, "Don't make me kill you. I'll do it! I don't want to, but I'll do it!" "Look me in the eye and tell me that you want to die," said the original Bloom, "because that's what your actions are saying. You're acting like you want to die."
"No," said the duplicate Bloom who was on the verge of crying, "I don't want to die! I want to go back to the way it was before! I want to live!" "You will live," said Bloom, "We both will, I promise." Like a dam breaking tears began to flow from the duplicate's eyes as she fell into Bloom's arms, "I want to live," she cried, "I want to live."
"Get the Magical Reality Chamber working!" ordered Faragonda, "Now!" "Yes ma'am!" exclaimed Palanium, Wizgiz, Tecna, Elise and Timmy.
Exactly thirty minutes later the emergency transporter was ready for both Blooms. They stood on the transporter pad, waiting for whatever was going to happen to them. "We'll know in about a minute," said Tecna as Palanium programmed the transporter.
"Tecna," said Bloom as she held onto her double, "I won't blame you or anyone if this doesn't work." "If it doesn't work," said Tecna, "Well, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." "Everything's ready," said Palanium. "Okay then," said Bloom, "I'll see you all on the other side." With that, Palanium activated the transporter and both Blooms vanished with a flash.
"What happened to them?" asked Sky. "They are gone," said Wizgiz, "And she is back in the Magical Reality Chamber." Everyone rushed inside the chamber where Bloom was slowly getting to her feet. "Are you alright?" asked Stella. "I'm fine," said Bloom, "More than fine. I feel… complete." "Thank the gods for that," said Carmen.
Later on Sky and Bloom were talking alone, just talking. "I've seen a part of myself today that nobody should see," said Bloom. "She was half of who you are," said Sky, "But I much like the both of you when you're together." "Tell me," said Bloom, "How did you the other me wasn't me?" "It's simple," said Sky, "She kisses differently than you do." "Care to put that to the test?" asked Bloom as she kissed Sky. "Defiantly different," said Sky, "But I think further information is needed." He kissed her back.
Wow! I managed the write the whole thing in less than a day. Now all that is needed is to edit it. Of course, by the time you've read this part, the editing is done. Until the next idea that pops into my head…
The End