Here come chapter 3
I answer any questions asked in the review in Pm, unless It a spoiler in which case it will be answered by (spoiler, chap nbX) or if I think the answer should be answered to everyone.
Disclaimer : I don't own WITCH or Winx
Company of Shadowed Ligh
Chapter 3:The Earth we found
Will quirked an eyebrow.
Someone had just opened a portal from somewhere she did not know to Earth, right here in Gardenia.
Ten energy signatures had just made their appearance in the corner of the city. Some of them were awfully familiar. "Already ? I would've thought I'd have to wait more." Will thought to herself as she rose from the queen sized bed, pushing the delicate arm tightened around her waist.
"Elyon. Wake up. It seems our old 'friends' are back." She called out. "And it seems they brought in some others playmates."
"humm... " Elyon yawned, opening her eyes. "Already? Do you want me to greet them?" Asked Elyon, almost beaming.
"No, not yet." Will patted Elyon's head, making the girl's cheeks redden as she ruffled already disheveled hairs.
Will had to admit that Elyon had gotten better but she could not take the four Guardians on her own yet. She would need at least her two knights but both of them had their hands full with conquering the south pole of Metamoor while Miranda was on an other mission for her. If one of the four Queens, or King, took their places the resistance would not last long of course but Will wanted to see the usefulness of her pawns
For now everything was going alright over there and she would soon add tribes of harpies and giants to her armies. Cedric was on order to only intervene if the two knights and their forces were pushed back.
The two others sovereigns had done their job as intended and were now enjoying the torture of the leftover rebels or well as overseeing the improvement of Metamoor's defenses for the war that would come without a doubt.
"Then what do we do, my queen?" Elyon pouted, a little annoyed she could not play.
"Hide your powers and come with me, I want to see with whom, and why they came back." She explained before disguising as her human self and teletransporting. She didn't like to take that form, but three big black wings were not the best way to hide among the humans.
...
She appeared in the corner of a street not far from the alley her new guests had appeared. She had already mapped each part of the city in her mind while observing Roxy or during the times she was with her.
She had already visited her thrice since the first time, each time having small insignificant talks. The precious little fairy had tried to ask for the continuation of the story but Will just told her that she was not ready. However never did Roxy ask about magic, even if Will knew she wanted to.
Roxy just was not ready to accept the truth.
While they walked around the town Will had always made sure to cross some injustice happening as if it was normal. The girl always had funny reaction. Some Will herself might have had once, she guessed. She couldn't really remember. Her favorite one had been when they visited a kennel Roxy loved to visit, before.
Will had made sure she saw how it really went there. Hiding their presences without Roxy noticing she got her in the part where clients weren't supposed to go.
If not for her handling Roxy's tensing and magic ridden hand the workers there would probably still have been in the hospital about now.
The cherry on the cake had been when Roxy called the cops to report the shop of the crime against animals, just for her to be taken in for calling them for nothing.
Of course Will got her out, but not before she had another clash with her father. Roxy's face when Will had told her she had almost used magic there... priceless.
"So we just go window shopping eh?" She heard Elyon whine behind her, following the magic trace left by the intruders.
"Well you do love that; right?" Will answered with a smirk.
"Yep ,very much." Elyon answered with her own grin. "And I believe we just found the shop." They had followed the trace to a building a little on the outskirts of the town with an apartment on sale on the top floor. A F7 if she recalled it right. She had almost bought it two weeks ago when she first got here, but Nigel had found better.
"In fact, let's see what they'll have on sale." Will answered as she flew up, using her invisibility as Elyon did the same and they seated on the fence. Inside were nine girls around 18 year old, having a heated debate.
…
Hay Lin felt a shiver down her spine and looked around. She felt observed, but there was no one else but them in the apartment.
"Can you remind me why we can't just live in the house of Bloom's parents?" Stella asked as she sat down on the floor. They would have to go shopping for furniture later and she would be damned if she did not have her say in it.
"Because her house isn't enough for the ten of us." Tecna answered looking in one of the six rooms of their new flat.
"And we don't want the Wizards, or others, to attack her parents." Hay Lin added still looking at the windows. Contrary to the others, Hay Lin couldn't choose her own room as she had to be with Musa and had been told that it was to be the one at the end of the hall without any other explanation. It didn't really annoy her however.
Taranee had a grave look of understanding.
"Yes... I don't want that." Bloom acquiesced as she put her bags down and got out of the room she had chosen with Tecna.
"Let's not get depressed girls. We just arrived in town." Aisha said.
"Yes. I still can't believe the speed we found this apartment, and bought it." Cassidy slumped on the ground.
"Dad knows the owner from long ago. He saved his life when he was just starting as a fire fighter. We still have to pay for the water and other utilities but he said we could use it." Bloom said.
"Relations do help, but we have to repaint it." Hay Lin chanted.
"You know I could just use my power right?" Cassidy pointed out. The Winx looked at Cassidy surprised. Was it that hard to think that they had mundane powers too?
"I know, but it'll take the fun away. And I still need to let some steam out." Hay Lin answered, already thinking how she could paint each chamber.
"Hay, I won't let you decorate my room. Nor the rest of the apartment." Stella blurted out. "Not with the style of your uniform."
Hay Lin was hurt. She really loved her Guardian outfit, even if she would have liked a longer dress. And maybe her logo on the chest and... Well, she would change it entirely, but she still loved it.
"We didn't chose it you know." Kadma said. "And Hay Lin is probably the best stylist I know." Hay Lin smiled but it didn't last long. "Even if she does have strange taste."
"Hey!" She protested.
"See, even the Grandma say so. Not touching the rooms." Stella grinned.
"Now now deary. We will each decorate our part of the apartment. We already agreed upon that earlier." Flora gently reminded them. It was a decision they had made after Bloom had got the green-light for the apartment. She had forgotten. "As for the other rooms, why don't we all paint it together?"
"That's a great idea Flora." Bloom said.
"Yes I like it, that way we all have a say." Tecna nodded.
"If that's what you want." Taranee shrugged.
In the end they all agreed.
For the furniture, the fairies' magic proved it did have its great use. They had stocked most of their belongings in their bags, just waiting to make it bigger. Only the Guardian's stuff would need to be bought .They would have to borrow some money from Bloom's parents but it wouldn't be too much. They had already promised to find a job to repay it later.
"Now that it has been decided, let's go to the shop, Bloom you lead." Cassidy said, showing the door her wings fluttering with some excitement.
"Why do I feel like we're forgetting something?" Taranee remarked as they followed out.
"I don't know." Stella snarked. "Maybe it's the fact that you still have your wings out, in the human world."
"Ah right! Can't believe we would forget." Taranee face-palmed.
"Now that I think about it, we've been in them for so long." Kadma acquiesced.
"What do you mean?" Flora asked curious.
"Since the last fight with Will we can't untransform." Hay Lin told them. "And we don't have other clothes."
"You mean, you're stuck like that?" Aisha inquired, surprised. "With the wings and all?"
"Physically yes. The wings are part of our real body now. But maybe the clothes..." Taranee said as they tried to pull them off.
Hay Lin had never tried to change herself in her Guardian form, and now she knew why. When she got the top off she suddenly felt her breathing becoming heavier.
"Looks like we can't either... They seem to juggle our powers." Taranee choked as the fire on her hands disappeared.
"Sucks to be you" Stella said amused.
"You still have no idea how much." Taranee answered with a glare. Hay Lin heard a chuckle coming from one of the windows and went looking outside.
"Is there anything wrong Hay Lin?" Musa and Tecna asked her at the same time.
"No, I just felt like I heard something from here. But it probably was just the people outside."
"On the 5th floor?" The Winx looked at her and now she had the answer to her earlier question. "Aren't you a little paranoid?"
"I'm the Air Guardian. If I want I can hear people talk from the other side of the city." Hay Lin pumped out her chest.
"Even I can't do that." Musa muttered.
"You've got Music power. You'll learn." She said, seeing the girl slump.
"I don't need you to say me that." Musa pushed her back.
Hay Lin looked at the girl sadly. Musa still felt powerless after her fight with the Wizards and was wary of her after they had told them what they had done to Will.
"Do not fight between yourself. We already got Tara and Stella for that." Cassidy said harshly.
"Sorry." The both of them answered sheepishly.
"Good. Now, we have to go out and get that house ready. Then we search for that last fairy and go back quick." Cassidy said on a calm tone. She had become more like a leader as the days had passed.
" I mostly agree, but we can't go back once we found her. We have to save Earth too by making them believe in us." Bloom protested.
"It would be great if you could. But..."
"There is no but! If we don't, the Wizards will still be too powerful." Bloom blurted out. She was visibly worried for her planet of adoption. Sadly, Hay Lin knew that it was already a lost cause.
Cassidy sighed. "Well.."
" I understand your will, but you won't get a choice when she comes here." Kadma said, sternly
"It's for us to choose. We didn't ask for your help in the first place." Bloom answered, slightly angered.
"Yet you won't be here without us." Taranee reminded her. "But you'll cross that bridge when you come to it, just like us."
Everyone was silent for awhile, the Winx looking at each other. "You could have been nicer about it." Hay Lin thought.
"They have to learn. Until now fate has been on their side, but it won't always be." Cassidy answered via the link they had thanks to Taranee.
"I know." Hay Lin sent back bitterly. " They're so pure. Almost like Will... before..."
"Yes, if only we had been too, then..." Taranee answered sadly.
"There is no use crying over spilt milk." Kadma inferred.
"If there was, you would be killing them about now." Cassidy joked. Hay saw Kadma nod. "Now what do we do with our clothes?"
"You're coming or not?" Musa called them.
She noticed the Winx were already out."Yes, we are." Hay Lin answered back.
…
"So they've come for your belonging?" Elyon snickered as the girls got out of their new home.
"It seem so." Will nodded, thoughtful.
"Fate does truly favour you." Elyon bowed, as she landed on the ground. The girls passed just next to them by the street yet none of the Guardians noticed them.
"I make my own fate Elyon." Will answered as she saw them disappear round another corner.
"Yep." Elyon laughed. "By messing with the one of others."
"Exactly. It's what everyone does after all. I'm just not lying to myself." Will smiled. "But was it a reproach I heard?"
"Of course not, my queen." Elyon cowered. "I like my fate messed up as it is." Will knew it was the truth. After herself Elyon had became the most wicked in the world.
"I know, my dear. I just like to tease you." Will passed her hand through Elyon's hairs before going up in the sky of the city.
"Meany." Elyon pouted as she flew behind her. "So what will you do with them?"
"I don't know yet. They know that I exist and what they did to us. They also know that I'm powerful and evil, though they don't understand to what extend."
"Let me guess, you want to show them?" Elyon guessed.
"Not yet. But I won't let them next to Roxy either. At least not yet." Will smiled as she had an idea.
"Yet? Didn't you want Roxy to be your pawn?" Eyon asked surprised.
"Yes, and she will be. But why not let her see the other side first? I did say she would have to choose after all, it would hardly be fair if she did not know where she stood." She grinned, which Elyon mirrored.
"I don't really understand, but I foresee a lot of suffering, and I like that." Elyon giggled.
"You're really a bad girl, Elyon." Will feigned to scolded her.
"And whose fault is it?" Elyon pouted.
"Mine." Will laughed landing on the backside of her own apartment, in the middle of the city. It would probably have been better for a shop, but from here she could see everyone and laugh at their misery and carelessness.
"Welcome back, my queen." Nigel's voice came from the door. "You too Elyon."
"Good day Nigel, your girlfriend just arrived in town." Elyon claimed as she passed the door.
"What? Taranee is here? Where?" Nigel gritted his teeth. He still had a lot of grief against the fire Guardian.
"In a little loft on the outskirts of the town, not far from where Roxy lives now that I think about it." Will said as she passed by him. "But don't go yet. I don't want them to know I'm here for now, I want to observe the new playmates they brought with them."
"New playmates?" Nigel asked, surprised. He closed the door behind them.
"Yes. Six little fairies, here to find Roxy and defeat the Wizards. They seem to think Earth needs saving from them." Will extended in her sofa.
"From them?" Nigel chortled "They sure are tough, but compared to you.." He couldn't find the words.
"Yes , I know. The only one I would be cautious of is their leader, the others even the Guardians can deal with. Yet... I sense they were afraid of them." Will pointed, making a sign for Elyon to come.
"That's just silly. The only one Earth needs saving from is you." Elyon chuckled. The dark light sat next to her and lengthened on her lap starting to play with her hair as she thought. Will had thought that Elyon's hormones had already calmed down, but she had teased her so much that now she was flaring again, for the other team. Not that she really minded.
"Yes, but let them think what they want for now." Will smirked as Elyon purred under her hand.
"May I ask why? After all they must be weak if they lost to the Wizards." Nigel asked, impassibly looking at the scene. It was not their first time.
In fact she couldn't even take care of her other pet because of Elyon's jealousy. The poor little animal wouldn't go out of Nigel's room when Will wasn't here. She could feel it now passing through the door.
"Because they count on them to become stronger. And I do want to see them fighting and interacting before. Who knows, maybe I won't gain only one new slave from it. And at least they should make amusing toys."
"Humm..." Elyon shuddered. "You're just interested in breaking their purity right?" Elyon muttered.
"You know me well. But as I said, I sense that I can do much game with those ten girls." Then Will sensed something and frowned. As she feared the Wizards had followed the fairies. They had said they would use a fairy to find an other and they had managed so it seemed.
"Looks like we have other guest." Elyon said. She had sensed them too.
"Yes. And they'll do the grooming for me." Will said thoughtful. The beginning of a plan was forming. "If they faced me right now, my presence would be enough to ground them." She would observe each of them, learn how they interacted, get them to hope and then...
And of course Roxy would play a key part. The one they came to save, stabbing them in the back in the end due to their own overseeing.
There was still a lot to put in place. But it wouldn't be fun otherwise.
"You just thought about something bad right?" It was not a question, even Nigel could tell when it was that strong.
"Oh yes Nigel, I have." She grinned as the cat finally found the gut to crawl to the sofa. "Elyon, Nigel, we go out." She got up, helping Elyon on the way.
"What to do?" Nigel asked , taking his sword next to his chair. She stopped his movement.
"No need to take it yet. I just want to see our new guests in action." She grinned. If the wizards were in town , it wouldn't take long for the two groups to collide.
'Nya?'
"Yes , you can come too if you want."
The week had been exhausting. And depressing.
The cohabitation had turned sour on the very first day.
They had been buying things for the Guardians and themselves when a pulse of magic made itself known. One that reminded them a lot of the Wizards, pushing them to act now. Against the advise of the Guardians they separated into groups, letting the Guardians by themselves with the furniture.
They were sure that they could handle whatever could come to them, and wanted to prove it.
They first pulse they felt had been near the beach, but when Stella and Aisha had arrived it had already dispersed.
Next it had been near the mall. Bloom and Flora had already been there looking but they had not found the Wizards anywhere, even following the moving powers.
It had then reappeared near the docks but once again nothing.
It went on for a while like this. When they finally went back they found angry Guardians.
"We're back." Bloom said as the door to their new apartment opened.
"What were you doing?" Hay Lin growled, barring them the entrance. "You left us in the middle of the street. We had to transport all the furniture alone."
"Well, either they are lazy, or way too careless and overconfident." Taranee chained from behind. They could hear them moving things around. "Or both." She finished, looking particularity at her bounded fairy who sent her a killing glare.
"You should know don't you, after all you're in my mind?" Stella retorted.
"Not right now. Cassidy told me to stop remember?" Taranee countered, but there was not the same fire in her usual snark. "But I'm starting to think I should not have."
"If you must really know " Bloom started, crossed that she had to answer to the empty eyed betrayer.
"You went to chase after the Wizards didn't you?" Cassidy finally talked, prompting Hay to let them in.
The Air Guardian lowered her arm and moved out, sitting on one of sofas now in the middle on the room, just in front of a TV.
"Yes." They nodded, entering. "We didn't find them." Tecna deplored, though at the same time she was glad. For some reason they had all wanted to fight.
When they entered Musa glared and sat as far from Hay Lin as she could while Stella got as far take one of the chairs in the kitchen. Their was like a line between the two sides of the room, Flora and Tecna sitting in the middle.
"What if you had really found them?" Cassidy asked once they were all seated. She had a somber shadow on her face.
"We would have defeated them." Aisha said with certainty.
"We can't let people like them wreak havoc in a city, they have nothing to defend themselves." Flora tried to explain.
"What if they had put their filthy hands on the Earth's fairy?" Musa growled.
"We would have intervened then." Cassidy cut them before they could say anything more. "You left us there without telling where you were going, we're here to protect you, remember?"
"And we're here to protect Earth and the last fairy." Bloom retorted. "Didn't you feel the magic in the air? It was the Wizards."
" Of course we felt it, it could have been any Earth's magic user." Taranee answered, fire wavering in her eyes. "And before you say you can defend yourself without us you should remember that you already tried and it didn't give very good results."
"What good would it do if you had died?" Kadma completed, looking in Flora's eyes with a strange longing.
"... Sorry " Flora said. "We just..."
"Wanted to prove yourself? Regain your self confidence?"
"We're not here to start fights!"
"... " They could not answer to that answer. They hated to admit it but the Guardians were right.
"Well, at least you understand, and it came from the right place." Cassidy sighed, outlining a sad smile. "Just remember that you're not alone in this next time."
The rest of the day was rather quite, but there was a heavy atmosphere, as if the Guardians weren't all there. None of them were talkative at all even while they ate and the four bounded fairies felt a thing on their hearts that they couldn't explain.
It was only at night as Musa was listening to her radio that they had the answer as to why.
Heatherfield, the city the Guardians came from, had been destroyed, ravaged by four natural disasters on the same day. The city was now rubble underwater and even two weeks later they couldn't lend help to any potential survivors.
"How can something like that happen?" Flora asked, shocked by the meager image they had after they had turned the TV on.
"This has Will's signature all over it." Kadma said.
"She had to finish her work." Hay Lin nodded, eyes in the void.
"How are you so sure? It could be bad luck... I mean come on?" Stella said, ill-at ease. "How can someone create a storm, an earthquake, a conflagration and an inundation of that scale just like that."
"Even Valtor's spell of the Elements at full power didn't make so much damage on such scale, Heatherfiled is trice as big as Magix." Tecna noted.
"It can't be a coincidence. There was no damage outside of Heatherfield." Taranee pointed out "The damage were done exactly to stop anyone from entering or going out."
"Isn't it where she lived?" Aisha asked "Where her familly and friends were?"
"Friends and family eh?... She has none of that anymore." Taranee smirked melancholic. "We took that away from her."
"And she took it away from us too." Kadma was slowly trying to trace her burn, as if searching for trace of her past in them.
"Still..." Bloom drew on, having forgotten her revulsion for the Guardians for a moment. "How is such a thing possible, so much power is... I can't even begin to imagine what it takes to control that or how someone can use it like that."
"I hope you will never understand how." Cassidy exhaled, disheartened.
"I fear they will Cassidy, if they remain long enough with us." Kadma then turned to them with pleading eyes. "Now please, let us alone for awhile, please."
Even with all the questions and grievance they had, the Winx did as asked. The Guardians needed the time to do another mourning.
...
The second day the Guardians were back to their usual self, provided that there was anything usual about them.
After a little bit of arguing they had finally agreed that it was time they started to move as both groups wanted it done fast, albeit for different reasons. The Guardians wanted to get back faster and the Winx wanted to save Earth faster.
Most of the argument had been as to how to repay Bloom's parents for the expenses while at the same time finding the last fairy, and making humans believe in them.
In the end they separated into two groups. On the morning Aisha, Cassidy, Taranee, Stella and Bloom searched for jobs while Tecna, Hay Lin, Musa, Kadma and Flora would search for the fairy. On the afternoon they would exchange their roles.
However the fairies, particularly Stella, were not used to work without magic and they got fired on a lot of jobs. Of course the fact that Cassidy often flirted with the patrons didn't help either.
On the other side, the search for the Earth fairy had been a wild goose hunt. After thinking about it they understood that the waves of magic might have been from their target, but each time they arrived somewhere she had been the magic had already dissipated and they were just too many girls on the street.
The only positive note was on the way to make human believe in magic, one of the major points of discord between the two groups.
On the afternoon, after almost begging, they managed to get a small job at a toy store. They were tasked to clean up the storage.
Analyzing the masses of work to do, they immediately started with the boxes, moving them into a corner where they would be thrown away.
Hay Lin grabbed one of the boxes and mindlessly turned around, intending to give it to Kadma. However it was Musa who was behind her and got it pressed into her hands.
Their eyes made contact.
Musa made a pout, she still could not believe that she actually had bonded with a backstabber.
Hay Lin's face remained impassive, but there was a shine in her eyes that Musa thought was regret.
Musa firmly took the box away from her and stalked away with her nose in the air. She wouldn't fall for it
It had once more been a let down.
Later Flora was moving one of the last boxes from the first section when she stumbled and let it fall, some of the content falling out.
"Look at that thing, it's so sad." Flora said, taking one of the stuffed toys on the ground. The gray and yellow stuffed toy that had probably once been a cute white dog was missing one of its ears and legs.
Kadma paused to see what it was and sighed. "That's what happens when they get old, Flora, they become brittle." She knelt and started to gather the other broken toys on the ground.
"It probably had had an eventful life." Tecna said, passing by her with her own box. She would have helped too but the boxes were really heavy, and without magic she had almost reached her limit already.
"You're right." Flora whispered wistfully.
Then she suddenly brightened up and her magic flared. "I have an idea, why don't we give it another life?" The magic touched the toy, repairing it but also...
"... Flora." Kadma looked up and saw the previously broken toy flying around her head with a broad smile. "What did you do? I though we said no magic. There are cameras here too remember?"
"Well I can hack them." Tecna pointed out. "I still don't really understand why you insist we can't use magic for little things. How are we supposed to... how are we supposed to make humans believe in magic without... " Tecna looked at the toy who was now hovering around Musa. She just had an idea. "We could sell them."
" No!" Kadma said.
"What?" Hay Lin turned from the smiling Musa and looked at them.
"Tecna just think we can't sell those ... 'magical pets'"
"But no one would suspect and children believe easier, and look at Musa, she's been brooding since this morning and now look at her playing with it."
"... She might be right Kadma." Surprisingly, Hay Lin came to her defense. " It's not like the shop owner will regret those toys, and we might be able to repay Bloom's parents faster ."
"I guess... But.." Kadma was desperately trying to find a counter argument . Public magic would attract the authorities and she had bad memories of those. "How are we gonna sell them?"
" ... We would need a shop... so money." Tecna said as she looked at her Omni. She knew of a way, but she was reluctant to use it."Flora do you have a idea?"
"The same as you I guess. But it wouldn't be right." Flora answered.
"Stop lying to yourself and just call Bloom." Hay Lin whined "The girl can get whatever she wants from her parents, we will just repay the price of the shop too."
"And with a little luck the Earth fairy will come to the shop." Musa finally talked, cuddling the dog pet. "I mean, what young girls wouldn't like those sweethearts?"
They all turned to Kadma who growled "... If we can do three in one, I guess we can try."
" Hello, Bloom ..."
Bloom had then called her parents and gotten the green light.
Once more the connection of Bloom's father worked fast and they had a local not far from the main street by the night. The following morning, they were at work, after discussing for awhile they had managed to find a role in the shop for each of them.
Tecna spent her whole day organizing the website for the shop while the other girls set up the different sections and prepared the magical pets.
While they worked together on the artistic parts of the shop Musa started to open up a little to Hay Lin as she found out they had similar taste. It was not yet the greatest of friendship, but she would not jump and try to strangle her.
However Stella and Taranee's relationship was... as burning as the sun.
Tecna had to admit she was at the same time jealous and relieved she had not bound with one of them.
While they were finishing the set up they found one curious girl in front of their shop, looking at one of their magical pet dogs. Tecna had been alone with Stella at that moment and Stella, still irked by her earlier spat with her bounded Guardian, had 'gently' pushed away the girl. However the pink-haired girl remained there for a moment looking at the toy with envy.
Then a second girl came and took the first to the other side of the street.
From where she had been the girls had seemed nice enough, but for some reason she felt chill as she looked at their retreating backs.
Tecna jolted up, turning to Stella "Did you feel that?" It had been like electricity running up her spine.
"Feel what?" Stella tilted her head. "Boredom at having to wait here while the others have fun? I'm sure it was that fire-head's fault if I lost the draw. I should be out with the others. I mean, look at me. Don't you just want to buy everything I sell?" She laughed.
Tecna ticked. " Please, don't be so corny." She really liked Stella. She was fun and all, and always there for them. But sometimes Tecna would really have liked if the sun fairy did not bring everything back to her.
"What did you say?" Stella asked, confused .
"Nothing." Tecna shook her head. Stella would be Stella. " Could you close the store, please? This way no one else will come."
"Okay." Stella skipped away, too happy to have something to do.
When the other girls came back from their promoting campaign a large blast of Earth magic had echoed throughout the city.
...
"Can we go this time?" Bloom asked, already turning around.
"I don't feel it but. Yes. " Cassidy nodded sternly. "It might be a false alert again, but it is too strong to deny."
She had not finished talking when the Winx had already transformed and they were all out at once.
It didn't take long to reach the bridge where the magic was still stagnating. However even after several minutes and the ten of them they found nothing.
"False alert it is then?" Hay Lin asked.
"Looks like it." Musa answered, still looking around.
"Do we get back to the shop then? There were some plants I wanted to check up for the pets."
"I can help if you want, I'm curious about the plants you were using, I never saw them before."
Then a purple light almost blinded them. "Sorry girls, but you won't be going home now." A voice she had hoped they wouldn't hear any time soon came from behind.
"Behind me." A massive shield of fire appeared. Taranee had been faster than any of them.
"You're not bad, little firefly." Ogron smirked as the shield dissipated.
"The Wizards of the Black Circle, what are they doing here?" They were encircled.
"Can't you guess, really?" Taranee growled, hands, hairs and feet still on fire.
"They used us to find the last Fairy of Earth." Bloom guessed, anger flaring. "You won't have her."
"That's why I didn't want to use magic." Cassidy frowned, descending to the river bed.
"Exactly, you fell into our trap. Now give her to us!" Dunman , the shape-shifter with a mohawk, ordered them.
"Come and try." Aisha defied him.
"It'll be a pleasure to pluck your wings." Dunman plunged at her, transformed into a wolf-thing and the fight was on.
Aisha first tried to stop him with her Morphix, but Dunman ripped through it as if it was butter and pounced towards her and the ground.
As she was nearing the ground help came in the form of a chip of river coming to crash on him. "Go take a bath before you touch a girl!"
Aisha just had the time to right herself before she touched dow ."Thank you I guess, Cassidy."
"That what I'm here for." She grinned. "You should just make sure to get better so you don't need me next time."
"I won't."
On the other side of the bridge Hay Lin, Musa \nd Taranee were taking on Ogron.
'A pale, red-haired leader who dreams of plucking our wings and suck energy like a pump... Why do I have a feeling of deja vu ?' Taranee complained mentally towards Hay Lin. She had just sent him one of her hottest fire balls but he seemed to sucked up most of the damage.
'Maybe because he looks like he could been Will's father?' Hay Lin said as she unleashed razor winds to distract the Wizard from Musa. 'He even has the same fucking smirk when he takes our attacks. I tell you fate hates us.'
'Maybe but .. wow. It did pass far.' Taranee sweated, she had been to busy listening to Hay Lin and had only dodge the back ray at the last moment. 'Lets talk about the reason fate might hate us after we wreak this guy.'
'Okay.' " Musa can you shield me, for a sec?"
"Why should I?"
"Musa!"
"Okay ... Disco Shield!"
"I don't know what you're doing, but it won't work." Ogron unleashed black lighting at the shield.
"Urgh." Musa tried to resist but Ogron was too strong and the shield broke.
"You're too weak, fairy."
"Hay Lin!" Musa called worried. Taranee had protected her but she couldn't see the Air Guardian anywhere.
"Try to tank that!" Suddenly she saw a black blur passing by her crashing on the ground.
"Hay Lin!" This time she was elated. Musa couldn't believe she had been worried for that backstabber.
"Not bad." Ogron dusted himself. "Wizards, we retreat. The last fairy is not here. I don't want to lose my time."
Without talking the Wizards had disappeared in a puff of black smoke.
...
The fourth day had been the most hectic. The waves of Magic appeared all around the city, getting stronger each time. Once more they had been forced to cut into groups.
However each time they arrived in a place they only ever found one of the Wizards, along with bruises. Besides the Wizards' already great strength, simple fairy powers were useless against them. The most frustrating was that if not for the Guardians they probably would have died.
It was so depressing that Tecna wanted to cry.
They absolutely had to get to the Believix level, any attempt to fight of Ogron or protect Earth would be useless other way.
To try and cheer themselves up the Winx went to the beach's station. The Guardians had remained behind at the shop to finish arranging it. When Musa asked Hay Lin why they let them alone this time she was answered that they probably wanted some time together, to make the point.
Tecna had to admit that having the Guardians babysitting them at all time was quickly becoming oppressing, and she was not bound with one of them.
There, while Aisha and Musa mounted on the Podium to sing and dance with one of the groups composed of Bloom's old boyfriend, Stella was complaining to Bloom and Flora about Taranee. At one time Flora went to buy some drinks for them, probably just wanting some calm before Stella talked her ears off.
In the mean time, Tecna had decided to work on one of the site's features on of the corner of the bar. She was thinking about making the pets sold online teleported directly to the buyer. But it would take some time to program. Mostly to connect the Intenet of Earth to Magicnet, without merging them."
"Hello, can I sit here?"
Tecna looked up from her Omni and was directly caught by the girl's eyes. Dark blue. "Ah... of course."
"Thank you. My name is Roxy... I'm the daughter of the owner."
"I'm Tecna. This place is good." Tecna said with a little smile. Before looking back to her computer.
"It's his life and pride." The girl was not as cheery as she should have been. "Shouldn't you be partying with the others?"
"I will. I just have some job to finish." Tecna answered continuing to tap on her computer.
"Ah.. So I'm hindering you?" Roxy stood up, embarrassed.
"To be honest, yes a little... Sorry." Tecna answered apologetically. Her computer was being more than a little rebelious.
"In this case, I'll go. Maybe we'll see each other another time." She said before going back to the middle of the bar.
"Strange girl." Tecna noted as she got back to work. "But she seems nice."
…
"Who was that?" Flora asked, offering Tecna a can of her favorite energetic drink before she sat down next to her.
"The daughter of the owner. She probably wanted to know why I wasn't having fun with the others."
"She was right, you should. Half the city should infact. They are all so tense." Flora sighed. Even the flora around seemed to have stopped growing, like prepraing for winter.
"Heatherfield is not far." Tecna answered as an explanation.
Flora still had trouble to believe what had happened there. She had made some research, asking around while she was with Kadma. It sounded like the catastrophe had been like a liberation for the city. In its last two months it had been war zone.
"Yes, they're afraid it will happen here too." Aisha slumped back on the chair next to Flora. "Bloom's friend told me that gangs have become more active here too."
"I saw."
"Do you really believe it was this Will who did that?" Flora shivered "I mean..."
"I'm sure they're exaggerating." Aisha tried to gash them.
"I don't think they do. The book miss Faragonda gave us told about the kind of power she should have. Darkar would have been a small fry for her." Tecna rolled in her usual pragmatic way. Sometimes she really didn't understand when others needed to be rassured.
"We've beaten Darkar two years ago. And we'll soon become even stronger with the Believix." Aisha pumped. Flora had a small smile. "The people we saved the other day in that fire, I almost felt it was coming."
"I hope you're right. Even the Wizards seem afraid of her." Flora cowered. They were supposed to relax but she felt even more anxious.
'Nya?'
…
They opened the store on the fifth day after their arrival. It was an huge succes. It seemed that the little work Tecna had done the day before and the publicity in the streets had worked like a charm. There were so many clients that they hadn't got the time to search for the last fairy even with the ten of them working together.
Maybe victim of their success on the next day the wizards did a trick on them. They enchanted some of their pets to become monsters and wrecked the shop. Once more the Guardians had been the ones to protect them from the strength of their creations. Even if she had been the one to find the solution to cure them ,
Cassidy had basically the same powers as Aisha. The only major difference was that Cassidy was using water as her main weapon when Aisha used morphix, which was supposed to be better. However the difference in skill and strength was painful to see for the fairy of waves.
At night they once more went to the Frutti Music bar.
Aisha had just seated that she felt an other wave of Earth magic, coming from the bar. "Did you feel that?" She asked looking, around. She hoped she had been wrong, she had really wanted to release steam tonight.
"Yes, it came from there." Bloom pointed toward the exit of the bar. There was a girl going out.
"Do you think it is her?" Stella asked, not fairing better than her.
"Most likely, rule be damned." She shot up. "Winx let's go Enchantix." They transformed and Bloom lead them.
They caught up to her on the parking.
"Miss." Aisha called out.
"Yes?" The girl turned around. She had long black hair and a green tank top.
"Not her, please!" Bloom lamented.
" Bloom, what are you doing in those strange clothing?" The dark-haired girl asked with a raised eyebrow. Her tone was already gritting on Aisha's nerves.
"So it's her." They heard a voice they had learned to hate.
"Won't you just go away?" Bloom shouted.
"Why? Your strange friends aren't here this time. You have no chance. Now give us the last fairy and maybe we won't kill you."
"In your dreams." Stella tried to send a Sun blast at him. But as usual it did nothing.
"Don't you understand little fairy, your powers are useless against us."
"Who are you?" The girl trembled on the ground. "Friends of yours Bloom?"
" No! They're not, Mitzi." Bloom's irritation was palpable.
"You should run." Aisha shouted at the girl, putting herself in front of her.
"Ye.. yes." The girl stumbled back up and started to run.
"Ogron, that girl!" Gantlos pointed to the already running girl.
"Rah... Don't believe you can go away!" Anagan announced as he ran to the girl, knocking Musa on his way. However Aisha and Flora were ready this time and used a conjugation of there plant and morphix to make him trip and stuck to the ground.
"Is this your magic?" Mitzi asked with sparkles in her eyes. "You can really do magic, I don't believe it."
"Yet you should, little fairy." Ogron said as he lashed an orb at them.
Tecna and Musa placed themselves on its trajectory and tried to protect them with their shield but the black orb was pushing them back.
Meanwhile Gantlos sent a black wave which took Aisha on the side and Anagan manged to get out of their binding.
While Bloom led Mitzi away she could hear the shouts of Stella fighting against Dunman.
They were pushed back along the streets, barely managing to put this Mitzi out of the line of fire. It was their first fight against the Wizards without the Guardians with them and they felt it in their bones.
She was thinking about telling Stella to try contacting Taranee as they were fighting Gantlos when she heard a shout.
"Fine, I believe in you Bloom. Now save me." Mitzi ordered as she was blocked under Dunman's fallen form. The weaker Wizard had been shot by Bloom's Dragon Flame but he wouldn't be down for long.
She felt something click inside her head. It was what they had been waiting for. Mitzi's plea had been reluctant, but sincere.
"Winx Believix!" They shouted in unison.
"Finally." Aisha murmured. She felt the new power coil around her.
From there on the fight had been easier. However new power never came with mastery and the Wizards were still stronger. They managed to form their circle and got Mitzi.
However to Bloom's delight Mitzi was rejected. She wasn't the good one.
"A dud. Again. I'm starting to believe someone is leading us astray." Ogron raged launching a dark ray at them.
"Aisha." A voice she knew very well called as a pink shield manifested around her.
"Nabu?"
'Yelp' She heard a small shout on the side from where one of the black ray had hit. Maybe a stray animal had taken the shot.
"What are you doing here?" The other girls all protested at the same time. Now that she looked all the boys were here.
"Looking after you. Until now those new girls had done a good job but..." Riven started to answer as he made a sweep at Anagan.
"So you spied on us." Musa seethed angrily.
"I can't believe it!" Stella shouted. "Do you believe so little in us that we got two teams of babysitters?"
"It's not the moment, Stella." Brandon objected.
"He is right you know. We got to get rid of them first." Flora tried to calm them down, holding the Wizards with her vines. However Aisha knew her best friend, she could hear she was also disappointed.
"We'll leave you to your devices." Ogron said as the usual black hole appeared.
As they were about to vanish Gantlos liberated a seismic wave which making the boys fall on their backs. "We don't have power to lose from you."
…
"Are you alright?" They called down to their lovers. Temporally forgetting her grudge against Sky she prepared to land when she heard something.
"Hey ! Do you hear someone crying too?" Musa asked turning away from her dispute with Riven.
Everyone calmed down to listen, the boys still sour at being pushed away. "Yes! It's coming from over there." Flora pointed to one of the streets they had come from and flew into it, the other Winx following after her and letting the specialists behind.
As they flew Bloom noticed the rubble on the narrow street. It was the result of Gantlos's attacks on them while they had been running after Mitzi.
Turning into another corner she saw that Flora stopped, a shocked expression on her usually smiling face.
"What is … OH!" Bloom was about to ask what had Flora like this when she saw it herself. It was heart wrenching
There was a girl she was sure she had seen back at the Frutti bar. She appeared to be physically alright but she was crying. It was her cry they had heard. Next to her under one of the fallen rocks was the breathless body of what had probably been her dog.
"Isn't she?" She heard Aisha ask. She cocked her head and saw Tecna nodding. They knew the girl.
"We're sorry." Flora sobbed, crouching next to the girl. Bloom's instinct was to try to save the animal, but here she could only make things worse. They had arrived too late.
The pink haired girl gazed up at Flora, tears blurring her features. Bloom remembered now, it was Roxy. Tecna had told them about her.
"..." She tried to mumble something. There was something other than sorrow in her blue eyes.
"You...( sob ) … You're the fairies … right?"
"Yes." They slowly nodded. They were dumfounded . She knew they were fairies.
"YOU're supposed to be the good ones right?" The girl screeched.
"... Yes." Stella answered hesitantly. Even she was touched by the sight before their eyes.
"Then why? Why aren't you saving him?" She continued. None of them could do anything in front of the bloody corpse.
"We can't!" Bloom hugged herself as if she was the one who needed comfort. She had saved the dimension several times. But saving the life of a dog, even with their new power, she couldn't.
"But …" The girl mumbled, her features not knowing which feeling to show. "I won't forgive them..."
"Them... Did you see the one who ..." Aisha said surprised.
"Yes... I was going after Artu who had escaped when I found him yelping at that...Wizard." She stumbled.
Bloom tilted her head. 'The word she employed.' Did she knew more that they thought.
"I was calling for Artu when that blond man fell in front of me. He was about to lash at me but you flew by us." Ignorant of Bloom's inner doubt Roxy continued her tale and pointed at Tecna. " He saw you and... he went after you...you probably saved my life." The girl looked down. " But I followed. I was curious and saw the fight from afar. Artu followed me... he was trying to protect me...that wave.. he took the wave on the side... it should have been me."
"We're sorry." Bloom said as she felt tears on her cheeks. She remembered having heard yelp after they escaping Ogron's last attack. 'It was probably then.'
"It's... not really you're fault." The girl was gazing into the void with a strange smile on her lips. "She had said it was dangerous."
"Who said that?" Bloom picked up. "And how did you know we were fairies?"
"That would be because I told her." A young woman's voice echoed from the other side of the alley. From there emerged a rather short girl looking around their age. She had rather reddish hair and was wearing an ample gray sweatshirt matching her jogging trousers. In the shadow of the alley she could see her eyes.
While Bloom had been asserting the intruder she had crossed over and joined with her apparent friend. "Sorry for Artu Roxy, I came when I heard your cry."
'Something is wrong in the way she said those words', Bloom thought.
However she didn't have the time to ponder as Roxy answered to the mysterious girl.
"It's... not your fault W." She was shaking so much that she was unable to get up.
"I know. You must be really sad." The girl said as she helped Roxy stand. "You truly loved him, it's okay to cry." She took her face in one hand and wiped her tears.
With the other hand she took a lighter from her pocket and lit the corpse in front of their eyes.
"ARTU!" Roxy fought against the girl's grip, trying to go back to her dog.
The girl held her back, pressing Roxy against her chest and hiding the scene from her eyes.
"How could you?" Bloom finally shouted, offended. The scene had been so surreal that she had been unable to move before it was finished.
"Would you wish for him to rot here." The girl fixed her with a dark glare. "Would you rather she had seen what was under the rubble?" They all looked at the flame.
"Believe me. It's the best way."
' Damn it.' It was frustrating but the girl was right. "I see."
Bloom turned back to them just as the newcomer shoved Roxy onto Bloom.
"Wha..?" She exclaimed. She looked up and saw that the girl was already heading out of the alley. "Isn't she your friend, you should help her in moment like that."
"I'm not the best at comforting a broken heart." She turned around and gave them a disturbing smile. "I'm sure some new friends would help her... understand."
Once more Bloom couldn't help but notice how the way she talked was strange. 'In fact everything is strange about her.'
"Roxy !"
The aforementioned crying girl turned back to her friend.
"Come to see me later. I have a present for you, and even so it might be hard. I'm sure it'll help you."
The girl in Bloom's arms squirmed and slowly. acquiesced "Yes."
Before the girl could try to vanish again Tecna called her. "How do you know we are fairies?"
Bloom wanted to face-palm. She had been so caught up with Roxy's sadness that she had forgotten the claim.
"You talk a bit too much, I heard you." The girl smiled gently before sniping back down.
Bloom was shocked. 'She believed us just for that.'
"Well, now it's really time I go." She looked at the sky, " If you stand by her, we will meet again."
"Wait!" Stella bursted out. "We are not finished."
"I am." The words echoed as she disappeared in the shadows of the corner of the alley.
Before any of them could go after her they heard the Guardians call from above.
"Is everything alright?" Taranee shouted as she flew down. From where she was she couldn't see Roxy in her arms.
Aisha answered hesitantly. "For us well... But."
"I see you have changed." Cassidy noted as she touched groud next to her bounded fairy. "You seem stronger."
"Yes, we finally reached Believix." Musa scanted, trying to not meet their eyes. "It didn't do us much good however."
Hay Lin followed her eyes and gasped. "Isn't she … Roxy? What is she doing here?"
"You know her?" Both Stella and Taranee asked startled, Stella glared at Taranee.
"Yes, she was the last client I had to run after yesterday. After the Wizards played that trick." Hay Lin explained still looking at the girl. "The one which had nothing."
Bloom remembered. They had sent her first because she was the fastest. Hay Lin had returned before they were out saying everything was alright.
"What happened to her?" Hay Lin looked at each of them.
"She was attacked." Bloom answered first.
"She followed us after the Wizards ran after Mitzi." Flora followed.
"Are you sure she was attacked? There's only a few bruises." Kadma told in a reassuring tone standing next to her, hands glowing a healing green around Roxy's arms.
"The problem is not me." Roxy jerked out of Bloom's arms as she pushed Kadma away. The Guardians looked quizzically at them as the human girl shivered, tears coming back.
"She was protected by her dog. From both the blow and the falling rubble caused by Gantlos' last gift." Tecna related biting on her nails.e We should have made sure no one was there."
"They'll pay." She heard Roxy swear between her teeth as her face distorted in rage. "For Artu and for mother, they'll pay."
"You shouldn't go down the path of revenge, it only leads to disaster." Taranee said gravely.
"Yeah, you would know about that." Stella mentioned ironically.
"Yes." Taranee acknowledged flatly. "We do."
The answer shocked Roxy out of her rummaging, she was now staring at the Guardian of Fire. "..."
"Believe us, we expereinced those results first hand." Hay Lin comfirmed as she traced her own ' tears'. "The scars are still there."
"We'll see." Roxy mumbled shyly before shifting to Bloom, observing her up to down. "I can't believe she was right." Her voice was shaking as if afraid. After all that happened to her she had the right.
"..." Roxy mumbled something and then, suddenly , she shot up and out run of the alley where her friend had disappeared minutes ago.
Bloom tried to catch her. ' I'm not ready ' She thought she had heard.
"Wait!"
Cassidy stopped her from running after Roxy by catching her wrist.
"She needs some time alone." She said. No doubt in her voice but worry in her eyes.
Bloom looked back at the corner and sighed "I know."
"I can see why but... I can't believe you burned the corpse." Kadma was looking as the ash marks below the rubble.
Nothing remained of the body , not even the bones. They could still smell the lingering scent of metal the blood left in the air.
"It wasn't me." Bloom defended herself. She wasn't accused of anything but she felt she had to. " It was Roxy's friend, she brought a lighter."
"Her friend? But that fire was magic." Taranee looked at her in utter disbelief. It was true that the fire had been exceptionaly potent.
"Where is she?"
"She was gone before you arrived. She said she had things to do." The Guardians stared at Musa while she related the fact. "She added that Roxy would understand better with us."
"What did she look like? Did she give a name?" Hay Lin huried them while floating to the corner, looking for clues as to the girl's identity.
"She... actually I can't remember." It was strange, all that remained in her memories was a vague silhouette. She briefly hoped her friends had more. But they all had the same deceived frown.
"Me neither... Hey!" Stella had an offended shout and gave a dark glare to Taranee. Bloom guessed she had felt Taranee peek through her mind.
"They really don't remember." Taranee said, not caring for Stella's animosity. It was not the first time she had done it and wouldn't be the last they knew.
At least now Stella seemed to be wising up. 'Maybe thanks to the Believix.' Bloom thought.
"I don't even remember her voice, " Musa pointed out, baffled. "I remember her knowing about us being fairies however."
The Guardians quirked an eyebrow at that.
"She knew?" Kadma asked. "She was not surprised?"
"Not that I can remember. As far as I can guess she was the one who told Roxy who.. we.. were." Tecna face lit up and she turned to the Fire Guardian, her finger pointed up. " You said that the fire she used had traces of magic, didn't you ?"
"Yes. Where are you going with that?" Taranee nodded, thoughtful.
Bloom had to admit she didn't see the point either but she knew that when Tecna was like that she was onto something.
Suddenly Flora's eyes went wide in realization, looking up to her fellow fairy. "Do you think... She is the one we are searching for?"
"Ah!" Clapping her hands Aisha followed that line of thought. "That might explain why she didn't feel right. It might be her awakening power."
"If that's the case... She may have left because she thought the Wizards were not far away." Bloom continued, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. They seemed to click, but the image was a blur. They were missing something.
"Then why not ask for your help?" Kadma asked sceptic. It was a good question Bloom had to admit.
"She must need time." Bloom still remembered how it was for her at first. "Or she doesn't trust us. She... seemed like the loner kind."
"If she knows about the Wizards, she would know what they did to her people." Cassidy countered ."She could also want to avenge herself."
"If she really is the fairy we're after." Hay Lin shuddered."I have a Bad feeling about this."
For a while they remained there, staring grimly at each other in silence. They had to do something, but what?
For once Bloom was at a loss.
"... Either way, we have to go back. We should remain around Roxy." She finally decided.
The girls all nodded in accordance.
"She is our best chance to find that girl." Kadma acquiesced.
"There is that." She stammered. It wasn't Bloom biggest concern right now. "I worry more about the shock she must have felt after everything. I'm afraid that she might to something reckless."
"If you say so." Cassidy shrugged. "As I said, as long as 'she' doesn't show up you're the ones who lead this ball." She reminded them with an amused wink.
Bloom and the others gulped in unison.
She wasn't sure if it had been such a good decision anymore. Even if they finally had their Believix now they were still a long way from defeating the Wizards, let alone save Earth.
The Guardians smirked playfully. "In the mean time, I think you should go to see your boyfriends." Hay Lin smiled at them, getting to a less serious topic. "I hear them waking up."
"Ah!" Bloom gasped. "...Maybe." She had almost forgotten about them.
"You're right." Flora smiled weakly. The both of them turned back to their human form and walked to the more lively street that led where they had left the boys.
"I'm not going." Stella growled. She also returned to her human form and, under her disbelieving eyes walked away in the opposite direction. Bloom knew that Stella could be stubborn but now was not the moment.
Taranee had a defeated sight.
'Their relation is not getting better either it seems'. Bloom frowned.
"Me neither" Musa screeched, going after Stella who already was disappearing around that corner of the alley. "Tell him to get back where I think." She shouted before they could no longer see her.
At that point only the Guardians were still in their battle form, still unable to shed them off.
"Pffft... I'll go with the." Tecna giggled. "They might do something stupid otherwise. Tell Timmy that I want to talk to him later, he is not forgiven." She ran after their friends.
"Ok. See you later." Bloom answered with Flora and Aisha, who would go with them to see Nabu.
Contrary to Stella and Musa. "Let's go girls." Aisha said, her step echoing on the grounds. Aisha wanted to state her grievance now.
...
Cassidy could not remember the last time she had flown so much in one week.
It couldn't be helped, it was the quickest mean of transport they had. "It's good that we don't have boy problems, right girls?" She had decided to fly on the back this time, to look at the stars.
"Yes. I'm too old for that." Kadma acknowledged seriously.
It almost made Cassidy sad, after all she still had the mind of woman in her early twenty. "Why did I even broach on that subject again?"
"You maybe. But not us." Taranee snarled back. "But you're right. I don't want boy problems anytime soon."
"Me neither." Hay Lin muttered.
Cassidy looked back at their faces. They were darkened, sorrowful. A light bulb lit in her mind and she wanted to crash her head against the hardest place she could find. "Sorry!" Cassidy sincerely apologized. She had forgotten how their last meeting with their exes had gone.
"It's nothing." Hay Lin assured her. "It was our own fault."
"You should not blame yourselves for that. It's also their fault for being weak and falling for her mind game." Kadma admonished them.
Cassidy mentally agreed, they shouldn't be down for that.
"I notice you don't say it isn't our fault at all." Taranee remarked.
"Because it is." Kadma answered. "But let's not talk about that, with some luck you won't see them again."
"You know what I think about luck, Kadma." Taranee said with an air of finality. The subject of boys was closed and locked away.
As they flew back silently Cassidy wondered if once everything was finished she would find a lover for herself.
' Don't delude yourself Cassidy, it'll never end.'
…
"Will!" Elyon called out as soon as her Queen entered the loft. "Where did you go?" She asked, turning pleading eyes to the dark brown orbs.
"Oh! Were you worried for me?" Will grinned at her.
Elyon felt her heart skip a beat. Even disguised as a human and holding back her powers Elyon found her breathtaking.
"Of course not." Elyon snarled, closing part of the distance between them. "It's just that... I woke up alone in the bed and..."
"You thought I got out to play alone?" Having made her way next to Elyon in her usual gait Will took her chin in her graceful hand.
Elyon felt slightly feverish, which outwardly amused Will.
"...Yes" Elyon admitted sheepishly. "You promised I would have one for myself." She pouted in a way that could have been found childish were it not from such a deranged girl.
"And you will have one." Will laughed slightly. "I never lie, remember?"
Elyon closed her eyes as she felt her queen's hand pinch her cheek.
"I just felt that our little butterflies took too long to get to the next stage." Will explained with an annoyed tone.
Elyon heard Will make her way past her towards their bed and faced to follow. "And?" She anxiously queried.
"I decided to take a winning bet." Will smiled darkly which made Elyon shudder. She knew that smile for the one her queen would have when she had ' played a bad prank '. "Still, that dog almost messed everything up dying like that. Although I can guess why he did that." She frowned slightly as she took her place on the couch.
"You mean Roxy's?" Elyon was about to sit next to her when she saw that annoying cat jump and take her place.
' Why can't that pest already be away?' She was trying to see if she could glare the furball to death.
"...You killed it?" Her eyes crawled back on the opalecent majesty they were resting on.
"No, of course not. The Wizards did." Will smirked. "At least his death will be useful." She slowly stroke the cat's chesnut fur with her right hand.
"You mean...?" Elyon beamed. Were things finally going to move?
"Yes... Who knew that I would find another use for her besides being a trophee... And an useful way to tease you."
"Meany." Elyon finally sat. Now that she was almost rid of of the furball she felt a lot better.
"After all, I can do what I want with you." Will reminded her, sendind a tremor through Elyon's ... Heart? "Now that I think about it, did Nigel come back?" She tilted her head, getting back to the ongoing plans.
Elyon found the question was useless, Will could feel her slaves wherever they were. Nevertheless she answered, deciding that her queen just wanted to talk. "Yes, he said he had to get clean from the blood."
Elyon had been surpised to find out that he was out too when she had woken up. However the blood had been expected, Nigel was as zaelous as herself.
She had also been jealous that he was the one sent to take care of the trash. It was always fun to hear their screams.
"Good, I just hope they're enough remains to make a little package." They both frowned, sincerely wondering. "Well, if there is not he know what will happen." Will dismissed with a wave of her hand.
"Soooo, who was the poor victim?" Elyon queried as she elongated on the couch. Will used the opportunity to use her lap as a pillow and the trophee mewled.
"Let's just say that the Fairy leader could appreciate the gift, if she was honest." She laughed mysteriously.
Sometimes Elyon wished she could delve in Will's mind.
As she peered into those dark brown eyes she knew that now wasn't one of those times. Will was her queen for a good reason. Most people would shudder away seeing those, but Elyon had long ago lost the will to look away and had accepted the truth within them. "So, what is next? You still haven't revealed the full plan to me."
"That's because it is always moving my dear, just like my whim."
Those orbs she was lost in glittered with sparks of dark blue.
"But, to answer your question, now we wait for Roxy to come pick up our friend here." Will smiled again. " Then... I don't want the fairies to chase after me for the wrong reason so... I think the puppet is ready to show her wings"
Elyon grinned. 'Soon.'
Soon the true hunt would start.
Soon the symphony of desperate cries would sing anew to her ears as she followed her.
Elyon would never regret the choice she had made that night almost two years ago.
...
Roxy couldn't believe what had happened. Artu had been by her side for most of her life, he had helped her getting through both good and bad times.
But now he was gone, not a trace remained.
And all of that because of what? Because she was a magic being and some power-hungry scums wanted her powers.
Powers that were useless as they were, not able to save what was precious to her.
At first she had wanted to avenge herself.
She was not so sure anymore. Not after talking with the Winx.
The fairies had tried to talk to her after it had all happened .They had told her they would be there if she ever needed someone to talk to but she could feel they were after something else.
They didn't know yet she was the one they were searching... From the way they asked questions about her, they thought it was Will.
'Will...'
Would she have been able to do something had she asked her to?
When she had arrived it was already too late, but if she had called her earlier. 'Maybe she could have...'
Roxy shook her head, she better not linger on that thought.
The dark angel was too much of a mystery. Fascinating, but terrifying at the same time. Roxy had seen her use her power on a few occasions, but always for trivial things. Yet, there was not a doubt in Roxy's mind that she was the center of it all. Whatever it was.
Now, the night had already fallen. She had parted from the fairies with a promise to meet them the next day and to not put herself in danger. However she was not going home yet.
Will had said she had a present for her after giving the last rite to Artu.
Roxy was not in a festive mind-set, but she had to admit that she did want to talk it out with her. And there was always that strange pull she had to go to her.
It was only the second time she got to the loft, but the door was shining to her like a beacon in the night. Or more accurately, the one behind it was.
Roxy knocked on the door. "Will are you..."
The doors opened on the red-headed girl "Yes Roxy, I'm here." She answered, opening the door wider to let a passage. "You can enter."
"Were you waiting for me?" Roxy asked, surprised by the speed Will had answered.
"Yes, I was. I was the one to invite you remember?" She smiled, closing the door Roxy had not even seen she had crossed. "Now come, I'm sure there are plenty of things you want to ask."
"Yes..." Roxy stammered, walking to the chair she had used the last time. "Can I...?"
"Of course. You really must be tired after all that happened." Will smiled, disappearing behind one of the doors.
Roxy sat, tense. Truth be told she hadn't any question this time. Will had already told her most of the answers she sought on the first time they had met.
She had come because Will had invited her, and here was the only place she felt safe.
Which was strange as the loft still reeked of what she now knew was blood. Here the only one who could hurt her was the one she had come to see, Roxy knew it would be painful if she ever was to be on Will's bad side.
"Are you taking your dog's death well?" Will asked from behind the door, but she could have been just next to her so clear the voice was. "You looked like you were about to break down earlier."
As she was waiting for Will, Roxy felt her eyes moisten.
"How could I?" She seethed . She had been crying for the whole night. She had cried so much that she believed she had no tear to weep anymore but the mere mention of her lost friend opened the valve.
"Losing a being dear to you is always hard but you shouldn't let it stop you to move on." Will answered solemnly.
"How would you know?" Roxy answered as the door opened. Roxy saw Will had a covered oval box in her hand. It probably contained her present.
"I saw it countless time, that expression you have right now, I even saw it once on myself." Will delicately posed the box in front of her. "I don't want you to end up like the others."
"I couldn't do anything, even with..." Roxy continued to cry, taking her head in her hands.
"Your powers aren't yet strong enough. You would need a Heart, even with your affinity." Will answered matter of factly. Roxy looked up in surprise.
"Affinity?" She asked between her tears.
"So you haven't figured it out yourself hum? Well, it did take me more than a week to guess." Will got up of her seat. "Roxy, you're the fairy of beasts."
"Beasts?" Roxy was dumbfounded once more, she didn't like the sound of it.
"Yes, beasts, animals. You can manipulate them, take a part of their power for yourself." Will explained. "That is why you can so easily enthral them to you."
"You mean... Artu..." She had immediately made the connection. Could it have been her fault more than she thought?
"He truly loved you." Will answered, which made her feel slightly better. "Un-mastered powers can have dear consequences. That's why I'm hiding yours from the others." Will smirked at her. "But ... once mastered, you'll understand yourself better. Use them as you see fit." She opened her hand as if looking something inside.
"You did what?" Roxy jumped out of her chair. She felt offended.
"I hid your power from the Wizards and Fairies. At the rate they were developing the hunters would have already found you. The Fairies aren't strong enough by themselves to protect you too." Will rounded around her, gently but firmly making her sit back. "Would you prefer to have died along with your friend?"
Roxy made no with her head as she shuddered, remembering the yelp of her friend as he took the blast.
"Good. Make sure that his sacrifice is not in vain." The way she said it sounded like an order but Roxy did not linger on it. After all she was right.
"I need to get stronger." She muttered. She heard Will giggle slightly.
"Yes, you do. Or you'll only be a spectator of the game." Will agreed, caressing her cheek as she got back to her own seat. "And for that I have a little present for you, I know it might be painful with Artu's death but you'll need it even more now, Fairy of beasts."
She touched the cover of the box which disappeared in a 'puf', revealing that it was in fact an animal's cage. With inside a chestnut cat.
"Wha... are you ... Won't she?" Roxy was at a loss for word as every kind of emotion overtook her. On one side she was happy to get such a present as she had always wanted a cat, and now that Artu was no more she was afraid of truly be alone, magical Pets not counting. On the other hand she was afraid that it would be like betraying her oldest friend to take a new one so soon. She also feared what could happen to this little dear if it got taken in the cross-fire her life was soon getting into.
Once more Roxy felt tears run down her cheeks.
"As I said, you'll need her. So just make sure nothing happens." She grinned. "But don't worry, she is made of stronger stuff." She opened the cage with a shock of lightning, making the cat jump. 'Nyaw'. Roxy caught it, a small blue light getting from her hand to the cat. She felt like a bond forming and knew that Will was right.
"Now do you have any questions?"
Roxy remained like that for awhile, pondering on what the gesture meant and on what she had learnt from Will.
The supposedly dead girl had showed her a lot of things, most of which she would have preferred not to know. In a little more than a week she had seen more injustice, suffering and betrayal than in her whole life. More times than once had she wanted to tear those bastards a new one, and had even done so when Will let her.
But each time Will had remained impassible, like she was just watching an amusing show, or waiting her turn in a sick game.
'She has stopped to care.' Knowing that fact, a question made its way in Roxy's head.
"... Why?" Roxy looked at Will, who raised an eyebrow. "Why help me I mean... even I can see you're not... exactly on the good side." She stammered.
Will chuckled.
Then she laughed out loud.
"That was... wow. Not exactly on the good side heh? Well, you're right."
Roxy was taken aback. What had she said that was so funny?.
Will sighed almost languidly. "The answer to your question is easy. I guide you because you interest me Roxy, you remind me of someone I knew."
"Who?" Roxy was baffled, she had not been expecting that. Who could she remind Will off?
"I think you'll find out yourself soon enough." She replied that same enigmatic tone she had used each time Roxy had asked anything about Will's past.
"Do you have anything else in mind?" Will locked her eyes in hers, not letting her evade them.
"Why am I so fascinated by you?" She asked the question that had been on her mind since her first dream. It had gotten out just like that.
Will grinned at her and took her free hand in hers "Because you're mine." She whispered. It was as if time itself had stopped as the words made their way into her mind. She could almost feel her blood freeze.
"You're joking, right? It's not funny you know." Roxy was livid, cold sweat running down her back. She wanted to go away but she couldn't. It was the same each time Will played with her like that.
"I never lie." Will whispered before letting go of her hand. She then gave her the cage. "You should go now, it's so late it's early."
Roxy complied. She put her new pet in her box and slowly walked out the door.
"Good day." She heard Will chuckle before she exited the loft.
Once the door had closed behind her she ran towards her house. She could feel her back itching where her Wings would sprang.
' What did she mean?'
The question tortured her until she was in her room.
As the sun rose above the skyline she could still feel 'her' touch on her cheek.
Roxy realized that she needed someone to talk to but Will was serious when she warned not to tell anyone about her. Roxy sighed, she felt like a rag doll after a turn in the washer.
"I really need to get stronger." She said to her new pet, a tear rolling down her cheek. "And I need to get you a name."
FoR: Thank for the reviews, Please continue and tell me what you think truthfully.
Heimrish : Why thank for something that's yet to come?
FoR : Because they will.
Heimrish : (whispering) Isn't he a little to conceited .
Yan Lin : Let him hope a little.
For : You should hope too. I'm the one who decide what happen to you grand-daughter. ( Wince and Pause a little) Well, Me and The red head down here.
Heimrish : Aren't you the author ? You looked pretty proud of it last time.
FoR: Yes, but I can't make them do things out of their character without destroying my story. I twist the world, I tell the tell and guide it along the path I want, but they make their choices. Even I don't know how it will end in the end.
Yan Lin (confused) : Didn't you just say you decide what happen to my grand daughter.
FoR : I do .
( turn to the screen ) See you in "Chapter 4: The Last Fairy on Earth ?"
