Diaspro, Katie, Helen and Zinah sat together in Diaspro's flat.

"It's been an exciting couple of weeks, hasn't it?" Diaspro asked.

"More than I would have ever wanted. I guess I really know the flipside of "be careful what you wish for" now. I always wished for more excitement in my life..." Zinah shuddered at the memory.

"I know. I used to think our lives were pretty ordinary before we met Diaspro..." Helen said.

"She brought magic and excitement into all of our lives in different ways, didn't she?" Katie smiled.

"I guess that's what I do now. Bring magic and excitement into people's lives..." Diaspro shrugged and then winced as pain in her shoulder flared up. Magic might have helped it to heal faster, but it still hurt like a bitch occasionally...

"Back to magic class, ladies." Diaspro smiled. "Now, Zinah, as a witch, your magic works a little differently to us fairies. Some people in Magix deem witches to be these troublesome beings who desire to do nothing but evil and mayhem, usually because they tend to prefer to study dark magic and usually have "dark" oriented powers. I don't agree with that. I don't deem magic as evil anymore. It's the person using it and how they use it that's evil. But who is to say what is dark magic and what is light magic? You cannot have the light without the darkness anyway..."

"Plus if no one studied "dark magic", how would anyone know how to fight it if some major baddie came along wielding it?" Zinah pointed out.

"Precisely, Zinah! As for power types, I can see mine and your powers working together well, once we get past the initial fairy/witch magic barrier. It's a little harder for a witch to converge her magic with a fairy, but it's not impossible. Professor Griffin, the Headmistress of Cloud Tower School for Witches and Miss Faragonda, the Headmistress of Alfea College for Fairies have converged their magic several times, most notably in their days in the Company of Light and at the Battle of Alfea more recently, after the Trix stole the Dragon's Flame from Bloom..." Diaspro didn't even bat an eye as she mentioned her name which Helen and Zinah noticed, but didn't comment on.

"It's pretty scary to think that someone can steal magic from you. I mean, I haven't had mine very long, but to imagine myself without it now..." Katie shuddered at the thought.

"I've never had my magic stolen or even nullified, so I can't even imagine how it must feel. All I know is that I wouldn't wish it on anyone." Diaspro said as she glanced at the clock.

"It's almost ten p.m. You should get going..." Diaspro glanced back at the youngest fairy, who pouted.

"This is the best class I've ever been to. When's the next one?" Katie asked as she gathered her notebook and pens.

"I'll let you know. Now go home, Katie." Diaspro had to practically shove her out the door.

"As for you two, what are we doing tonight for our "Girls' Night In"?" She asked her friends.

"It doesn't matter. As long as we find something fun to do. How about a DVD? I've got The Dark Knight!" Zinah held it up.

"Sounds cool. I love that movie!" Helen exclaimed.

"I don't even know what that movie is..." Diaspro said.

Zinah looked at her incredulously.

"What? Should I know this?" Diaspro asked, on seeing her friend's expression.

"Of course you should bloody well know this! How can you not know this?" Zinah waved around the DVD.

"Why is it so important that I know who or what this Dark Knight thing is?" Diaspro raised an eyebrow.

"How the bloody hell could you not know who the bloody hell the bloody BATMAN is?" Zinah almost shrieked. "Next thing you know, she'll be telling us that she doesn't know who Harry Potter is!"

"But... I don't know who Harry Potter is!" Diaspro exclaimed.

At this pronouncement, both Zinah and Helen gasped in horror.

"She... She doesn't know who Harry Potter is?!" Helen screeched.

"First we watch The Dark Knight. Then we take Diaspro to Hogwarts. Agreed?" Zinah turned to Helen.

"Agreed. You may have been here a while, but you still need to be educated in the ways of Earthling entertainment. Zee, you start the movie and I'll get the refreshments!" Helen reached into her duffel bag and pulled out a few bags of microwave popcorn.


Anthony was sitting with several other young lawyers in a presentation on criminal law.

Having finally finished all the formal law education he wanted to for now, he still decided to attend events like this to keep up to date on things and to network.

Plus the fact that although he was qualified to be a lawyer, he hadn't actually found a job as one yet...

His girlfriend on the other hand...

She was looking to start up a business of her own. She couldn't live on what she did have forever and she didn't want to depend on anyone for her needs...

He liked that.

His family was pretty well off, so over the years he'd gotten people trying to get close to him because of that, but not her...

But there was the fact that she was an exiled fairy princess. She'd probably seen a lot more wealth and schmoozing than he had...

He shook his head to clear it. As much as thoughts of Diaspro were pleasant ones, this presentation was more important now. He himself was looking to find his own source of income- besides what his parents insisted on giving him. He certainly wasn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, but it would be nice to have a job and earn his own money. The bartending gig he'd had until a few weeks ago he had given up in order to devote his time and effort into following his real calling. Bartending had been fun (it was where he met Diaspro after all), but it was time for him to get serious.

He'd even cut off the little ponytail he used to have.

You know he meant business when he ditched the ponytail he'd had for years...

Once it was over, he made his way over to where some of the presenters were seated for people to ask them questions.

"Mr. Pritchard?" A voice called out to him, making him turn.

"Who wants to know?" He asked the older woman standing there.

"The Crown Prosecutor's Office, that's who..." She answered simply.

Raising an eyebrow, he followed her over to a less crowded area.

"This is the young man that caught your interest?" Another lawyer who looked slightly younger than the woman.

"Indeed. Mr. Pritchard, I am Julia Daniels and this bloke over here is John Crowley. We work for the Crown Prosecutor's office and we would like to offer you a job with us." The woman said.

"Is this the result of the CV I sent in weeks ago? Why not call me for a regular interview then?" Anthony raised an eyebrow.

"You know that we like to do our background checks first. Plus we noticed that you seem to show up quite a lot on the attendee list for these things..." Julia said.

"True. I took some time off after my postgraduate degree, but I believe that it's high time that I got serious now and some events a few weeks ago put everything into perspective..." Anthony said.

"I see. With your impressive record, I'm just glad we got to you before the other side did..." John said.

"I wouldn't have taken it. I can't stand the idea of having to defend someone I know is guilty of some horrendous crime. No. I'd rather much be responsible for putting guilty people in jail than helping them get free. Just the thought rankles me..." Anthony growled.

"Well then, you can come into the office for the formal interview on Friday. We'll also show you around and then we'll put you to work!" Both Julia and John shook his hand.


"Well then. I guess it just goes to show who's watching you, huh?" His sister asked him as they sat to dinner later.

"Indeed. I'm just glad I kept my record clean, Caroline..." Anthony nodded as he lifted a piece of chicken to his mouth on a fork.

"So... How are you and your girlfriend doing, huh?" Caroline asked slyly.

"We're fine, Caroline. Why do you ask?" Anthony raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you've finished your education, you've got a great job lined up... I admit that I was rather wary when I heard she was a fairy. I thought maybe she'd put some sort of love spell on you or something... But she really proved herself to be a decent person when she saved her friends from those creeps..." Caroline smiled.

"Given her past, I highly doubt she'd see the appeal in love spells, but I get your concern for me..." Anthony nodded.

"And yet, mum, dad and I have yet to actually meet her. Why?" Caroline asked.

"It hasn't been that long, really. Only about four months or so. We started going out in June and it's October now..."

"But still... I can tell you really like her for whatever reason and I intend to find out why..." Caroline smiled mischievously.

"And you will, in time. But that time is not today, sister dear..." He said as he called over the waiter to pay the bill.

"Fine." Caroline pouted, making him laugh.

"You'll meet her sometime soon, I promise. Now I would like to get back to my place. I have things I need to do." Anthony stood up.

"Ah. Is your girlfriend coming over?" Caroline teased.

"Actually, no, not today. She has something to do with her friends this afternoon. That
"coming over" will be on Saturday." He smiled slightly. "And don't you have something to go do with Stuart?" Keep in mind that if he hurts you, he'll have to deal with me!" Anthony flexed his muscle as they stepped out the restaurant, making his sister giggle.

"You'd have to stand behind me, brother dear. I can take care of myself!" Caroline smiled.

"I don't doubt that, Caroline." Anthony smiled back at his younger sister.

"Well, see you then. I'm spending the night over at Natalia's place and we'll head out to Uni tomorrow..." Caroline hugged her brother and the two separated.


"Not that this hasn't been fun so far, but isn't your little friend Katie supposed to be here?" Helen glanced at the clock as she formed a dark blue energy sphere between her hands.

"Yeah. You don't suppose something happened to her, do you?" Zinah asked as she formed her own silver sphere.

"I sure hope not. I'd rather not have to rescue her or anyone else anytime soon..." Diaspro glanced at the clock, which now read 5:30 PM.

Her mobile phone rang just then and she got up to answer it.

"Hello Diaspro. This is Katie's mum. Something happened at the school with her so that's why she's running rather late..." The older woman sounded slightly worried.

"What happened? Is Katie all right?" Diaspro asked, concerned, making Helen and Zinah sit up straight at their friend's tone.

"Well, you know that Katie is rather quiet and hates a lot of attention, so some bullies tried picking on her. According to the stories, one of them tried to hit her and her magic decided to put in a rather dramatic appearance then!" Mrs. James exclaimed.

"Oh. Oh dear... Is she in trouble then?"

"Well, not really. They just wanted to know if she'd get more control of her magic so it wouldn't happen again..."

"Is she still coming up to my flat?"

"We'll be there in a few minutes."

"Good. I'll see you then." Diaspro ended the call.

"So... What happened?" Zinah asked.

"Her magic decided to put in a dramatic appearance at school, apparently. Whatever that means. I suppose we'll figure that out when she gets here..." The doorbell rang.

"And she's here!" Diaspro opened the door to see a bemused looking Kate and her mother.

"Hello Katie. What happened?" She asked gently.

"Well, some girls at school tried picking on me. I was just sitting by myself in the front yard of the school with a book I wanted to finish reading before school finished. It was for a literature class and I really liked it! But those awful girls... They never liked me for whatever reason and they just surrounded me. All six of them with their taunts and insults... One knocked the book out of my hands and..." Katie paused as her mum put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"...and they were going to hit me! I couldn't help it! I didn't want them to hit me! Some energy shield surrounded me and shoved them away a good distance and I felt myself floating a bit and when the light cleared, I had my fairy form! Everyone at school knows I'm a fairy now! I wasn't ready for that yet!" Katie began to freak out.

"Calm down, sweetheart. Everything will be fine!" Her mother tried to reassure her.

"But..."

"Katie! Calm down and breathe! Panicking will not help a thing!" Diaspro exclaimed.

"I know, but..."

"You've got a support system in us, Katie. Consider us like your big sisters or something!" Zinah exclaimed.

"Yep! I never had any siblings at all, so that would be nice..." Helen smiled encouragingly.

"Don't worry. You will be fine! I'll help you gain some control over that. In the meantime..." Diaspro's mobile rang again.

"Phone's been ringing quite a bit lately, hasn't it? Hello?" She went into the kitchen with it.

"Diaspro, this is Secretaria, from the Institute of Magic. Remember me?"

"How exactly could I forget you? Considering that the first time I talked to you, I got to meet Queen Nebula and the second time, I got to get some details straight between her and the British government to give me an actual background here on Earth when people started sniffing around after I saved my friends in a rather public manner..." Diaspro replied wryly.

"Anyway, Queen Nebula wants to meet your friends / partners in crime personally. Is there any time available for all three of you to fly over here? Within the next month or so?" Secretaria asked.

"They're here now. I'd have to check with them..." She walked back into the living room, where Mrs. James was watching her daughter and Diaspro's friends form energy spheres again and although Katie's dark green sphere was smaller than the others, she looked quite pleased with herself to have been able to form one at all and keep it under her control.

"Hey Helen, Zinah. One, do you two have current passports and two, are you free for travel soon?" She called out.

"Yes, why?" They called back in unison.

"Queen Nebula would like to meet you two in person is why."

Zinah nearly dropped her energy sphere in shock.

"Oh, that's so cool! You two should totally go!" Katie squealed.

"I have nothing better to do, so why not?" Helen shrugged and Zinah nodded in agreement.

"Alright then."

Diaspro returned to her phone conversation.

"They're fine to hop the pond anytime, they say..." She said.

"Excellent. I'll arrange your itineraries and call you soon with details." Secretaria ended the call.

"Well then, Helen and Zinah. It looks like we're headed Stateside soon!" Diaspro said as she re-entered the room.

"That's so awesome! Can you bring me back some practice spell books or something?" katie squealed.

"They haven't had too much time to build back up a library or bookstore specializing in spell books yet, but I'll see!"

"We get to go back to Gardenia again- and this time we get to go to Tir Nan Og and meet Queen Nebula herself!" Zinah bounced up and down the room in excitement.

"I don't know about you. I'm a bit nervous myself. I've never met a queen before. I never met the Queen of England, far less a fairy queen of a land previously thought to exist only in fairy tales!" Helen did indeed look nervous at the thought.

"You will both be fine. I'll teach you everything you need to know for a royal audience. Now in the meantime, I need some dinner. Any suggestions?"

"I'll come help you there, Diaspro. Hey, can you use magic to help cook?' Mrs. James asked.

"You most certainly can. I'm not the best at cooking magic myself, but I can show you a few things..." Everyone followed Diaspro into the kitchen for what proved to be a most... interesting lesson in magic...