"How much oil can they put on one slice?!" Stella complained as she picked up her slice of double cheese pizza. Orange colored cooking oil was beginning to slide down her arm, but she managed to chse it with a napkin before it dripped off her elbow and onto her clothes. She couldn't look like a slob.
"It's just how they cook it," Fora said, biting into a sweet juicy apple. They had picked her up after spotting her in the hallway, by the dorms. As usual, she was sporting her usual green crop top and pink miniskirt with sandal wedges to match. She held out her lunch bag to Bloom, "You want an apple? I grew them myself during free period!"
"Sure, yeah," she said, the bag rustling as she grabbed one. The skin was tough as she bit into it, the juice tasting almost like liquid candy on her tongue. She noticed leaves dancing on the ground as the wind blew them up and about. Amongst the tops of the trees was the pointed, slightly rounded red and black roof of Redfountain, the school for training warriors- Bloom had learned they were called Specialist, for their fancy gizmos and gadgets they used to fight.
"Bloom?" Flora's voice broke through her concentration, "you okay? You kinda spaced out." Bloom nodded, playing with the ends of her hair.
"Yeah, I'm totally cool!" she assured them, feeling heat rush to her cheeks.
"You were thinking about Sky!" Stella exclaimed suddenly, "that is so cute!" Bloom rolled her eyes- ever since the ball was held for orientation, she had been thinking about Sky a lot, with his bright blond hair and pretty blue eyes. It had been a while since the boys had gotten a break from training though, but she new it was just to protect everyone, defend them until their last heath even. She sighed. So she had a rush on him. Big deal!
"Whatever," she changed the subject abruptly, "anyway, I really need to focus on the spell-"
"The one in Wizgiz's class?" Musa piped up through a mouthful of bread crumbs. Bloom nodded.
"Yeah," she said, "I early wanted to turn my hair fuchsia, like Techna's, but no luck so far!" Techna laughed, her face going red as the others stared at her.
"What's so funny?" Musa asked.
"You can't do spells just like that!" she said, chest heaving as she tied to regain her breath, "it…. it takes time is all." Bloom shrugged. That was the third time someone had said that to her. Not that it wasn't making her feel any better. It was great to know she would be able to do it one day, but it was just so hard to wait! Stella clapped her hands excitedly, jumping in her seat.
"I know what will cheer you up!" she exclaimed. Her pizza sat half eaten on a plate in her lap, probably getting colder the longer she ignored it. "I'll give you a makeover!"
"And what will a makeover do to help?" Musa said sarcastically.
"I just thought it'd cheer her up!" Stella grabbed Bloom by the arm and she suddenly found herself and her friends heading back to the dorm, gabbing about what color would look best with whose hair. Bloom knew she looked best in blue- she made sure to tell Stella, who's grin looked so wide her face looked split in half, like a Chesire Cat.
They were at the door to the school once it happened. One minute they were standing at the door, the next, tumbling to the ground, bruises and scrapes being earned once they hit the ground. Rubbing her head, Techna sat up, "What was that?!"
"Dunno," Musa said, cracking her knuckles, "but they sure are gonna pay….. whoa!"
"What?" Musa stuck her fist in Techna's face.
"Look!" she cried, "my hand is glowing!" Everyone stared at her hand, gasping as there was a sparkly yellow aura around it. Glancing down, Bloom noticed there were small puddles of the stuff on the ground, smiling as she saw a leaf rise in the air, sparkling yellow. She pointed at it.
"Guys, its floating!" she said.
"A yellow glow…." Techna mumbled, "and floating objects…." The girls watched her face pale, her teal eyes widening.
"Is something wrong?" Flora asked, tucking a strand of her brown hair behind her ear.
"This is Pixie Dust," she said matter-of-factly, if not sternly, "do you know what this means?!"
"No….."Stella scratched her head, trailing off.
"Pixie Dust is used by those who have reached the Enchantix stage of their powers!" Techna cried, "that means someone here can use Enchantix!" Peering over her shoulder, Techna pointed to the ground, "look, there's a trail! We can follow it and find whoever it is using this!"
"Well?" Musa grinned mischievously, "what are we sitting around here for? Let's go!" Shoes slapping the concrete, they followed the trail, the dust glowing brighter as they got nearer, the dust becoming large clumps, sometimes small hills. That's weird, Bloom thought as they ran, who would waste this much dust? Skidding to a stop, she pulled her friends back, sliding down the wall until she was sitting. Her heart was trying to hammer its way out of her chest, it was beating so fast.
"Shoot!" Stella muttered, "Vice Principal Griselda of all people had to be on Entrance Duty?"
Indeed, the Assistant Principal was standing by the gate, clipboard in hand as she paced back and forth. No doubt, she was desperately trying to bust students for trying to leave. Last week she caught a few freshman trying to sneak out so they could go shopping. The trees beyond the gates rustled as the wind blew past, startling the woman a little. Holding a finger to her lips, Bloom slowly got up, beckoning for the girls to follow. They had made it just around the corner when-
"Stop right there young ladies!" Griselda waved them over and the girls obey reluctantly.
"And where is it you think you're going?' Grisela demanded, eyeing each one of them maliciously, tapping her clipboard with her pencil. The older fairy raised an eyebrow at them, "Well? Spit it out!"
"Y' see, Ms. Griselda-" Stella tried, jumping at the nasty glare she received.
"I'm taking you all to Miss Faragonda immediately," she said bluntly, "there is no reason-" Techna hesitantly tapped her shoulder, biting her lip. "What is it, Miss Techna?" Techna pointed behind dyer, down at the ground.
"Is that Fairy Dust, Ms. Griselda?" she asked. The Vice Principal turned, following her finger, jaw dropping. Scattered in a shaky path beyond the gate was the same yellow dust from a few seconds before, a large clump of it at the gate doors. Fixing her glasses, Griselda sputterd- students shouldn't be able to access it thus far! It was only the first day! Snapping her fingers, she conjured up same bags, directing them to collect whatever was there.
"This is a serious issue!" Griselda fretted, "Miss Faragonda must be told immediately! But-" she glared at the girls, "- don't think you got out of trouble! You're coming too!" The girls groaned as they followed, the dust being held protectively under Griselda's arm, pulsing magnificently with life.
Whoever the dot belonged to, Griselda was certain she would give them a good talking to- Fair Dust was too precious a thing to waste so carelessly.
Once they were inside, they were directed to headmaster Faragonda's office, the large double doors swinging open to reveal a lavishly furnished room. A desk sat by a window on the far side of the room, a tea service tray and a plush red couch by the door. The girls followed Griselda up to the desk, where an old woman sat, her white hair poured up in somewhat of a beehive. Clasping her hands on the desk, she sighed.
"And what happened, Griselda?" Faragonda asked, raising an eyebrow. She sent a smile to the girls. Bloom was glad right there and then that Faragonda was so easy-going.
"I found these five snooping about," Griselda accused, then produced the bags of dust, "with these!"
For a moment, it looked like the old woman had had a stroke, the shock creeping slowly into her kind blue eyes. Nodding, she stared intensely at the dust, a hand fluttering delicately to her heart.
"Well?" Griselda crossed her arms, "whats their punishment?" The girls rolled their eyes- Griselda tried every chance she got to give a student detention.
"This is not from an Enchantix user," she breathed. Reaching over the desk, she wiggled her fingers, "Give it here."
The bag was light in her hands- it wasn't even in her hand for that matter. Instead it hovered a few inches above her palm, exuding a soft yellow light. Everyone watched it for a few seconds until the light died down, the bag plopping into her hand. The sack began to deflate, free of its mystical contents.
"If it isn't from an Enchantix user, then where is it from?" Flora inquired politely. Faragonda merely shrugged.
"I'm unsure of its origins, Flora," she said, "it'd be best if we allowed Palladium and Wizgiz to inspect it."
"But Headmaster-!" Griselda guffawed. Faragonda raised a hand, silencing her.
"It seems fit, with them teaching potions and metamorphic abilities, Griselda," Faragonda chided her, and she nodded.
"Yes, Headmaster." she sighed, sending a final glare to the girls as she left, slamming the door behind her. There was a few minutes of silence until Faragonda spoke again.
"You girls best be heading back to your dorm," she advised, "it's getting to be time for bed." Bidding the old woman farewell, the girls exited the office, bursting into laughter once they shut the door. Evening had set in, casting gloomy shadows through the windows in the halls.
"Did you see the look on Griselda's face?!" Stella laughed, "what a riot!"
"It was if she just got rejected, oh man!" Musa agreed as they found their room.
"Well, whatever it is, I'm sure they'll take care of it," Flora said as they slipped in quietly, "good night guys, sweet dreams!" She clicked the door shut behind them, carefully turning off the lights so as not to disturb them once they were asleep.