A/N: Don't really have much commentary here... For a change! 0_0 Just a few notes and answering questions. And to say sorry that it took a while for me to update, I've had coursework worries and I had to write my first draft of a 30 minute play for a writing contest. I'm also planning a Dark Tecna one-shot, a Sucker Punch one-shot as well as a True Blood and X-Men (movies) cross over one-shot and a Dark Bloom in season 5/6 one-shot. So they'll be up some time after this chapter.
My first note is the flashback in this chapter is very, very similar to the opening of chapter 2; I've edited chapter 2 now and it says that the situation felt familiar – this is why. It's like that part in chapter 2 was a distorted memory. The Disney film mentioned is Lilo and Stitch! Awesome film and so sad!
Thewanderingoutsider: Thanks! I'm not sure on the Marion and Oritel thing; it'd be good though... :/ Thinking of ways to fit it in now :) Yeah, it would. I've always questioned how they can just suddenly accept that Bloom is their daughter. Then again, I'm also not fond of how Marion and Oritel are now alive but that might be something to do with that story that influenced Bloom's story (I can't remember her name but the creator was influenced by this girl who found out she was adopted or something so maybe she was told that her biological parents were dead and it turns out that they weren't or something). Again, thanks. Gabriel isn't Bloom's romantic interest, I'm going cover that in this chapter. I hope nobody thought that! You're actually quite close. I'm trying to go for gut-wrenching, fingers crossed that this comes out like it does in my head but I'm not sure on alienating her entirely... Yet. I plan chapters individually instead of planning the entire. Probably not the best idea! Although there is a slight hint to a planned idea that I have for later on.
Piercetheveil: I'm clearing up the Gabriel mystery now. What's your running theory? It seems interesting. I don't know, some people think that they look 'hot' together or something. Maybe it's because Bloom got turned evil? What happened to the flaws that they had in the early seasons, seriously? Bloom was very flawed in the beginning, she had massive anger issues and she always ran away from her problems. My pairing comes from a quote that Darkar says. On the wikia, it says "According to Darkar in the Rai version, she is the natural consort of Darkar as Dark Bloom"; I'm taking artistic licence to that and changing simply to "she is the natural consort of Darkar". No, she can't. It's to do with stubbornness, if she wasn't so stubborn, I think she would have found her medium by now. Not weird, I don't think they're oppressed. To me, it's more of, 'you spoilt everything because you threw a tantrum' like when they're attempting to mind-rape her in the flashback; it's not Darkar oppressing them, it's they're creating more problems than they need to for their own amusement. You have an account? I'm not sure – partially because I can't find them on YouTube.
I will say, I wish Bloom would go dark again in the actual show. I mean, Darkar said that she was dark forever but Sky saved her... Yet, they fought and with Sky getting turned dark... How is she able to never be dark again? Surely, the thoughts would be there, at least. I'd love for season 7 to be the return of Dark Bloom with her as the main villain because she's done all those good things since season 2 because she's been wrestling with her dark side since then, and ends up going all evil and stuff. Plus could imagine her family's reaction to learning about season 2. If anyone knows him, mention that ;) (Although if anyone actually knows him, I doubt they'd be reading fan-fiction)
Recently listened to 'Let it go' by Demi Lovato (from the Disney film Frozen, which me, my mum and my sister are going to see on Christmas Eve – Can't wait. Partially because a review for a seemingly mysgontic person said that the film was 'feministic drivel', so I like it already. Feminism for the win) and it's inspired me to write a bit of how I imagine Icy's back-story... With a tiny bit of Frozen influence.
watch ?v=6T5_Hw9 fIIs
My last comment is that my next up date won't be for a while as I currently have a lot of coursework and I have to create a portfolio for my university applications by 8th January and so much to do for it. Oh and the last scene is completely taken out of the pilot of Vampire Diaries with a few edits (also gives an image of what Gabriel and my version of Darkar look like):
www. youtube watch?list=PL6 8B0943FF3EC BD F5&v=ugZOLS ruH_I& feature=player _d etailpa ge#t=14
Okay, story time. Merry Christmas and a happy new year!
'It's just about to break,
It's more than I can take.
Everything's about to change,
I feel it in my veins.
It's not going away,
Everything's about to change.'
War of Change by Thousand Foot Krutch
'It's everything you wanted,
It's everything you don't.
It's one door swinging open,
And one door swinging closed.
Some prayers find an answer,
Some prayers never know.
We're holding on and letting go,'
Holding On and Letting Go by Ross Copperman
'Don't turn away,
(Don't give in to the pain) Don't try to hide.
(They're screaming your name) Don't close your eyes,
(God knows what lies behind them) Don't turn out the light.
(Never sleep, never die) I'm frightened by what I see,
But somehow I know that there's much more to come.
Immobilised by my fear,
And soon to be blinded by tears.
I can stop the pain if I will it all away,'
Whisper by Evanescence
Tears poured down Bloom's face as she sobbed and sobbed. An aching, throbbing feeling of sadness and despair threatened to overpower her. Gabriel rubbed her back, she didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve his comfort. She pressed her face into his pillow and suppressed a scream. He pulled her up and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, just like Mike used whenever something like this happened.
"It's okay. It's okay." He whispered gently. "It's going to be okay."
She pulled away and wiped her tears away. "It's not. It's won't."
"Why not?"
She looked away from him, gazing around his living room. This was the first time she'd been in his apartment. It was small and crapped, old and new books were everywhere. They were sat on his second-hand sofa; her head pressed into one of the pillows; now stained with tears. 'I live on a small salary.' He had told her, he was a teaching assistant for the classes at the Magix museum. She sighed.
"They know." She admitted. "They fucking know."
"Know what?"
"She admitted it. She told them that I drank Darkar's blood. She attacked them... She was going to kill them." She began to cry again.
"How many times did you drink his blood?" He asked, a confused expression on his face.
"Twice." She admitted in a timid voice.
"Darkar swept into the room, pulling a knife out of his pocket. He was going to kill her?! She thought he needed the Dragon Fire. Although, she never said anything. She had refused to speak to him when she woke up...
"Don't worry. I'm not going to kill you." He told her as he sliced across his forearm. Scarlet blood welled up. Darkar placed it right next to her head. If she turned her head, her lips would be directly opposite it. He reached over and stroked her face with his other hand. She glowered at him, keeping silent. He gently moved her head to face his wounded arm.
"I want you to drink." Bending down, he whispered in her ear, now stroking her hair. She firmly pressed her lips together and shook her head.
He laughed but didn't move his arm. She could smell it now, it didn't smell like blood. It was like smelling chocolate, it made her mouth water. She didn't want it, she didn't want it. It was blood! Why would she drink blood? She didn't want it!
"You're going to need it." He whispered; his voice soft. She refused to say anything and turned her head the other way. The longer she had her head turned away, the more she could smell it. Sweet, hypnotic... Drawing her in, calling to her... NO! She didn't want it! She didn't, she didn't...
Bloom swallowed and pressed her lips together so hard that they were turning white. She didn't want it! Oh, who she was kidding? She was desperate for it, she needed it.
She whipped her head around, pressing her lips to self-inflicted wound. She swallowed and swallowed, her eyes half-closed in bliss. Dimly, she heard the clink of metal. Her right arm was free; she grabbed his arm and pressed the wound closer to her lips. Hot, scarlet blood warmed up her throat as she swallowed. It tasted like copper, like putting a penny in your mouth. Every time she swallowed, she needed more. She was gasping for it. Pausing, she pulled back, gasping for breath.
"It's okay, drink as much as you need my dear." He cooed gently in her ear. Darkar was staring at her as she looked at the drops of blood that escaped the wound. A moment passed as she watched the crimson beads before she pressed it back to her mouth, catching every escaped drop with her tongue.
Darkar moaned and it became a sigh. Bloom felt his hand gently run through her hair, wrapping it in his hand. He moaned away as she followed a bead of blood with her tongue, licking it off of his finger before going back to the healing wound on his arm.
A few moments passed. Bloom pulled back, the horror and disgust at herself beginning to sink in. There was a sharp click of metal as her arm was chained to the table again. Her eyes began to burn with tears that she couldn't stop from falling.
"You know you have blood all around your mouth?" Darkar asked, a smirk twitching on his lips. He wiped it away and left the room. She began to sob.
"What did I do? Why... What's wrong with me?" She whispered to herself."
"The first time was an hour and a half after he kidnapped me. The second, I don't know. It was when I was her... I was there for hours, thrown in the dungeon where the Trix attempted to mind-rape me. Then your brother chained me to a table. I drank his blood and he left me for God knows how long. Alone, crying, full of regret and disgust because of what I had done." Bloom felt her eyes begin to burn with tears again. She ran a hand through her hair as she sobbed. Gabriel hugged her tightly.
"I'm a fucking idiot." She growled.
"No, you're not. You had no clue what was going on and you can't help that you have this other side." He said.
Bloom wiped her tears away and sniffed. She sighed, twisting her fingers around each other nervously. "... What do you want with me, Gabriel?" She asked.
"What do you mean?" He questioned, turning her head around to face him.
"I mean why are you helping me? I might just be cynical but nobody does things out of the goodness of their heart? There's always some kind of agenda or motive... Especially if you're on good terms with your brother." She explained.
"Your mother was my best friend. I want to find out what happened to her and why, just as much as you do. I think you've earned the right to be cynical. For the record, I'm not really on good terms with my brother. We haven't seen each other in eleven years." Gabriel answered. "Our relationship is ...complicated. We don't get along but we're still family. Our relationship is very oxymoronic, the same as any siblings. You can viciously hate them but that the same time, you love them. Me and Christian, the bottom line is we can hate each other and disagree until the cows come home but to quote a Disney movie, 'Ohana means family. Family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.' But I'd never do any dirty work or anything like that for him if that's what you mean."
She nodded. "It's just... The last person to help me was the fake Professor Avalon and look what happened."
"I understand." He told her. "So how's your problem?"
"She's still there, I'm still getting headaches and I keep seeing Christian everywhere. Although, I'm not sure if that's a hallucination or not, everything considered... No blackouts yet... The Trix came to Alfea last night. They didn't do anything though; they just stood there for five minutes and left."
"That certainly sounds like one of his ideas, he's very good at the things that he does." Gabriel said. "So what do you think your best option is now? There are two possible ones. The first is to go on how you are, living in pain and constant worry about the other you or the second option, which is to accept that part of you and become whole. Don't worry, I won't push you. We can talk about it and you can think it over."
Bloom nodded, biting her thumb in nervousness. Gabriel brought his legs up on his sofa, crossing them like a child. She mimicked his position.
"So why are you so scared about it?"
"I'm not scared." She protested.
Yes, you are. Little bitch is scared! You're a little pussy!
Shut! Up!
"Okay, so I am scared a bit." She confessed. "I'm scared of her. I don't want to be a part of her. I don't want her to be a part of me. She's a sadistic, abusive and uncaring bitch."
"But that means that on some level, you are that sadistic bitch with those abusive, hateful thoughts and those emotions. They have to come from somewhere; they come from your subconscious where she is." Gabriel told her. "You're not scared of her, you're scared of yourself. You're scared of what you're truly capable of."
"Why would I be?" She breathed.
"Because you've only recently seen the true extent of your abilities. Your friends have only recently seen it as well but they've reacted differently. You're scared of yourself and your powers, you friends are only scared of that dark personality because they don't see you and your power as the same thing. I'm not making any sense here." Gabriel ran a hand through his hair.
"You mean that because I'm not that dark person, my friends don't have respect for me?" She asked in a dull, monotone voice as she stared blankly at the back wall.
"Yes, partially. They respect you as a person... fully. Argh," He groaned. "I'm so bad at this... I'm sorry but from what you've told me that does appear to be the case. They don't really respect you as a person because of a disconnect. In a way."
She sighed. "With my psychological issue, what are my options?"
"Live the way you are now, in this constant state of worry, pain and dealing with the aftermath of your blackouts. Or you can accept who you are, accept what has happened and all the memories that come with it. Accept her as a part of you'll join together, you'll become whole." He explained.
She nodded. Would she want to continue like this? Her head throbbed, waves of pain crashing over her. She squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"You think it over, okay?" Gabriel asked, checking his watch before sighing. "You have class. Come on, don't want to be late."
Bloom closed her eyes, her vision swimming. She opened them again but the words on the paper in front of her continued to move. Growling, she threw her potionology homework across the dorm. She ran a hand through her wild red curls, gripping her roots. Thoughts and consequences running through her head. Dr. Saunders was right; she couldn't keep this up. Her resolve was already beginning to weaken. She couldn't fight herself forever.
About time. The dark voice giggled.
I've made my decision.
See you on the other side, then.
What will happen to you?
I'll still be here but not really. I'll be inside you, absorbed by you. Like Gabriel said, we'll joined together in one conscience.
Bloom sighed, closing her eyes once more. I'm ready.
Millions of memories, blindingly fast, whizzed by. Rosario's and Ibraham's grateful eyes, the uncaring faces of Marion and Oritel, Daphne's sweet face, Mike's and Vanessa's faces as she grew up. All of the bad behaviour she had been accused of at school, Darkar's face as her other side saw him for the first time. Her time with Darkar, when she stole the Codex... Her friends faces during both of those times. She opened her eyes.
The familiar buzz of power, especially dark power, burned through her veins. It lit up her nerves ends, creating a recognisable feeling; she'd had the same one when she'd had her first kiss. It made her tingle, she felt lighter. Her headache washed away, her arms quivered with pins and needles as a few quick bursts of purple and red energy exploded from her fingertips.
Hello?
No response.
Hello?! You still there?!
Nothing.
She was alone; one hundred percent alone. She was whole. Bloom laid back onto her bed and breathed in and out, savouring and enjoying the silence in her head.
I accept who I am and what happened but I have to find out if it's the truth. Faragonda has to know what her actions have caused.
She raised her hand to the door and paused. A few seconds passed before she knocked on the door.
"Come in." An elderly woman's voice said a few seconds later. Bloom pushed the double doors open, heading into the sparse office. Astral projections of Griffin and Saladin in the middle of vanishing as she paused, her hand on the purple edge of the door.
"It's fine." Faragonda motioned towards her with her hand. A fiery image of a younger headmistress wielding a bloodied dagger popped into her head. She swallowed, walking forward and sinking into one of the plush, red velvet chairs.
"I was just discussing yesterday's incident." She informed her. She bit her bottom lip but Faragonda was still talking. "There's no need to be worried... But Griffin mentioned that you went to go see her."
"Yes." Bloom mumbled, twisting her fingers around each other nervously. She felt cold, her insides numb and her hands and feet felt clammy.
"What did you two talk about?" The elderly headmistress persisted.
"That's private." She replied sharply.
"Private? Not from me." Faragonda replied coldly.
"It's none of your business. It's between me and Ms Griffin only."
The headmistress began to raise her voice. "It is important that you tell me."
Bloom's hands curled into fists. "Important to who? You?!"
"It's important for the safety of the entire dimension!" The elderly woman yelled.
"It's none of your business! But seeing as we're on the topic, I'm not the only one who's been withholding information, have I?" Jumping out of her seat, Bloom smashed her fist down on the desk.
Her face became closed off. "I have no idea what you're talking about, and do not speak to me like that, Ms Peters!"
She couldn't help it, she let out a harsh shriek of laughter. "Trying to change the subject won't work."
Flames began to lick at her fingertips, forming a samurai sword. She pointed it at the headmistress. Tears burned in her eyes. "For once, I want the truth." She told her. "Did you kill my parents?"
"What are you talking about?!" Faragonda replied, her hand moving towards a drawer for two seconds.
"Stop it!" She screamed. "Stop lying!"
"Why would I kill Marion?"
"I'm not talking-"
Bloom was cut off by the office doors bursting open. Security, dressed all in black, ran towards them. One of the men raised his baton, smacking her across the head causing her world to go black.
The headmistress sighed, the image of the young red-head being dragged out of the room, her body limp, juxtaposed with the image of the flaming sword. One of the security guards entered the office.
"Ms, we have him." He told her. She nodded, standing up and adjusting the cuffs of her long-sleeved top. Faragonda followed him out. He was a young men – a recently graduated specialist. She smoothed down her skirt as they neared the invisible door. She grabbed the handle and pushed it open, gesturing for the guard to enter. She followed. There were two secret rooms within Alfea; the archive and this room. The basement; the complete opposite to the rest of the school as it was dark and barely lit, a dungeon with four cells, impossible to see out or in of – only inside from the outside using magic. The cells were spelled against magic, at least the magic from those inside. At the back of the basement, was a different cell. All of the others had artificial slats of light but this cell did not, it was pitch black and completely empty. It was the re-education room.
The centre of the room held a chair, chains currently binding the unconscious man to the wooden chair. Faragonda studied the chair occupant; he didn't look like much of a threat, but then again, neither did Bloom. He had a peaceful look on his youthful face.
She clapped her hands, releasing a burst of magic that jolted him awake. His eyes snapped open.
"What the hell?" He mumbled, attempting to lift his hands; only to see the huge iron cuffs.
"How nice of you to join me." She told him, the man looked up. The green of his eyes glinting in the tiny slats of artificial light.
"You must be Ms Faragonda. I've heard a lot about you." He told her, circling his wrists – a faint popping sound echoing through the room.
"Good?" She asked.
"Some." He replied, looking at her in the eyes. "Then there's the other stuff and the stuff I already know."
"What's your name?" She questioned him. He let out a snort of laughter.
"You've bought me to a dungeon and tied me to a chair but you don't know who I am?"
"We were given a description." She replied, choosing her words carefully. "What's your name?"
He paused, glancing around quickly the room as he circled his motorbike boot clad feet. He turned back to her. "Gabriel Reaves." He told her, his thumbs twiddling a gaudy ring on his index finger.
"Gabriel... Not what I expected." Faragonda confessed. "Do you work for Darkar?"
Gabriel's lips twitched. "Darkar?" He chuckled then paused. "Oh, you're serious."
"Of course I am. Darkar has damaged one of my students."
"Bloom... This is about Bloom." He stated.
"So you do know her."
He didn't say anything for a moment. "Damaged? Last time I checked, she was perfectly fine. Psychologically issued because of you know what but she's never mentioned being 'damaged' by Darkar... Or is this just your opinion?"
"How dare you?!" She snapped but her mind registered two other words; 'psychologically damaged'.
"Do Griffin and Saladin know that you erased their memories of a certain event?" He questioned.
Faragonda didn't respond, she drew herself up and turned to the guard. "We're getting nowhere. I'm finished with him." She told him. The guard stepped forward, raised his baton and struck Gabriel across the head, knocking him unconscious. She left the room as the guard began to drag him into an empty cell.
Bloom stirred. Her head was throbbing, she sat up suddenly – not the best idea as all the blood rushed to her head. God, she felt sick and her head was tender. She raised a hand to the pulsating area above her left eyebrow, the pads of her fingertips barely skimming the skin. OW! Not a good idea. If there wasn't a wicked bruise there already, there would be soon. It felt as though there was a lump forming as well.
The next thing she registered was where she was; a tiny room the size of Stella's closet, a thin strip of ember light coming through a tiny slat in the right wall. It reminded her of Earth's smallest window that Mike had once told her about. It looked like it would be about the same size; one centimetre in width, fifteen centimeters in length.
Bloom didn't know whether the light was there to stop people from going completely insane or just to make the rest of the room seem that much darker. Where the hell was she? Where had Faragonda dumped her? Was it because she thought she was dead or was it until she figured out what to do with her?
"Bloom?" A muffled, distant voice asked. It seemed familiar but it was too faint to actually be able to tell.
"Gabriel?" She questioned.
"Yeah, you alright?"
"Just a headache but other than that, I'm fine. Where are we?"
"Some kind of dungeon? Did you know that your school has them in the basement?"
That explained a lot. "I wonder what she told my friends." She mused aloud. There was a faint snicker.
"Probably just told them that you've been taken away for your own safety, if she told them anything at all. What did you do?" Gabriel asked.
"I-I just got mad." She confessed. "She was trying to get some private information. She kept pushing and pushing – I just lost it. I implied that I knew about Rosario..."
"I'm guessing that didn't go over well."
Bloom snorted. "We're locked up in cells in the school basement. What do you think?"
"I'm thinking that your teachers need to redefine their definition of the word 'detention'." Gabriel chuckled. "What did she say?"
"She pretended not to know anything about it."
"Yeah, same here. So much for your teachers being supportive, huh?"
"Yeah." She replied, feeling her eyes burn with tears. A broken noise came from her throat and she began to cry. Mixed feelings of sadness and numbness clung to her chest. She let a sob out as warm tears slipped down her pale cheeks. "I thought I knew who I was. Turns out I was wrong." There was a pause, her own sobs echoing back at her.
"I'm sorry."
Bloom ran down the night-darkened streets of Magix. Cold air wiped her tear-stained cheeks, her jumper was stretched; flailing over her enclosed fists as she ran. Her chest heaved, her lungs burning as she gasped down bitter air. She paused and cast a glance behind her. Nobody. It wouldn't be that way once they released that she'd escaped. But she took advantage of the moment, collapsing onto the ground. She was still struggling for breath, she still had no feelings in her thighs for running so much, her fingers were numb with the cold and she couldn't risk any form of magic in case Faragonda was watching for it.
She looked up at the sky, a big bright full moon glowed at her and the silver stars winked until three shadows blocked her view. Who else?
"Great." She said to herself. "As if my day wasn't bad enough."
"Thought you'd be back at pixie high." Stormy sneered.
"Thought you'd be getting made someone's bitch." She countered, feeling the rain begin to fall onto her forehead.
"Well, you thought wrong." Icy drawled.
"So what no attack? No 'I'm going to destroy you'? How did you get out of Realix anyway?"
"That's none of yours." Stormy answered angrily, crossing her arms across her chest. The rain was getting colder and colder, but it didn't bother her – she was fire, a living flame that cold didn't effect. She rolled her eyes.
"Why no attack?"
"Contrary to popular belief, we don't hate you." Darcy finally spoke.
"Speak for yourself." Icy muttered.
Bloom paused, considering her answer. "I don't believe you." She responded.
"What are you doing out here?" Darcy asked, playing with a loose thread on her purple leather jacket.
"Maybe I just want to be." She answered.
"I don't believe you." Darcy copied her tone exactly.
"Believe what you want."
Bloom crept through the night-darkened hallway towards her dorm room. Please let everyone be asleep. Please don't let Faragonda be waiting for her. She grabbed the door handle and -
"FREEZE!" Griselda yelled, shining a light in her face. She cringed away from the brightness. Fuck. Damn it, so close. "Ms. Peters, what you doing up so late?"
...She didn't know?
"I couldn't sleep. I thought a walk might help... It didn't." She replied in an apologetic tone.
"Well, hurry up and get straight to bed... You didn't get a look at Magix, did you?"
"No, why?"
"Those witches are attacking it. Not like their style at all, if you ask me. Although given everything that's happened, it's surprising how they haven't been caught and sent to the Omega dimension yet."
Their booth was packed and a tight squeeze, even with magic, two large pizza trays were empty apart from some crumbs. She was perched on the edge of the booth, attempting to tune out Riven and Musa's current bickering about a school that Musa wanted to go to called The Golden Auditorium. She'd mentioned that school in class before, during career week.
"So," Stella turned away from quizzing Timmy to Bloom. "What did Gabriel want?"
"Should have known that this question was going to come up. Nothing really. He was just telling me about some new texts the museum have. Apparently they have some stuff about Sparx." She answered, twirling her straw in her milkshake.
"Who's Gabriel?" Sky asked, an edge to his tone.
"A hot friend of Bloom's." Stella replied.
"Gross." Bloom added, not liking the look in Sky's eyes. "He's my dad's friend, remember? You've sort of met... Before you stormed off."
"Didn't know he was from Magix." Sky told her curtly.
"Yeah, he's got some awesome stories. He and my dad met years ago, he's works at the museum and everything so he's helping me with my whole parent's thing."
"Funny, he didn't look old when I saw him." He said.
"He's thirty two!"
"When you say that he's helping you with your parents, this won't turn into a Darkar thing, will you?"
Everyone at the table glared at him, Musa and Riven even stopped their bickering. Bloom was fuming, flames flickering at her fingertips. "You asshole!" She yelled, causing everyone else in the restaurant to stare. "Don't pin the blame on me for that! That wasn't my fault! You can't control who I talk to and who I don't! Gabriel is a family friend, for fuck's sake! How many times do I have to tell you that?!"
Everywhere was silent and shocked, Bloom didn't know what was worse; the strangers who knew who she was staring at her or her friend's open-mouthed stares due to the fact that she had ever so naturally yelled swear words. Just like a witch.
"Oh, boy." She heard Brandon mutter. "This isn't going to go down well."
"My money's on Bloom." Riven commented. "Never have a fall-out with a girlfriend who can kick your ass, you'll regret it. I've still got the scars from Realix."
"You think that it's my fault that that happened?!"
"Well, you could have not spent so much time with your 'teacher'." Sky replied.
Bloom gritted her teeth. "A teacher helping me doesn't exactly scream imposter! You were getting private tutoring from Codatorta last year! But because it's me, getting help from a teacher makes me a fucking traitor?!"
"Don't put words in my mouth!" Sky yelled.
"But it's true, isn't it? I'm nothing but a traitor to you!" Bloom cried back, grabbing her bag and standing up. "I never asked for that to happen! So fuck you!" She yelled, walking away. Hurried footsteps met her ears as a warm hand was placed on her shoulder.
"He doesn't mean that, and you know it." Flora said softly. She turned around. Tears swam in her green eyes.
"I think he does this time... I just need some time alone. Okay?" Bloom asked, her own eyes being to burn. Flora wrapped her arms around her tightly for a second before letting go.
"If you need me, just ring."
She nodded, Sky's glare catching her eyes from behind the nature fairy. Anger bubbled inside her, the flames on her fingers now burning fiercely. 'I have done nothing wrong! ...Nothing apart from drinking – No, he can't possibly know about that. Nobody would ever tell him that!' She turned and ran before she did something she knew she would regret.
People stared at her as she ran past, the shops a blur in her peripheral vision. Tears smearing her sight, she collided into somebody. She stepped back and looked up. Fuck. Darkar... Could nobody else see him?
"Are you alright?" He asked softly, wiping away a falling stray tear. She shook her head.
"...How come nobody's staring at you? Shouldn't they all know who you are?"
"That's your first question. My first one would have been how are you alive? Come on." Darkar led her to the mall staircase. He sat her down and then perched down next to her before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She rested her head on his shoulder, tears falling down her cheeks onto the slightly worn leather jacket.
"What happened?"
"Well, it turns out my boyfriend is a major asshole and he blames me for what happened." She answered.
"And you love him? This is the same guy who told you he loved you in Realix, I'm assuming."
Bloom nodded.
"It wasn't your fault. You didn't know."
"This situation is completely ironic." She chuckled through her sobs. "I'm being comforted by the guy responsible for it..."
"The world is a strange place... To answer your questions, people aren't staring at me because I lift my illusion when I come to Magix."
"But you don't look any different to me." She told him.
"You are the only person apart from my family that doesn't see an illusion when they look at me. What you see is what I actually look like, what everybody else see's is a monster."
She could feel his blood pounding through the veins in his neck, the memory of its taste and smell over-whelmed her.
"That's I feel now, when people look at me I feel like they see some kind of monster or demon." She told to distract herself. "It was like that first night nobody really registered what had just happened but the next day, it was like it had all sunk in for everyone. They were always staring at me, even the teachers. I could feel it, I could feel how much they hated me, how they didn't trust me – none of them did, not even my friends. And everybody knew what had happened, everyone walked on eggshells around me, even the real Professor Avalon – who I'd only just met that night – it was like they were afraid that if they said the wrong thing, I'd go dark again."
"That's because they're morons who don't understand. People fear what they don't understand."
"They don't fear me, I can tell. They're afraid of my dark-side but not of me. It's like they don't recognise my abilities, if I'm not dark. Especially Sky."
"Then he's an asshole for not trusting you. To be honest, he sounds like the kind of guy who has to be in control of every situation." Darkar told her as he turned, cupping her chin in his strong hand and tilting her head upwards. "With he's making you feel that way and all of the things that he's said and done, do you actually love him?"
"I feel like I do but then there are times when I feel like we don't and that he only said that he loves me because he felt like he had to to stop you." She confessed, lowering her eyes.
"Don't." He said sharply. "Don't ever not look people in the eye. You're a duchess and the only heir to the throne of Sparx – currently froze over or not. You look people in the eyes, no matter who it is."
When she got back to her dorm, the other girls were already there – even Layla.
"Bloom." Stella exclaimed, running up to her and hugging her tightly. "I was worried. I don't think Sky meant anything he said you know and - "
"Let her breathe, Stella." Flora cut the Solarian Princess off. She let her and stepped back, smiling hesitantly.
"...So... Who was that hot guy you were talking to?" She asked, making all of the other girls groan and Bloom laughed.
"You can't keep your mouth shut for five minutes, can you?" Musa grunted, falling back onto one of the sofa's.
"Christian, he's Gabriel's older brother." Not a lie. "I'm really tired; I'm just going to bed. Night." Not waiting for a response, she headed into her dorm. She changed into an old pair of pyjama's that consisted of a too big Pirates of the Caribbean t-shirt and a pair of boy-short style underwear. Bloom fell asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. Her dream was dark apart from a glowing blonde figure, in a flowing golden dress and carnival-style mask.
"Daphne." She greeted her sister. "You never told me about Rosario."
Daphne's face was filled with shock.
Gabriel sighed as he placed his empty plate in the sink and headed out of his kitchenette to one of his bookshelves. About to grab one of the old hardbacks, he turned. His window was open, he didn't remember opening it. Then a black, bat-like creature flew in. Gabriel recognised it; it had been his father's, now it was Christian's. He turned back to the window and there slouching casually in a leather jacket and motorcycle boots was Christian himself. Blood splattered on his black t-shirt, Gabriel had seen the poor girl being attacked as it happened – helpless to help her – and even worse, his brother had left her alive. His almost black hair chin-length hair was styled in casual disarray with a few strands hanging over his forehead. He looked nothing like the King of Shadowhaunt that he was. Christian smirked as he saw the look on Gabriel's face.
"Hello brother." He said, walking towards him.
"Kerbog's a bit much, don't you think?" Gabriel asked as his brother stepped closer.
"Wait until you see what I can do with the shadows now." He smirked.
"When did you get here? I mean, last I heard you were dead, destroyed or locked in Realix."
"How they possibly think they could kill me when they're only second year students is beyond me." He chuckled. "Your hair's different. I like it. Short hair suits you."
"It's been eleven years, Christian." Gabriel said.
"I know. Thank God, couldn't take another day of the nineties." He replied, skimming the titles of the hardbacks.
"Why are you here?" Gabriel demanded.
"I missed my little brother."
"You hate cities." He countered. "It takes a lot to cause panic so it's boring. There's nothing for you to do."
"I've managed to keep myself busy." Christian smirked, walking away from the bookshelf towards a small table, messing with the unlit candle.
"You know, you left that poor girl alive tonight. That's very clumsy of you." He told him seriously, trying to catch his brother's wandering attention. He sucked in harshly and sighed.
"That could be a problem." He said before another smirk graced his features. "For you."
Gabriel minutely shook his head; of course it was all just to cause him trouble. It always was. Christian leaned against one of his desks.
"Why are you here now?" He asked, his serious tone matching the expression on his face.
"I could ask you the same question. However, I'm fairly certain your answer can be summed up all into one little proper noun: Bloom." He replied, another smirk spreading across his face. Gabriel stared his older brother. "Although I have to say, when I first saw her she took my breath away. She's a dead ringer for Rosario. Is it working, Gabriel? Huh? Being around her? Does it ease your guilt or your pain?"
"She's not Rosario." Gabriel told him sternly.
"Well, let's hope not. Rosario was never the sharpest tool in the box. No, Bloom is stronger than her, stubborn as hell." He countered, walking towards him. "Tell me, when's the last time you had a drink? Something stronger than those potions that you're stocked up on."
"I know what you're doing, Christian." Gabriel said, turning away. Christian hit him hard in the shoulder, forcing him to turn around.
"Yeah? Don't you crave a little?"
"Stop it." Gabriel warned him. Christian hit him again.
"Let's do it, together." He continued. Gabriel took a step back, his eyebrows furrowed; creating a 'v' shape. "I saw a couple of girls out there." Christian hit him again. "Or just – Let's just cut to the chase." He smacked him on the shoulder. "Let's just go straight for the fairies."
"Stop it!" Gabriel yelled.
"Imagine what their blood tastes like." He replied furiously, a dark smile coming onto his face. "I know what Bloom's tastes like."
"I said stop!" Gabriel cried, launching himself at his brother. They went flying across the room, into the kitchenette. As they landed, Gabriel realised he was on the only one on the ground. He shot up, groaning in pain.
"I was impressed." Christian said calmly, leaning against one of the counters. "Pleasantly surprising."
"Yeah, it's all fun and games, Christian, huh? But wherever you go, people die." Gabriel told him.
He didn't look bothered, he shrugged. "That's a given."
"Not here. I won't allow it." He told him, making his way over to his brother, shaking his head. Christian tilted his head, his blue eyes widened.
"I'll take that an invitation."
"Christian, please. After all these years, can't we just give it a rest?"
"I promised you misery, so I'm just keeping my word." Christian replied, putting his hands into his pockets.
"I didn't mean to do it. You know that! And just stay away from Bloom. She doesn't need you interfering in her life."
"You'll have to ask her about that." He smiled before gaining a surprised look on his face, as he twiddled with his own ring; exactly the same as Gabriel's but decorated with a 'C' and a black obsidian instead of an emerald. "Where's your ring?"
Gabriel looked at his hand to find that his own ring was missing. He couldn't remember taking it off...
Christian looked at him. "Oh, yeah. Pretty sure that they're still tracking dark energy and without that ring, everybody's going to know where you come from. All of the natural darkness that comes with the family line..."
Gabriel glared his brother; he chuckled lightly under his younger brother's serious gaze.
"Relax." He said, stepping forward and holding out the ring on his open palm. "It's right here."
Gabriel continued to stare at his brother for a few moments before he took it and slipped it back onto his finger. The moment he did, Christian grabbed him by the throat and threw him back across the room and into the back wall. He disappeared into a cloud of shadows, re-appearing hovering over him. "You should know better than to think you're stronger than me." He told Gabriel in a deadly, quiet voice. "You lost that fight when you stopped feeding. I wouldn't try it again." Christian glared down at his little brother, his words almost spat out. Gabriel's face was scrunched up in pain; he hurt so, so bad. There was a thump from the apartment above and a half smile appeared on his face. "I think we woke your neighbors up." He chuckled, before vanishing in a cloud of inky-black smoke and Kerbog flew out of the window.