Five-year-old Sophia trotted through the forest near the beach in search of her ball.
"Open the Black Circle!"
"Huh?" Sophia looked in the direction of the man's voice and walked toward it. Peering through the bushes that lined the beach, she saw her neighbor, Morgana, in an outfit she'd never seen before, screaming as she struggled to avoid being sucked into the vortex above her. Four men were surrounding Morgana, their hands joined. Morgana was obviously scared. After she passed through the portal, it closed, and one of the men reached out and caught the black ring that was left behind in his hand. Sophia gasped in shock.
"And with that, the last of the Earth Fairies has been captured." The red-haired man holding the black ring declared before his gaze shifted. "Hm?" He turned his head, his eyes locking onto Sophia. Sophia gasped in fear and tried to run, but before she knew what was happening, one of the men had caught her and was lifting her off the ground as she struggled helplessly. "Now, now, Anagan, there's no need to hurt the little girl." The man with red hair said as his comrade turned to face him with Sophia in hand. The redhead walked toward the two. "Even if she tells anyone what she saw, the humans will never believe her." He looked down at the squirming child and saw the fear in her eyes, "Don't be afraid, little girl." He told her as he placed a glowing hand on her head, "All you need to do is take a little nap..."
The child felt energy flow into her body before she suddenly fell asleep.
Sophia never forgot what she had seen that day, but as the man with the red hair had said, nobody believed her. Or at least, nobody believed what she had seen. Her godmother--her mother's best friend, Morgana, had gone missing, there was no questioning that. The problem was that nobody besides Morgana's daughter, Roxy, even seemed to remember that the woman had ever existed. When other people looked at photos that Morgana had been in, they saw only Roxy and her father. Although Roxy missed her mother and longed for her, no one besides Sophia remembered her. The young Sophia believed that this was also a result of magic, but the adults just said that she had an overactive imagination.
Roxy became a constant presence in Sophia's life. Her father ran an establishment that primarily functioned at night, and was not an appropriate place for a small child, since most of its customers were teens or young adults. Thus, Sophia's parents took to babysitting Roxy while her father worked, and Sophia quickly grew accustomed to spending most of her time with Roxy. To her, Roxy was basically her big sister. She eventually became convinced that Roxy was also a fairy, but her parents just shook their heads and told her that fairies only existed in storybooks. Even Roxy herself believed that.
And yet, Sophia remained interested in fairies a lot longer than most children. Rather, she refused to believe that fairies had never existed. This brought its own set of challenges by the time she entered middle school. Sophia was a pretty girl, and her eyes held a mysterious beauty to them, but her steadfast belief in fairies had resulted in her being labeled as a weird girl who had her head in the clouds. Her schoolmates would laugh at her, make fun of her, and tell her to grow up, but she refused to forget her beloved godmother. She couldn't forget. In those times, she could only remember what Morgana had told her when she was small. That it wasn't easy to be special--to believe in what others could not see.
Things changed the summer before she entered high school. First, there was Roxy. The older girl's powers were steadily growing stronger, and Sophia could feel it. It was only a matter of time before Roxy realized she wasn't human. And then, the presence of magic grew stronger in the air as a new pet shop prepared to open. Upon visiting the pet shop on its opening day, Sophia quickly confirmed her suspicions. The shop was run by six fairies, and the flying pets there had been created with magic. She was surprised to learn that one of the girls had grown up in Gardenia, and they were equally surprised that to meet a girl who already believed in magic. However, Sophia instinctively knew that it was dangerous for her to become involved with their mission, for she had recently sensed surges of another type of magic. Magic that she recognized as belonging to the Wizards of the Black Circle.
Regardless, it came as no surprise to her when Roxy showed up a few days later and told her that she'd found out she was a fairy. She was initially taken aback when Sophia said she'd known this all along, but she quickly concluded that it wasn't actually that surprising. Sophia knew her better than anyone else, after all.
A few weeks passed--Sophia and Roxy talked off and on, but the older girl was mostly splitting her time between training to master her powers and working at her father's smoothie bar. Feeling that she would only be in the way, Sophia busied herself with studying various things of interest and attending the dance and music classes she'd been taking since childhood. That was until one day, the sound of screeching tires caught Sophia's attention, and she glanced out of her window to see Artu, Roxy's dog, running past her house.
That was strange. Artu would never run away from Roxy. He often followed her even without a leash. In fact, when Roxy did bother with a leash, it was usually just for show.
Suddenly it hit her like a ton of bricks. The strong presence of dark magic at Roxy's house! How had she not noticed it sooner?
Panic surged through her mind as Sophia dashed out the front door and headed to Roxy's house, turning the corner of her yard just in time to see Roxy being dragged outside by a group of men the younger girl would never forget.
"No! You can't take her!" The blonde cried in a panic. She hadn't meant to say the words aloud, but the fear that these men would make Roxy disappear forever had been too strong to contain.
The man with the red hair turned and looked at her with disdain—and a hint of recognition. "And how are you going to stop us, little girl?"
Sophia trembled, frightened that their attention was now on her and knowing that she was powerless against them. That was when she remembered that Roxy wasn't the only fairy in residing in Gardenia. "Fairies." She said almost inaudibly, "The fairies that have been helping Roxy since this all started! I can't stop you, and the police can't stop you, but I'm certain that they can! Plus, Roxy is strong in her own way! With their help, she's going to beat you! Magic never disappeared from Earth. It's always been here! And soon, Earth's fairy magic will be strong again!" This was what Sophia believed from the bottom of her heart. It was what she had always believed and hoped for.
To her confusion, the four men all flinched slightly, as if her words had somehow caused them pain. When the moment passed, the red-haired man narrowed his eyes at her. "It seems it's best to erase that belief of yours once and for all." He remarked before launching a ball of energy at her. The attack came so fast that Sophia didn't even have time to scream, let alone think, but she didn't need to. As if on instinct, she threw herself sideways toward the ground, catching herself with one hand before shifting her weight so that she would be facing upward. She felt something twinge, stretch, and pop painfully as she turned, but ignored it as she shifted her weight from her hand to her butt with a grunt.
The dark-haired member of the group chuckled in amusement. "Not bad for a human." He had been the one to catch her when she had been small.
"Her reaction speed is certainly better than you'd think." His blond companion agreed as Sophia got back to her feet, clutching her wrist with her opposite hand.
The mohawk-haired man holding Roxy chuckled as he saw this. "Heh. Looks like she injured herself."
Seeing Roxy continue to struggle in the man's grasp, Sophia bit her lip and desperately racked her brain for a plan. She couldn't take these guys on, she knew that—but she was afraid that if she took her eyes off of them for even a second, they would launch another attack at her. As she continued trying to come up with a plan, the man holding Roxy passed the young fairy over to his blond-haired comrade before transforming into a wolf and charging towards Sophia. Eyes wide with fear, Sophia dashed over to a nearby trash can on the curb, taking the lid off before carefully tipping the container over with her foot and kicking it at the shape-shifter. She thanked whatever luck she had that the can had been empty, as that had made it much lighter. As a result, her well-aimed kick sent the metal bin barreling into her attacker. She sweat-dropped slightly, having honestly expected him to dodge it, before she held the trash can lid up in front of herself as a shield.
At this, the blond of the group laughed. "Do you honestly think that will protect you?" He asked mockingly, causing Sophia to narrow her eyes slightly in irritation. She shifted the lid to her injured right hand and carefully threw it at the man, aiming for his head. Without flinching, the man simply raised his hand and caught the lid while still grasping Roxy with the other. "Don't lump me in with Duman. That's not going to work on me."
But the trash can lid had only been a distraction. Sophia had thrown with her injured hand only because, being right-handed, she wasn't sure if she could throw it properly at all with her left. Even so, since she had just barely been able to grip it and throwing it had been exceedingly painful, she hadn't expected it to actually go anywhere near where she'd been aiming. But the moment that her opponents had shifted their eyes to the airborne lid was the moment that she had turned and ran for it, hoping to escape. Unfortunately, her efforts were short-lived as the dark-haired member of the group suddenly dashed in front of her with inhuman speed. She managed to stop just in time to avoid colliding with him before he forced her to turn around and pinned her against him, clamping his hand over her mouth so that she couldn't scream. She struggled desperately against his grasp, looking up fearfully as their red-haired leader approached.
"Should we take her with us?" The man holding Sophia asked.
"No. She is of no use to us." The redhead replied, "But it seems that this time, I had better make sure she doesn't remember." He placed a glowing hand on Sophia's head and she moaned as she passed out.
A surge of fairy magic seemed to course through Sophia, and she slowly opened her eyes before sitting up. The four Wizards were gone, and so was Roxy. The young girl glanced down at her watch and blinked before furrowing her brow. Only a few minutes had passed. How was that even possible? What was it that she had felt just before coming to? She was certain she had heard the Wizards' leader say he was going to erase her memories, but her memories were as clear as day.
She paused in her thoughts as she looked at the ring in the shape of fairy wings that was on her left middle finger. Morgana had given it to Sophia when she was small, with the promise that it would always protect her. Was this the reason? Had the ring protected her from their magic somehow? Aside from the fact that it always fit perfectly, no matter how much she grew, there had never been clear evidence of the ring being magical. Then again, maybe its power had been weakened after Morgana disappeared.
Sophia mulled over the things Roxy had told her of recently. The day she had awakened her powers, a voice had called out to her and encouraged her while she was hiding in the sewers. Then, the same voice had called out to her in her dreams. When Roxy had awoken, she found photos from before her mother's disappearance on the floor. That had led her and her new friends to visit the farm that had been the family's summer home, where Roxy discovered a white circle that held immense power, and that the Wizards were very afraid of. She had used it to defeat them. Not long after, Roxy told her that a fairy named Nebula had used the White Circle to control her and attack the Wizards directly. After that, Roxy gave it to her friends for safekeeping.
When she put all of this information together, Sophia felt that the only logical explanation was that as Earth's Magic grew stronger, the power of the captured fairies was crossing over from wherever it was that they were trapped. Things with which those fairies had a link were like receivers for that power. The ring on Sophia's hand was the same. Morgana had made the ring. It was imbued with her magic, so the closer that the Earth Fairies came to being freed, the stronger the protective magic in her ring became.
The teenagers thoughts were interrupted when she realized that the Winx had come to Roxy's house to search for her. Artu must have gone to their pet shop. Sophia immediately ran across the street to talk to them.
"Bloom!"
"Huh? Aren't you... Sophia?" The fire fairy recalled.
"Our first customer at the shop! The one who knew we were fairies!" Tecna recalled.
Suddenly, Bloom's gaze fell upon Sophia's wrist. "What happened? Are you hurt?" She asked with concern.
Sophia glanced down at her wrist. She hadn't even realized that she'd been clutching it again. "Oh... Um, I think I just sprained it. It's really not important. Roxy's in trouble! My wrist is really not a big deal compared to that!"
Bloom, however, was not satisfied by the answer the girl had given her. "Here." She said gently as she carefully cradled Sophia's wrist between her hands, "Strength of Life!" Sophia felt as if her body was being wrapped in a warmth that felt like sitting near a fireplace on a cold winter's night. The pain in her wrist melted away, along with her anxiety.
As Bloom pulled her hands away, Sophia saw that her wrist was no longer red or swollen. She smiled up at Bloom as she lowered her arm. "Thank you." Something about the power she'd just felt sparked her memory. "Oh! You know what? I think those Wizards get weaker when people believe in fairies!"
"That's right, Sophia." Tecna confirmed with a nod.
"And not only that, it makes our Believix powers stronger." Musa added.
"If you want to help Roxy, then there's something you can do." Flora said with an encouraging smile.
"Just believe in us and believe in Roxy." Aisha said.
"Trust us! We'll definitely send those Wizards packing!" Stella added before the six fairies left to save their friend.
Sophia smiled to herself after they were gone and held a hand to her heart. "Something even I can do, huh?"
望むの星
The following morning, Sophia had just finished breakfast when she suddenly felt that something was very, very wrong. She dashed outside, looking up in terror as a black cloud covered the sky and lightning flashed above. There was no doubt in her mind. This was powerful dark magic. So powerful that the girl couldn't help but feel that it would destroy all of Gardenia. As she gazed up in fear, a bit of light reflecting off her ring caught her eye. As if reminding her of what she could do. Sophia's gaze hardened as she stared at the dark clouds, having steeled her resolve. She wouldn't panic. She would believe in the Winx and in Roxy... because that was what she could do.
Sophia wasn't sure how long she'd been staring at that dark sky when she suddenly felt Bloom's power surging. A spark of orange caught her eye, and she noticed a dragon made of fire burning in the sky. Then she felt something else. The presence of fairy magic was surging with a strength that she had never felt before. It was like magic was all around her, just like Morgana had once said. A moment later, the darkness in the sky dissolved, and a brilliant rainbow shone above the city. Sophia smiled to herself as she looked at the ring upon her finger. "Can you feel it, Aunt Morgana? The tide has shifted."
望むの星
A few days later, Sophia was once again visiting Paradise Bay with her parents, who finally believed her about what she had seen when she was little. She stood on the beach where it had all happened, contemplating the recent events, when she was startled by a voice that she was beginning to know all too well.
"Well now, what an interesting coincidence. I seem to recall that this is where we met the first time, little girl."
Sophia gasped and turned to see the Wizards of the Black Circle approaching her. She had finally learned their names from Roxy, so she knew it was Ogron who had spoken. She turned and tried to flee, but was quickly cut off by Anagan. She skidded to a halt to avoid running into him and wound up falling on her butt in the sand.
"What is it you want from me?!" She asked, looking toward Ogron as she carefully got to her feet.
"You've become something of a nuisance to us." Ogron said, "So we've decided to take care of you once and for all."
Anagan reached for Sophia, but he was suddenly knocked back as a shield of pale green energy appeared around her.
"This is... Morgana's magic!" Ogron exclaimed in surprise. Sophia only glared at him, hoping that the power of her ring would protect her, but to her horror, Ogron was able to reach through the shield, bursting it like a bubble as he gripped her wrist and pulled her closer to inspect her hand. "It seems that Morgana took measures to keep you safe even after we captured her."
Sophia gasped as Ogron pulled her ring off of her finger and struggled desperately in his grasp. "Let go of me! Why are you so concerned with a girl like me anyway?! I'm not even a fairy."
"'Magic lives in a girl with silver eyes like stars. She will be a beacon of hope.'" Ogron replied, as if quoting a text, "You no nothing about the power that you have, yet you've managed to be a nuisance to us nonetheless." Before she could ask what he meant, Ogron placed his free hand upon Sophia's head, his spell quickly knocking her out.
望むの星
"Sophia... Sophia?"
Sophia slowly opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as her eyes tried to focus until she finally recognized the blurry form leaning over her.
"Aunt... Aunt Morgana?" She coughed a bit, her throat feeling parched.
"It's all right, Sophia. You're safe now..." Morgana said gently as she helped the girl sit up and patted her back before handing her a glass of water. Sophia patiently drank from the glass and then looked at her godmother in confusion.
"What happened?"
Morgana seemed a bit troubled by that question, given that she hesitated before answering, "You were kidnapped by the Wizards of the Black Circle. Do you remember them attacking you?"
"Y...Yes, I do, but... what happened after that?"
"Nothing that will do you any good to remember." Morgana replied as she gently brushed the child's bangs aside. When Sophia raised an eyebrow, she elaborated, "Humans are more susceptible to psychological trauma than those with magic. For your own sake, I erased your memories of what happened so that you won't be haunted by it in the future."
"Oh... It was that bad?" Sophia asked quietly.
"Sophia, any child would be traumatized by a brush with death." Morgana sighed.
"They were planning to kill me? Why? Just what am I to them? Ogron said something about my eyes, but..."
"...It's because you are the one known as the Guardian of Earth's Magic." Morgana said hesitantly.
"Huh? Guardian?" Sophia asked, tilting her head in confusion.
"You know that a human's belief in fairies and magic gives us greater power, right?"
"Yes..."
Morgana stroked the girl's bangs again, "While that is true of all humans, you are a special case. Your unshakable belief in us, which you've refused to let go of over the years, contributes more than any other human. On an individual basis, at least."
"So, that line about a girl with silver eyes..." Sophia began.
"It's an old saying among magic users from Earth. It means that a human girl with silver eyes will be the hope for preserving the very existence of fairy magic on Earth, until the day our people would be freed." Morgana explained.
"But you're free now, right? You must be, since you rescued me."
"Yes. Roxy and the Winx freed us." The fairy answered.
"Then where are they? I don't sense them--"
"It's a long story." Morgana sighed before continuing her earlier explanation."The Wizards tried to get rid of you because they realized that you were at least aware that you could influence how much power we have. Fortunately, because you were wearing the ring I gave you, I knew that you were in danger, and since Ogron did not destroy it immediately, I was able to track you through it and rescue you with the aid of my warrior fairies." The woman held up the ring in question and slipped it back onto Sophia's finger. "I've enhanced the protective magic that it contains. From now on, nobody with ill intent will be able to touch you as long as you are wearing it, and you won't get hurt if you fall anymore either."
"Hehe. Thanks." Sophia replied with a smile. Morgana smiled warmly at her before standing up from where she'd been sitting on the bed and holding her hand out to Sophia. "If you are feeling up to it, the fairies of my court would like to meet you. They all wish to express their gratitude to the girl who preserved our power for all these years."
After she was introduced to the fairies of Tir Nan Og, Sophia was given the title of countess by Morgana. She was, after all, important to the realm even if she was human. It was thus decided that, for her own safety, she would remain at the castle until the Wizards had been successfully defeated, and a few Earth fairies were dispatched to protect--and inform--her parents. In order to keep her from getting bored, Sophia's education on the theories of magic began.
望むの星
"So you're going to Alfea, Macy?" Sophia asked with a tinge of sadness in her voice.
"Yeah. It's the best school if you want to become a guardian fairy, you know?" Macy told her.
Sophia smiled weakly, "I'm sure you can do it. You're the one who discovered the lilo after all."
"Thanks for the encouragement." Macy said with a smile. "I'll see you when I come home for break."
"Yeah. See you." Sophia waved to her friend. After Macy had left, she sighed and headed home, her head hanging. Just like all of the other young fairies in Morgana's magical adjustment class, Macy had set off to attend a college for fairies. Sophia, the only girl in the class who hadn't become a fairy, was left behind in regular high school. She walked to her back porch and slumped onto the steps. Then, to her surprise, a brown dog came and licked her hand. "Wha? Artu?!" The teen looked up and saw Roxy standing nearby with Morgana. "Roxy! What are you doing here?!" She stood up and walked over to her friend.
"I wanted to say goodbye before I returned to Alfea." Roxy replied. "Why the long face?"
Sophia averted her gaze. "It's nothing for you to worry about..."
Morgana gently reached out and cupped the girl's cheek as she lifted her head, "Sophia, even if you aren't a fairy, I promise that you are still very special. You're the brightest, most clever girl I know."
"Thanks Aunt Morgana, but... That's not enough for me to protect anyone..."
望むの
After Macy had left for Alfea, Sophia had transferred to a prestigious boarding school for girls in the Swiss Alps. However, it was now summer vacation, so she had returned to Gardenia and was spending her time studying under Morgana. Currently, she was studying a book at the Frutti Music Bar. It was a seemingly peaceful afternoon when the sun's light abruptly vanished.
"Aah!" Sophia cried in fear, instinctively curling up due to the pitch darkness. She finally looked up when she saw Morgana creating a ball of energy to give them some light. "What's going on?!" Sophia asked fearfully.
"I don't know." Morgana admitted as she looked toward the sky, and Sophia and Roxy followed her gaze.
"Maybe it's an eclipse?" Roxy speculated.
"There's not an eclipse today!" Sophia said knowingly, as astronomy was her hobby. Her eyes searched the sky and then widened in shock. "The sun... it's... gone!" She exclaimed in terror.
"I'm sure that's not the case." Morgana said, "All stars, including the sun, have cores powered by creatures called Lumens. Something must've happened to that core."
"Like what?!" Sophia exclaimed fearfully.
"I don't know." Morgana admitted, dispelling her ball of light as the city's streetlights came on. "Gardenia must be in chaos right now. I'm going to go help."
"I'll come with you." Roxy said.
Morgana nodded at her daughter and looked at Sophia. "Sophia, wait here for us."
"No!" Sophia exclaimed, "At least half the planet has to be in chaos right now! There aren't enough Earth fairies to get things under control! I may not have powers like you and Roxy, but there must be something I can do to help!"
But Sophia was unprepared for the mayhem that lay in the wake of the sudden blackout. The city was being attacked by monsters. Car accidents had occurred all over the place due to the sudden loss of light. Everywhere she looked, there was confusion and panic. The teenager sank to her knees and placed her hands on the ground, the world around her turning dark as tears welled up in her eyes. "It's hopeless... I can't protect anyone... I'm not special at all!"
For some reason, when a tear dripped from her face, it was like a droplet hitting a still surface of water.
"Why are you still doubting yourself?"
"Huh?" Sophia looked to find a girl who looked just like her now standing directly in front of her.
The other her looked at Sophia with an unreadable expression. "'I'm not special. I don't have the power to help anyone. I can't protect those that I love'... Do you really still believe that?" The other Sophia turned and gestured to a set of images that began to appear, scenes from Sophia's memories. "You were taken away from Earth because, even without magic, you have a power that others don't have, and that power comes from your mind. And knowing that, you sacrificed your own freedom to keep the Star Case out of Valtor's hands. And that's why he said that he'd hurt Earth if you didn't help him."
"But..." Sophia said doubtfully, "If I do help him... and he gets his hands on the Wishing Star... then forget Earth, the entire universe will..."
"Leave that to the Winx." Her double said.
"Huh?"
Sophia looked up in confusion before slowly standing up to meet the eyes of the other her, who stared back at her firmly.
"Leave keeping the Prime Stars out of Valtor's hands to the Winx." Her double clarified, "They may not seem very competent, but they have saved the universe a half-dozen times or so. Their track record speaks for itself. As long as they have the Star Case, they'll hear all of its riddles and at least have a shot at getting those Stars. Even though you could've helped them, if they had traded the Case for you, they would've had no way of knowing where to look. You knew that, and that's exactly why you forced them to leave you with Valtor. No matter how good you are at solving riddles, it won't make a difference if the Trix can't get it together anyway, right?" Sophia nodded, and her look-alike continued, "If the Winx save the universe, then Earth will be safe too, but if Valtor sets his sights on attacking Earth while the Winx are busy, the Earth Fairies won't be able to stop him, and you know it. Valtor is too powerful. The only person who can protect the people of Earth right now is you. Not a fairy, not somebody with magical powers, you. And you can do it because you are special, and you know it. And you know that what makes you special isn't flashy powers, but something that you took the time to develop. Your mind. So leave the universe to the Winx and you protect Earth in the meantime, because you're the only one who can. And you've known that all along."
Sophia nodded in understanding as she looked at the other her. "Who are you?"
The duplicate smiled. "You know who I am. I am you. The true you that exists beneath all the fears and doubts." She held up her hand. "Trust in me. Trust in yourself." Sophia touched her hand to the one of her inner self and felt the doubts and the fears melt away.
望むの星
Sophia opened her eyes and stretched as she sat up from the pile of cushions that served as her bed, feeling the most refreshed that she had since being brought to Valtor's palace. Her mind felt unusually clear and free. She glanced over at the dark hologram and saw that Bloom was still asleep, meaning she had some time to get ready before the Winx started getting ready for their day. A little bit later, when the Trix walked in and found Sophia reading one of the books that Valtor had selected for her, she looked over at them and pursed her lips slightly in annoyance.
"How do you guys always manage to keep your hair the exact same length?" She asked with a hint of frustration before looking at the ends of her own hair, "Mine's starting to get split ends. It needs to be trimmed. Not that that's going to be an option any time soon." She turned back to the book. "Don't bother answering my question by the way. I'm well aware that changing one's hair only requires very basic metamorphosis magic. It's just annoying not having something so convenient right now."
"Well, I can't say I blame you for that." Darcy admitted, waving her hand so that Sophia's hair was at least a little neater.
"So what's on the Winx's schedule for today?" Stormy asked out of boredom.
"Some kind of test or something in the magical simulation chamber." Sophia replied with disinterest, "Nothing I'm likely to learn much from."
"Think the Star Case will show up today?" Icy asked.
"How should I know?" Sophia asked without looking up, "I don't have enough data to notice a pattern yet. It's like looking at a scatter plot with only one dot."
"Say what?" Stormy said in confusion, and Sophia sighed.
"Stuff from my human school." She explained, "I guess for those with magic, it's the kind of thing that only those who are interested in techno magic would be concerned with. Think of this way, can a single star make a constellation?"
"Yeah, I see your point." Icy admitted. "Guess we'll just stick around then. Watching the Winx take a test in the Simulation Chamber could be interesting."
望むの星
"Good morning students, and welcome back to the simulation class." Professor Palladium began a little while later. "Everyone ready to try a special kind of test?"
"We're... ready?" Bloom began with enthusiasm before faltering.
"Sure, Professor Palladium." Stella said with a smile, "I'm always ready for any kind of test... As long as it's about makeup or changing outfits."
"I'm sorry Stella, but today we're going to visualize your deepest insecurities." The elf informed her.
The other students looked worried at this idea, but Stella only looked confused. "But... I have no insecurities." She insisted, "At all."
"Now then, who wants to try first?" Palladium asked without acknowledging Stella's naive statement.
"Ooh, me!" Musa said with excitement.
"Very good, Musa." Palladium replied, watching as Musa walked into the chamber before continuing his explanation, "One-by-one, you will face your insecurities. Everyone has insecurities. Some are afraid of making mistakes. Some are afraid of being unable to help others. Some are afraid of losing control over a situation. Some are afraid of losing their nerve. And others are afraid of losing the one they love."
Bloom walked out of the simulator looking rather dejected after her turn had ended. "Stella, that simulation feels so real." She warned.
"I'm fine." Stella assured her as she walked forward, "I'm sure I can come up with a tiny little insecurity to visualize." The blonde fairy walked back out about a minute later, looking rather frustrated, "I... could've fixed things with my parents, if only... I had more time..." She insisted.
"Of course, Stella." Palladium replied. "I'll see you again tomorrow morning, students."
望むの星
"That insecurity simulation left Stella seriously down." Tecna said with concern later that day.
"Yeah Tecna." Bloom agreed with concern, "I don't think she ever really got over her parents' separation."
"Stella always tries to cheer everyone else up, but she hides her own problems." Flora observed. At that moment, the Star Case appeared out of nowhere, and Bloom gasped.
"The Star Case!" The redhead exclaimed, paying no mind to the fact that the object had, for some reason, materialized a good ten feet away from them. "Maybe it wants to tell us where to find the second Prime Star."
'No Bloom. It's come to report the weather to you.' Sophia thought sarcastically from her place in the library, when a portal suddenly appeared to her left and yanked her through by the hand. "Whoa-oah!" She yelped before grunting as she was dumped on her butt next to Valtor's throne. She then huffed in exasperation, "Can't you ever just let me walk through them on my own?!" Valtor didn't answer her as he watched the Dark Hologram in front of him. The Trix were there too, having left Sophia to her reading after the simulation test was over.
"The next Star rests on Solaria." The Wishing Star began, "It's easy to be seen, but to get it, you must be wearing the confidence of a queen."
The five girls looked at each other in confusion as Stella suddenly came walking in, "Did I hear that right? The Prime Star is on Solaria?! So perfect! That's my world!"
"No duh." Darcy said with a roll of her eyes.
"I wonder what it means..." Musa pondered, "Wearing the 'confidence of a queen'?"
"Well... isn't it obvious?" Stella asked, "You just gotta wear a dress fit for a queen to get it, and who knows fashion better than me?"
Sophia instantly face-palmed, earning her a slightly bewildered look from the Trix.
"Stella... Are you sure the Star Case meant a dress?" Bloom asked.
"Of course, Bloom!" Stella declared with certainty before looking down at what she was wearing. "I'll make a wonderful dress, I'll wear it, and the Prime Star will be mine. After all, nobody's more confident than I am."
Sophia massaged her forehead with frustration as Valtor directed his attention to the Trix. "The Winx have learned that the second Prime Star is on Solaria. Trix!" The sorcerer jumped down from his throne to face the three witches, "You must get the Star before them, at any cost!" He turned toward Sophia as he walked down the stairs, "This time, you're going along to help them, Sophia. And if that Prime Star isn't brought back here, I'll crush your beloved planet, Earth!"
"Relax, Valtor." Stormy said calmly, "If it's a test of confidence, it'll be child's play."
"We shall see, Stormy." Valtor said as he opened a portal for them.
"Let's go, Sisters!" Icy said as she walked toward the portal, "Oh, and you too, Sophia."
Stormy rubbed her hands together as she walked toward the portal with Darcy, "The second Prime Star is as good as mine! I can feel it!"
"Well... at least I'm getting out of this creepy place for awhile." Sophia muttered as she followed the three witches. When she exited the portal, she found herself shielding her eyes at first, but when they had adjusted, her face lit up and she threw her arms out. "Sweet, fresh air!" She exclaimed happily. "Sunshine! I was getting so sick of that library!"
"Geez, calm down." Darcy said.
"Uh, where are you going?" Stormy asked as Sophia began to climb a nearby hill.
"Relax, I just wanna look at the view." She told the Trix with a smile, "I've been trapped in Valtor's Palace for... uh... however long it's been since I got there. I've been dying for a change of scenery! Besides, the Winx probably aren't even here yet, and this is my first time visiting another realm beyond my own! I wanna take in the view."
"Why don't you ever do that at Valtor's place?" Darcy asked as the three of them followed her, "You like the stars, right? There's plenty of them to look at there if you go outside."
"Humans can't survive in space without special suits." Sophia told her, "I can't go outside while I'm there or I would die instantly."
"Wow, humans have it rough." Icy remarked.
"And by 'rough', you mean we're pathetic and weak." Sophia said knowingly.
"Pretty much." Icy replied with a smirk, looking confused when Sophia didn't react. "What? You aren't upset that I said that?"
"Not really." Sophia said nonchalantly, "Things like that don't bother me anymore." She finished climbing hill, not noticing that Icy looked as if she had just dumped a bucket of cold water on her. "Oh wow, Solaria is beautiful!" The girl exclaimed as she took in the view from the top of the hill, "I've never seen any place like this!"
Stormy looked at her with a raised brow, "How can you be so happy? You don't even want to help Valtor."
"Strictly speaking, neither do you." Sophia replied, her smile unwavering.
"Yeah, but... we don't have our planet riding on the line." Darcy pointed out.
At this, Sophia snorted, "So what? I'm just supposed to sit around and mope the whole time? What good is that going to do me? I might not have chosen these circumstances, but I might as well make the best of it. I mean, who knows if I'll ever get to experience something like this again?" The Trix looked at each other in confusion, unable to understand their charge's line of thinking and silently thinking that she was somehow different than she had been before now.
望むの星
It was some time later when the Winx arrived, riding their Winx Boards straight to the Palace of Solaria and then leaving again a short while later to arrive in a forest filled with houses made of mushrooms, unaware that Sophia and the Trix were watching them nearby.
"This is the Muppie Village." Stella explained, "They're the best crafts-gnomes in the Magic Universe! Huh... I'll need a fabric fit for a queen, a-a spool of gold thread, and some gems to decorate my dress. Easy!"
"Those are all rare, Stella." Musa pointed out, "How will you convince the Muppies to give it all to us?"
"I just have to make them laugh." Stella said assuredly, causing the Winx to look at each other in confusion.
Sophia and the Trix watched the Winx go from shop to shop. After exiting the third one, Stella placed the bag of gems she had obtained on top of the fabric and thread that Aisha was already carrying.
"Maybe next time, consider bringing a shopping cart." The Androsian Princess said in annoyance.
"Okay, Winx, back to the palace!" Stella said, snapping her fingers to summon her Winx board. As the six fairies flew off on their boards, Sophia and the Trix jumped down from their hiding place.
"Tell me we don't have to make these things laugh to get what we need." Darcy said with annoyance.
"Ha, I'd rather make them cry!" Icy remarked.
"Neither is necessary." Sophia replied, "Stella is way off about the meaning of the riddle. It has nothing to do with clothes. That being said, she probably will manage to open the gate since she's the type who feels the most confident when wearing an outfit that she really likes. All we have to do is be there when that happens."
At this, Stormy laughed, "We'll let the Winx do all the work for us, then we'll take the Prime Star from them when they least expect it!"
At this, Darcy and Icy both smiled in agreement.
"That being said..." Sophia began as she looked toward the village, "It'll take Stella a little while to make her dress, so I actually do wanna get some stuff while we're here." She gave the Trix an entreating look, "Please? You don't have to help me make them laugh, but I'll give you guys some gems in return if you let me go shopping." The Trix sweat-dropped and looked at each other, but then smiled a bit.
"Fine, whatever." Darcy said with a shrug.
"Just don't take too long." Icy warned her.
"And don't think we're going to carry it for you when you're done." Stormy added.
"Got it! Then the first thing I'll look for is a bag to carry my stuff!" Sophia said as she walked off.
"She's having way too much fun with this." Icy remarked.
"Who cares? Just so long as we get the Prime Star." Stormy said.
望むの星
As Sophia had predicted, it was evening by the time Stella completed her dress, and the teenager had completed her souvenir shopping long before that. Having already given the Trix the gems she had promised, the four of them secretly watched as Stella strolled gracefully through the courtyard in her new dress while sporting her royal crown. Her head held high and her poise perfect, she looked every bit as regal as her title would lead one to expect.
"Stella, you're amazing!" Bloom exclaimed as she walked behind her friend.
"You're really wearing it with the confidence of a queen." Musa agreed.
"So what's supposed to happen now?" Flora asked as she and Tecna looked around. At that moment, a golden portal of light opened in the air in front of the girls, and Stella gasped.
"Look!" The Princess of Solaria exclaimed. "The Prime Star is inside this magic door! It showed up because I'm wearing a dress fit for a queen!"
"Are you sure?" Bloom asked skeptically.
"One-hundred percent, Bloom." Stella told her best friend with a smile.
"We need to transform to pass through that door." Bloom reminded the group. "Magic Winx, Cosmix!"
As the six fairies transformed into their Cosmix forms, Sophia set down the bag of souvenirs that she was holding so that it wouldn't slow down her flight. No way was she going to let some souvenirs get in the way of protecting her home.
"Showtime, girls!" Stella exclaimed as she took to the air and quickly flew through the gate with her friends following. Sophia and the Trix came out of their hiding places and quickly followed suit.
The Winx found themselves inside of a crystal orb. They looked around in confusion, until Musa pointed at something. "Look!" She exclaimed, and the others followed her gaze to a second orb in the center, in which the Prime Star lay. "It's the Prime Star!"
The Winx flew toward the orb, but quickly flew back slightly as a burst of lightning shot at them.
Bloom gasped, her head snapping towards the source. "Hey!" She shouted angrily.
"Sorry Winx." Icy said, "You'll have to put your Prime Star plans on hold!"
"No way, Trix!" Bloom exclaimed.
"Sophia?!" Flora exclaimed as she laid eyes on the human girl, "How did you get in here?!"
"We lent Sophia a little bit of our magic. Just enough that she can fly and pass through those doors." Darcy explained.
"She's here to lend us a hand." Icy added, "Whether she likes it or not!"
"Sophia?" Bloom asked with surprise, her eyes shifting to the girl in a questioning manner, but Sophia didn't falter under her gaze. Rather, her face was rather resolute.
"I'm doing what I have to, to protect Earth from Valtor. To keep my planet safe, I'm doing everything I can!" She narrowed her eyes slightly at the Winx, though her expression was not one of antagonism. "So you'd better do everything that you can."
"I'll just go and get the Prime Star." Stella remarked, having heard Sophia's message loud and clear. She flew toward the orb where the Star was.
"Oh no. I'm gonna get it!" Stormy declared, dashing through the air after Stella.
Sophia clenched her fist and then pursued the two of them. 'I don't know if I can beat them in getting the Prime Star or not, but I have to at least try! I have to do everything I can!'
Stormy passed through the barrier first, followed by Stella, and then Sophia. All of the others quickly tried to follow, but the barrier had suddenly solidified and they all simply ran into it with various grunts of pain.
"Why can't we pass?" Darcy asked in confusion.
"This barrier is blocking us." Bloom observed, "But it didn't stop Stella, Sophia, and Stormy. Maybe they are the most confident of all of us."
"But, if it's only letting one of us in, then why did it let Sophia through too?" Musa asked.
Icy looked thoughtful, "Sophia doesn't actually want to help Valtor. Given the chance, she'd rather help stop him. She's only doing this because he said he'd attack Earth if he doesn't get that Star."
"So she's being treated like a third party." Aisha realized, "Somebody who isn't a member of either of our teams."
"It's not that Sophia is only out for herself and her world, but she's in a position where she can't really side with anyone." Flora agreed.
Meanwhile, Sophia, Stella, and Stormy were racing toward the sphere holding the Star. All three of them reached out and touched it at the same time, causing them to vanish from before everyone's eyes.
Sophia opened her eyes and looked around. She was... back on Earth? What was going on? Looking straight down the road ahead of her, she saw her parents. Her eyes widened, and then she dashed forward.
"Mom! Dad! It's me! I'm home! I'm so happy to see you!"
As her parents turned to face her, Sophia stopped, her eyes filled with confusion at the blank expression on their faces.
"Sophia..." Her father began scornfully, "What do you want?"
"What do you mean, 'What do I want'?" Sophia asked, "I'm finally home, aren't you happy to see me?"
"Why would we be happy to see you?" Her mother asked, "Did you really think we'd welcome you back after you agreed to work for Valtor?"
"What?" Sophia asked in confusion.
"You betrayed the entire universe, Sophia. You placed everyone in danger." Her father told her, "Did you expect us to welcome you back with open arms after that?"
Sophia's eyes lowered, but then she clenched her fist, her brow furrowed with resolve. "No. I had hoped that you would welcome me when I came home, but I've always known there was a chance you wouldn't. I knew what I was risking when I made my choice." She clenched her fist tighter as she looked up at them, a fire burning in her eyes, even as her tears fell. "But even so, I don't regret it! Because even if you hate me... even if the entire world rejects me... at least you and our planet are safe! I can't protect the universe from Valtor, but I can protect Earth while leaving everything else to the Winx. That's something that only I can do! So no matter what... even if I'm left with no place to belong, I will protect you!"
Suddenly Sophia found herself back inside the barrier around the Prime Star. Stormy was smiling with confidence while Stella looked panicked.
"I... I can't do it!" The blonde fairy whimpered.
"That was child's play, like I thought." Stormy stated. Icy and Darcy looked at each other and grinned.
But to everyone's surprise, the Prime Star floated over not to Stormy, but to the unsuspecting Sophia.
"Huh?" Sophia said in confusion as she held her hands up to cradle the small orb. Suddenly the Star Case appeared beside Bloom as the orb disappeared.
"Well done, Sophia." Said the Wishing Star, "You've shown that you not only have the confidence to face difficult decisions, but the courage to face the potential consequences without losing your resolve. You truly have the heart of a fairy, so now, you will become one." As she said this, the Prime Star began to glow, a bright light shooting out of it and surrounding Sophia, "I will share with you a piece of my power. From this day forth, you shall be the Fairy of Starlight."
You're the one
Who can do the incredible things you do
You're the best
And baby, you deserve the gifts you have
Can't you see?
You are strong
You fight against the demons every day
You're a star
Remember where you come from and who you are
Come join us
When the blinding light that had engulfed Sophia had faded, the others could see that she was now wearing a blue dress with a purple bodice, similar to the one that the ballerina from the music box inside the Star Case had worn, blue ankle boots, short, fingerless gloves, and sporting a pair of silvery fairy wings.
"...To get it... you must be wearing the confidence of a queen." Stella repeated quietly. "The Star Case didn't mean a dress. It meant the confidence a queen uses to fulfill her duty, no matter how difficult."
Sophia quietly flew over to Stella and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Doubt isn't a luxury we can always afford, Stella, and sometimes... we don't have time to hesitate. We just have to do what we can do. I'm sorry. I can't give you the Prime Star, but don't you dare give up because of this. Learn from your mistakes. Use them to grow. Because someday, you really will be a queen." Still cradling the Prime Star in her hands, the new fairy silently turned and flew over to Icy and Darcy with Stormy following.
"Well... didn't see this coming." Darcy managed.
"Seriously, what just happened?" Stormy asked, "I was sure I passed the test!"
"Who cares? Let's just go." Icy said before opening a portal. "Trix out! Back to Valtor!"
Sophia sighed as she followed the three witches through. When they exited the other end of the portal, she made another quick decision. "Stormy, wait."
"Hm?" Stormy turned and looked at the girl with something of a scowl, and Sophia met her eyes.
"I'll let you take the credit for retrieving the Prime Star, in exchange for you not telling Valtor that I became a fairy." The teenager stated.
"Why Stormy?" Darcy asked in annoyance.
"Yeah, why not me?" Icy asked, earning her a glare from Darcy.
"Stormy was the only one of the three of you to pass through the barrier. Honestly speaking, she would've gotten the Prime Star herself if I hadn't been there." Sophia explained as she returned to her normal form. "This isn't a school assignment, I don't care who gets the credit. All that Valtor cares about is that he gets this Star. As far as his threat toward Earth is concerned, it doesn't really matter if I'm the one who got it, so I'm more worried about how he'll respond to the other thing."
"Speaking of which, I'm surprised you didn't just turn on us and give the Star to the Winx." Stormy pointed out.
"I didn't have a choice." Sophia replied, "The Prime Star may have transformed me, but it didn't remove Valtor's Mark." She held up her left hand to prove her point. "Besides, I only just gained my wings. There's no way that I could protect Earth from him at my level."
"She's got a point." Darcy admitted, and Sophia looked again at Stormy.
"Do we have a deal or not?"
Stormy grinned victoriously and grabbed the Star. "Heh, deal!"
"Wait, come to think of it, why aren't we at Valtor's Palace already?" Icy asked, "I know that's where I opened a portal to."
"And where are we?" Darcy asked in confusion.
"Oh, that..." Sophia said awkwardly, "Technically speaking, I'm now a light fairy, like Stella, and the element of light is naturally suited to teleportation. I didn't have time to tell you that I wanted to discuss things before you opened the portal, so I used my new powers to mess with it a little so that we'd wind up... somewhere else in space. To be frank, I don't know where we are."
"Are you crazy?! That's dangerous!" Darcy exclaimed, "You could've sent us right into a black hole or something!"
Sophia cringed at that thought, "Point taken. I won't do it again."
"Okay, let's go back to Valtor for real this time." Icy said.
"Ah, could you make it so that the exit is ground level?" Sophia asked, "My... change in circumstances has made it that I can't fly in my normal form anymore, and Valtor will notice if I just... randomly take a thirty-foot drop."
"Fine." Icy replied in annoyance, opening the new portal and going through it with the other three following. When they exited the portal into Valtor's throne room, the sorcerer gasped as he saw Stormy hold up the Prime Star. He floated into the air as the Witch of Storm's flew up to him, "So, Stormy, what do you have for me?"
"The second Prime Star, just like you asked, Valtor." Stormy said smugly as she held the Star out to him.
"I knew I could count on you, Stormy." Valtor said as he placed the Star in a special container so that he wouldn't have to touch it, "Keep this up and you'll earn more than compliments. I'm talking about your freedom from my magic bond."
At that, Stormy smirked at Icy and Darcy, and Sophia just shook her head. "If there's nothing else, I'm heading back to the library." She declared, turning and walking out of the room. She was somewhat surprised when Icy and Darcy followed her, but not particularly bothered.
"Aren't you frustrated that you might not get your freedom at this rate?" Darcy asked.
"I'm not a witch. I don't have a problem with asking fairies for help, and there's more than one way to break the magic of Valtor's mark." Sophia replied, "Besides, I already told you, that doesn't matter to me as much as keeping my planet and loved ones safe. Our priorities are different. Whether I lose my freedom or even my life, as long as I can prevent harm from coming to them, that's what matters."
望むの星
"Oh, everything has to be perfect." Stella fretted back at the palace. "Where are the ribbons and the flowers?"
Flora turned from the refreshment table to answer her, "There they are, Stella." She gestured to the garlands secured above the archways with ribbons."
"And the music?" Stella asked anxiously.
Musa activated her magic and the party music Stella had chosen started playing.
"The cake! Is the cake ready?!" Stella asked again.
Aisha smiled at the chocolate lemon cake Stella had decided on. "Yes, Stella!"
"See, Stella, everything's perfect!" Bloom reassured her.
"No, it isn't!" Stella wailed tearfully.
"Huh?" Tecna, Musa, and Aisha said in unison.
"I failed the test!" Stella exclaimed, "I wasted time on that dress instead of focusing on my confidence!"
"Anyone could've made that mistake." Bloom said gently.
"Except I did!" Stella exclaimed, "And now Sophia's been forced to give Valtor the Star..." Bloom gasped softly as she realized the true reason that Stella was upset. "I'm sorry I let you down, girls...Maybe I'm not as confident as I thought."
"Stella, we love all the good things about you, not just your confidence." Bloom assured her. "You're there for us whenever we have a problem. That makes you a true friend."
Stella exhaled as she finally relaxed and wiped a tear away. "I might've messed up, but I'm lucky to have friends like you girls!"
"That's right, and look on the bright side." Flora said cheerfully, "Valtor may have gotten the Prime Star, but Sophia became a fairy!"
"We'll rescue her from Valtor, and when we do, we'll have a new friend on our side." Aisha agreed.
"I wonder how she did it?" Stella asked quietly, "Her parents told us that Sophia felt like she wasn't special because she didn't have powers."
"Maybe being caught up in all this changed her mind?" Musa wondered as Tecna remembered something.
"Hey guys, look at this." The tecno fairy said as she pulled out a bag, "I found it in the garden after the test ended."
"What is that?" Bloom wondered.
"It's full of things from the Muppie Village!" Stella exclaimed.
"There's a note inside." Aisha noticed, reaching in and picking the paper up, "It's addressed to us." She handed the note to Bloom, who unfolded it and read it aloud.
"Dear Winx, while Stella was making her dress, I bribed the Trix to let me go souvenir shopping in the Muppie Village, but I knew that this bag would slow me down and get in the way once the magic door appeared and besides, how was I going to explain it to Valtor? So I wrote this note ahead of time and left the bag where you would find it. Would you mind holding on to this stuff for me until I can go home? I don't know if I'll ever get to come back to Solaria, so I wanted to make sure I would have something to remind me of this. Thanks in advance. Sophia."
"That girl thinks of everything, doesn't she?" Musa asked with amusement.
"Hey, there's a second part here." Flora pointed out, and Aisha looked over Bloom's shoulder to read it.
"P.S. Please tell Stella that she should be more considerate of others when she goes shopping. The first thing she should've done was get a bag from one of the Muppie Shops, or just brought one with her to carry her stuff. Your friends are not your servants when on a shopping trip!" Aisha laughed as she read this last part while Stella cringed in embarrassment.
Surprise! Sort of. Some of you might of seen this coming. Idk. But what kind of AU would this be if everything went basically the same as in the original with the exception of an extra character? Also, Sophia didn't lie to Valtor about why she was learning about the properties of magic. She just didn't tell him the full truth, either. The day that she was taken to Morgana's castle during season 4 was prior to the Earth Fairies attacking the human world. Morgana viewed Sophia as innocent because she never forgot her or stopped believing in magic, but she hid the whole "revenge on humans" thing from her and Sophia didn't find out until Morgana told her and apologized after the Wizards had been defeated. Technically, her parents were protected from the attacks out of deference to Sophia, but not invited to the castle because Morgana was annoyed that they didn't believe Sophia about what she saw.
Also, Mitzi's younger sister Macy becoming a fairy was just something that I threw in. Children don't exactly find magical plants/seeds at random, so I figured it made sense that she would be a nature fairy like Flora. Plus, she deserves it. She's brave and selfless, unlike her sister. I mean, she straight up threw the lilo over her head while being dangled in mid-air to protect it from the Trix. And it's basically stated about half-way through Season 4 that because the Winx had restored people's belief in magic, girls who had not been born as fairies like Roxy would wind up becoming fairies. The reason for this is not really explained, but I suspect that the girls in question were already descendants of fairies who naturally possessed a small amount of Sparx to begin with, but they couldn't awaken their powers because of the lack of magical energy on Earth. Roxy, as the daughter of the queen of fairies, naturally had greater access to what energy was available.
Oh, and I'll start coming up with better titles from here on. I just didn't want the title for this one to give things away. ;)
Edit 02/11/21: While working on a different chapter, I learned that Seasons 7 and 8 take place within the same school year at Alfea, so I had to adjust several things to make Sophia the right age.