Hello lovely readers, I want to start with thanking you all for the kind words I received on last chapter. Especially the well wishes on my new job. Honestly, y'all are the best. I also wish you a wonderful 2022. I hope all of you are in good health. Corona is certainly elbowing its way through the population and I'm working overtime, meaning I haven't had the most of time to write unfortunately :( But I'm well, I try to squeeze in some writing here and now. I pray the rest of you are as well.

Now, on to a new chapter. It is my birthday today so I decided to give you all a little gift. And before you all eagerly start reading: fair warning, this chapter is not quite as long as previous ones and a bit of a filler. Originally I had this one and the following one in one document. But that got a bit too long (nearly 50 pages). So I split them. It's why this one is a bit of filler and not all that exiting, but it is very important. It brushes upon a few important clues on this and that, and sets the context for the next chapter which will be really big. Lots of things will be discussed and clarified. Lots of changes as well.

Today I tried to write a little extra, something of a dream sequence, but I removed it in the end. I wasn't happy with it. Some important things were mentioned, some foreshadowing... I just didn't like it. Maybe I will use it in the future, but for now it remains in a document named OTHER where all things I wrote but didn't like or it didn't fit in the story are moved to. Lots of little ideas there, though it doesn't make much sense if you read it out of context :D

Alright, enough with the chitchat. Enjoy the new chapter!

Usual disclaimer: I do not own Winx Club or the cover of this story.

"How much longer until the break?" I chuckled when Stella dragged herself into the common area, her eyes barely open and her body half slummed forward. While she was wearing her uniform, her blouse was skewed and her shoes weren't tied yet. "I'm on the brink of collapsing."

"One more week," answered Tecna instantly, walking out of her own room with a bag hoisted over her shoulder. "Today we have Wizgiz' final test as well as Selim's history exam. Tomorrow we have Palladium's big exam. The combat test we have Monday. Tuesday we have to hand in our papers. And…"

"Make her stop," begged Stella dramatically, clinging to my arm. "All these deadlines are making me sick."

Tecna scoffed indignantly. "You asked."

Stella glared. "I asked how much longer until we are free of this hell, not what more we have to endure before salvation is ours."

"Girls, girls," I begged with a deep sigh. "Come on. I know we are all a little on edge due to the stress, but let's keep it civil." Tecna and Stella shot each other a final glare, before promptly ignoring one another. I let out another deep sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. I was growing more and more tired about acting as referee. I was their friend, not their mother. But lately… "Stella, you might want to hurry downstairs. They will stop serving breakfast soon."

That woke her up. With a yelp she rushed out of our dorm. Tecna scoffed, crossing her arms with a nasty glare at the door she had disappeared through. "She forgot her books. Again."

I placed a hand on her arm with a deep sigh. My job here apparently wasn't quite done yet. "I know she can be tiring, but try to be patient with her, Tec. This is the first time she is really trying to pass her exams. She is not used to this stress. Not like you and I are."

Tecna sighed. "I know, I know… It's just…" She sighed again, shaking her head in defeat. "I didn't think the exams would be this hard."

Alfea was proving once more why many people called it the finest school in Magix. The teachers were brutal when it came to their exams and to passing them. We had multiple on a single subject. Wizgiz was giving us no less than six different exams, Selim three, Palladium had one big one – and we still had no idea what that exactly meant – and three smaller ones planned, and DuFour was giving us four different ones. And that were just the actual exams. On top of that we had to write multiple papers, give a handful of presentations, and hand in no less than three group assignments. And as if that wasn't enough, Faragonda decided to insist that we perform a combat test. There would be no distinguish between the freshmen and the seniors, we all had to partake and we would be scored. That way she could keep track of our progress and whether we were growing stronger over the years. I had no idea what to expect, which was absolutely terrifying. The other exams were all on subjects we had discussed and practised. Not the combat test. I felt completely and utterly unprepared, a feeling I did not like one bit.

"Yeah, me too…" I smiled, grasping her arm tightly for a moment before letting go. "Good thing we have a two week break afterwards, huh?"

Tecna nodded, a tiny smile edging towards her lips. "We will need it. Musa complained yesterday that she feels like the joy is slowly being sucked out of her."

I laughed. "That's utterly awful, yet surprisingly suiting."

"Hmm…" Tecna murmured thoughtfully. "I feel like I'm slowly being wrung out."

"Tell me about it." I groaned, stretching my arms above my head until my shoulders made that satisfying pop. "Last night I found myself face to face with Selim's history exam, except I couldn't read the questions because they were in a language I didn't understand. Has to be the exam jitters."

Tecna grimaced. "After our potion exam, I dreamed I pulled a Stella and blew up the entire lab. Palladium was furious. Not only did he give me an F but I was also expelled and not allowed to come back."

"I can't wait until we've left all of this behind us." I checked my bag for the third time that morning. "Have you seen Kiko?"

"Not since we left for breakfast."

"Hmm…" I eyed our dorm suspiciously before checking my bag once more despite just having finished doing that. "Neither have I…"

Tecna chuckled. "Bloom, ease up. He is not in your bag. You checked. If you sling it over your shoulder now, the chance he will be able to sneak into it is almost zero."

"Don't underestimate my little devil," I warned her, but when I put my bag over my shoulder, I did feel a little more reassured. "The last thing I want is a recurrence of the etiquette exam."

"It won't." Tecna pinched my hand with a smile. "You checked. He wasn't there. Now let's hurry downstairs or else we will be late for Palladium's class."

I hummed in agreement, shooting a final suspicious glance at our empty dorm before following her through the doors. Kiko had been a little terror these last two weeks. We were in the middle of our midterms and the pressure was getting to all of us. When we weren't following classes, we were in the study hall. Kiko had proven that his presence did not improve our studying in the least, so he was mostly left in our dorm to entertain himself. Sometimes I would drop him off at Barbatea's but he never stuck around for long and tended to find a way to me when I did. The worst thing was that he had taken to sneaking into my bag and then jumping out at the most inconvenient times.

The first time had been during our etiquette exam. Not even ten minutes had passed when DuFour had let out a shriek and promptly fainted. Kiko had sneaked out of my bag, made his way to her desk as quiet as a mouse and then startled her by jumping onto it completely out of nowhere. I had apologized again and again after she had regained consciousness. Much to my relief she had been able to laugh about the incident and allowed him to stay with her while we finished our exam. My classmates hadn't been quite as forgiving.

Then there was one of Wizgiz' metamorphosymbios exams. The first one to be precise. He had brought different objections, one for each of us. Among them was a mouse, which was appointed to Anastasia, one of our classmates. But just when she had been about ready to change it, Kiko had appeared out of nowhere and gone straight for it. A literal cat and mouse chase through the classroom had followed, ending when the poor animal had a heart attack and died on the spot. Since we then lacked an object, I had suggested that Anastasia could use another object while I used Kiko. Wizgiz had agreed and funnily enough, given me the task to turn Kiko into a mouse and then back into a cat. I had aced the test; Kiko had spent the rest of the day cleaning himself obsessively to get rid of the smell of mouse.

And I wasn't even going to mention my potion exam. Thank God Palladium's samples had been relatively innocent or he would have pulled a Stella simply by knocking them from the desk.

My teachers and some of my classmates thought the whole thing was hilarious. Whenever he made an appearance, they greeted him happily and then worked around him. He had spent two hours draped over Selim's shoulders while he answered our final questions in preparation for his history exam, purring loudly the entire time. Palladium would treat him as another student and accept his random meows as questions and answers. And only yesterday Wizgiz had changed into a cat and the two had chased each other around the room all while he quizzed us.

I, on the other hand, was slowly getting fed up with him. He was adding stress that I simply couldn't handle. Between my midterms and Valtor insisting I visit him each night so we could prepare for the binding spell – and those stupid chess lessons, the game he was determined to teach me and I was so far sucking at – I was on the brink of collapsing. The last thing I needed was worrying about my cat and the trouble he got himself – and me by association – in. More than once I contemplated sending him to Mike and Vanessa, at least until my midterms were over.

Stella, Flora and Musa were waiting for Tecna and I at the bottom of the stairs, Stella's hands full with the last of her breakfast. Flora was shaking her head while our blonde friend stuffed it all into her mouth, the nature fairy reminding her not for the first time that this was incredibly unhealthy.

"I need my beauty sleep," shot Stella back, her cheeks puffed out with all the food. I chuckled at the sight she made. Stella the Solarian hamster. "Especially if I want to win the Miss Magix competition."

Truthfully, I had completely forgotten about that stupid pageant thing until Stella had insisted we help her out that weekend with preparing for it and join her when she attended, to cheer her on and for moral support.

"I don't get why you want to attend that thing." Musa shook her head, not hiding her disgust. "You only get the title for a year and honestly, what does it really say other than that a bunch of old perverts consider you the most beautiful woman at that moment in time? It is extremely shallow, not to mention female unfriendly and objectifying us women."

I couldn't possibly agree more with Musa. Having been forced to attend multiple pageants by my mother, I knew first-hand how shallow and sexist they were. But since Stella made clear how important winning the Miss Magix competition was for her, I had decided to support her and not voice my own opposition to it.

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, Musa. You don't give a damn about fashion and beauty. And that's fine. But becoming Miss Magix, even when the title is only for a year… You are front page news the following week, and you're a hot topic for a whole year. Not to mention that fashion designers just beg you to walk the runaway for them and sponsor their clothing." Stella grinned smugly. "It is exactly what I need to get into the world of fashion."

"Why would you want even more attention?" scoffed Musa, eyeing her sceptically. "You're the princess of Solaria and its future queen. I don't think anyone will turn you away, least of all the top designers. You already are their most loyal customer."

Stella huffed and stuck her nose in the air. "I want the designers to approach me because of my beauty and amazing fashion style, not because I'm the heir to the throne of Solaria."

I tilted an eyebrow, something about her reasoning sounded off. Especially the heir part. "Your father is strictly against you attending the pageant, isn't he?" Stella glared harshly at me, which was answer enough. I quickly raised my hands in surrender. "Hey, I'm not judging. Quite the opposite: I get it. You're rebelling against him. Really, I get it." I pointed to my ears. "Getting my ears pierced was my rebellious act."

Stella shot me a sceptic glance. "Mike and Vanessa were against you piercing your ears?"

"Shit." I mentally kicked myself, calling myself all sorts of names for slipping up. Again. Oh, Valtor was going to give me a proper scolding when he learned of this. "We should hurry. We're cutting it close."

Stella eyed me for a long moment before nodding. I grimaced slightly, my instincts warning me she was not just going to forget about this. Stella was a lot more observant than most people gave her credit for and I was starting to worry that if anyone would figure out that I wasn't being completely truthful, that I had this huge secret I was desperate to keep, it would be my bubbly blonde best friend.

Our class was almost complete, but there was no Palladium yet. Thank God. We had cut it close quite a few times these last two weeks and if there was one thing to avoid during midterms, it was getting detention.

We had only just taken our seats, watching amused as Stella reapplied her make-up, when Palladium came bustling through the door with his usual bright smile. "Good morning, girls."

"Morning, professor," was the less than enthusiastic response. Since it was our first class of the day, his cheerful mood was met with nasty glares and loud grumbles about it being too early in the morning to deal with such cheerfulness. Those complaints had grown even louder the last two weeks. The stress of the midterms was weighing heavily on all of us.

"Oh, I see how things are." Palladium chuckled loudly as he dropped his own bag on top of his desk. "Well then, I have some good news for you. Today we are doing a little field trip."

I arched an eyebrow at Stella. She was the only one of us who had gone through this part of the first year before. But she just shrugged in answer. I then turned to Flora – who was sitting on my other side – and got a puzzled glance in return. Odd… She and Palladium were as thick as thieves and usually he gave her a head's up whenever he was planning to do something unexpected, which she passed on to us in return.

Palladium clapped into his hands after Amaryl and her friends hurried into the room and quickly took their seats. "Good, we are complete. You can put your books away."

Murmurs of excitement and confusion arose, followed by shuffling as we bend to our bags to put our stuff away. And then…

Musa screeched loudly from behind me and I instantly twisted around, finding her on the floor and a familiar grey-white kitten on her desk peering curiously down at her. Around us the other girls broke out into laughter, while Tecna helped Musa back on her feet.

"Kiko." I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose. My cat instantly turned to me, meowing happily and pattering towards me. "Not again."

Palladium laughed, not even trying to hide the fondness while eyeing my cat. "Our usual stow away seems to have joined us once more." I gritted my teeth while Kiko shamelessly cuddled with my motionless hand, the one still pinching my nose. "At this rate you might as well take him with you every morning, Bloom."

"I'm really sorry, professor." I sighed, giving into the temptation and scratching him behind his ear. He instantly melted and his purrs filled the classroom. "I honestly don't know what to do to make him stop."

"You've got to admit that he is getting sneakier," laughed Stella, gently calling Kiko over and instantly showering him with kisses and attention when he eagerly jumped towards her desk. Those two simply adored one another. He had even taken to sleeping with Stella from time to time rather than with me. Mostly when she could use the company I had come to realise. "I mean, he sneaked into Musa's bag since he realised you now check your bag obsessively before leaving." She pressed little kisses all over his head. "Who is the smartest little kitty in the whole dimension? That's right. You are. Yes, you are, you delightful little ball of sunshine."

"Is it really so bad that he tags along?" wondered Flora gently, smiling fondly at the sight of Stella squeezing Kiko to her chest and showering him with kisses and praises. "He doesn't cause that much trouble when we don't have an exam. And with how hard you're studying, it is only natural he misses you."

"Yeah…" Musa grumbled something under her breath from behind me. "Why don't we just take him with us each morning? That saves me from having a heart attack." I mouthed an apology at her, but she shrugged it off.

I sighed, turning back to Palladium. "I will take him back to my dorm. I think I can make it in five minutes if I run."

"That's quite alright, Bloom." Palladium smiled reassuringly at me. "Take your time. We will wait for you in the entrance hall."

"Entrance hall…?" I wasn't the only one puzzled by his words.

I grabbed Kiko, draped him over my shoulder, and quickly hurried out of the classroom and back to my dorm. Kiko meowed miserably, trying to get off and escape my clutches the moment he noticed I was taking him back to the dorm.

"None of that," I scolded him gently, tapping him on his little nose. "You're going back to the dorm and you're staying there. One of these days…" I let out a deep sigh, shaking my head. "You're going to get into trouble, little devil. The kind of trouble I might not be able to rescue you from." He meowed miserably again, slumping down on my shoulder in defeat. I sighed and snuggled my nose into his fur. "I know… I miss you too. But hang in there. Another week and then I will be all yours again."

Kiko shot me a glare when I opened the dorm and ushered him inside, as if I had just committed high treason. I blew him a kiss before closing the door again and racing my way back to the entrance hall. Palladium was patiently waiting there for me along with my classmates, who still seemed as puzzled by this "field trip" as I was.

"Come along," he all but cheered when I joined them. "Today is an exciting day."

I arched an eyebrow at Stella who shrugged again in answer before refocussing on buttoning up her blouse right. Clearly he hadn't indulged anyone in just what we were doing for this "field trip".

Much to my surprise, Palladium didn't lead us outside but rather deeper into the castle, to a place I hadn't been before. That was oddity on itself since I had gotten to know the castle pretty well during my imprisonment. What was even weirder was when he led us up a long spiral staircase, and – as we climbed the endless stairs – a familiar feeling crept up to me. One that made me stop dead in my tracks.

Nausea. Dizziness. My heart beating painfully against my chest. Trouble breathing. A dull throb behind my eyes…

"What the fuck…?"

"Bloom?" A hand gently grasped my shoulder. "Are you alright?" I blinked rapidly at the haze that was slowly setting over my eyes, the world spinning and the images of the people before me fading until they were nothing more but halos and colours. "Bloom?"

"What's happening?" I pressed a hand against my forehead. Were my fingers trembling? No, that couldn't be right. I didn't actually feel them shaking. On the other hand, I didn't feel much of my fingers at all. "Why am I feeling like this? I am nowhere near the front gate and so far this has only happened there…"

"Bloom?" The hand on my shoulder turned to my elbow and grasped it tightly. "You should probably sit down. You've gone really pale…"

"No…" I shook my head, urging myself to get a grip. I had survived whatever the front gate did to me plenty of times. I could survive this – whatever it was – as well. "No, I'm okay…"

"You don't look okay…"

I recognized the voice. Flora. Her perfume – a wonderful mixture of flowers that reminded me of spring – washed over me like an embrace. So I grabbed hold of her wrist and tried to smile. "I'm fine. Really."

"I don't think…"

"You heard her, Flora," cut Stella's voice in and my arm was grabbed. "Come on, girl. I know where we are going and you're going to be so excited." She giggled before adding in a sing-song voice: "It's the simulator."

My heart skipped a beat, a smile edging its way towards my lips. "Really?"

"Hmm-hmm." I allowed Stella to lead me further up the stairs, the world around me ever growing hazier. Even the halos and auras were slowly disappearing. "Palladium must think we are more advanced than his former freshmen. Last year we didn't get to see the simulator at this stage. My old class didn't even get to see it until the start of their second year. How awesome is that?!"

I murmured in agreement, clinging tightly onto her arm as she helped me up the stairs. The air around us seemed to grow colder and thicker the higher we came. Stella meanwhile chatted on, sharing all the rumours she had heard about the simulator. Apparently every year at least one student got hurt, most often because they forgot that while the simulator produced virtual realities, they could actually do some damage. Frostbite, heatstroke, dehydration, concussions… They were all quite common. She even claimed that shortly after the simulator had been placed there had been more serious injuries, even some deaths. Palladium quickly dismissed this and Tecna pointed out that if the simulator had actually claimed lives, then they would never have allowed it to stay. Stella did not care and just elaborated more.

By the time we reached the top, the world around me had switched to black and white. Or rather said, black and white and grey. My classmates and professor were white shapes, while the world surrounding us was tinted in various shades of grey. And at the top of the stairs, towering high above us, was the blackest shadow I had ever seen. It shimmered and radiated this painful intensity – some type of heat – that made my eyes water. An odd thing on its own since I was normally pretty heat resistant.

I swallowed as we were directly led to it, my breath coming out in short pants. I did not want to go near that thing. Hell, I was on the verge of crying just by watching the white shades near it and knowing I would have to follow soon.

"It's okay, Bloom," whispered Stella reassuringly in my ear. "I got you…"

I swallowed again and nodded, allowing her to gently coax me towards the shadow. When we passed through it, it felt as if someone was squeezing my head together – trying to squash it like a melon – and acid rather than blood rushed through my veins. I couldn't breathe, my ears were ringing unpleasantly, and my eyes hurt. I was on the brink of passing out, of screaming and just dropping like a stone.

.

.

.

It stopped.

Just like that.

With no warning or explanation, it just all stopped.

I took a few deep breaths in and glanced around. The world was back to normal, my ears picked up the excited chatter of my classmates, and my lungs weren't threatening to collapse into themselves.

I was still clutching Stella's arms tightly, who eyed me worriedly. I smiled, slowly uncurling my fingers. "You're a darling, Stel." I grimaced at the impressions I had left in her skin. "I'm sorry about…"

"Hey, don't mention it. You can make it up by healing them later." She bumped her hip into mine with a grin, all seriousness and previous worry disappearing in a puff of smoke. "Pretty neat, huh?"

"Yeah…" I couldn't agree more, my eyes roaming eagerly over every surface. "NASA would kill to get their hands on this stuff…"

"Who is NASA?" wondered Stella curiously.

"One of the space programmes on Earth." I chuckled at the confused look she shot me. "Never mind…"

I had stepped into any ICT specialist's wet dream. There were computers everywhere, though I could barely call them that. They were so more advanced than the computers on Earth. They even made my iMac look like ancient technology. The buttons were bleeping and flashing, the screens were displaying different types of numbers that made no sense to me whatsoever.

In the control room were two large windows, placed directly opposite of one another. The largest and most impressive computers were stationed in front of them. They looked out on a dome like room with golden panels and a platform reaching to the middle of the room.

"As Stella already revealed –" started a cheerful Palladium. "– this is our simulator. Usually we do not allow freshmen here, but after much consideration, I have decided that you will take your big exam here."

"What?!" We all stared in horror at Palladium.

"But professor –" squeaked Lesta. "– we've never been here before!"

"Exactly!" Palladium seemed entirely too pleased with himself and the situation. "Everything we have discussed so far you will be tested on but in a setting you cannot prepare for." He smiled. "This way we will see if you can apply everything you've learned to the real world."

Tecna visibly paled and I gently pinched her hand. As the smart girl she was, she relied on her books and being able to reproduce everything she had read and heard to form an answer. To drill up meanings and spells. Now she had to observe a situation and then decided which course of action she would have to take, and our books usually didn't mention any of that.

"I will help you prepare," I promised her in a whisper. "But trust me, you will be fine." She shot me a grateful smile.

"But… But…" Lesta tried again, before sighing in defeat and crossing her arms with a petulant pout. "What even is this place?"

"This is where magic and science come together." Palladium looked like a kid in a candy store. "It was designed on Zenith where the most powerful spells were combined with the most advanced technology. Together they grant the ability to create virtual realities so real that you can pet animals and even get injured. Used correctly, it can even transport you directly to wherever you want."

"Are you creaming your panties yet, Tec?" whispered Stella teasingly, nudging her with her elbow. Tecna blinked at her. "This has to be one of your fantasies."

"Stella," I scolded, jabbing my elbow into her ribs. Thank God Tecna did not seem to realise just what Stella was teasing her about. "Don't be crude."

She just smiled innocently. "What? It is a fair question, don't you think? This has to be pure perfection to her." I shot her a warning glare and she shrugged, still feigning innocence. "Never mind…"

"This does make my hands itch," admitted Tecna softly as Palladium – unaware of our conversation – continued to explain the ins and outs of the simulator. "There are so many things I want to ask…"

"Please ask them after class," I begged. "That way I won't feel stupid." She laughed, but nodded much to my relief. Technology was fascinating, but not something I usually understood. As long as I could Google an answer when a problem arose and follow simple guidelines, I was fine. But usually it never went further than switching something off and back on again. Or trying to hit it. That usually worked as well, much to Tecna's horror. The first time I had suggested she would hit her portal computer when it was malfunctioning, Musa had quickly ushered me out of the room to prevent a homicide.

"Come along." Palladium mentioned to us and then opened a side door. "Welcome to the simulator itself. We have two, and we will use both tomorrow for your midterm."

We followed him into the large room, my jaw slacking as I took everything in. Half of the round tower was used for this simulator, but if Palladium had proclaimed that this was the entire tower, I would have instantly believed him. The simulator had a round dome like shape and certainly seemed large enough to take up the entire tower.

We stepped onto the platform and I swallowed as I gazed down. We were hanging quite a few feet in the air, and while I doubted the fall would kill anyone, it was quite the drop. I didn't have acrophobia – could fairies even have that? – but this made me slightly uneasy.

The golden panels against the wall did not continue into the pit, instead the walls reminded me of Tecna's transformation. It was black but with bright lines running through them. I even swore that they changed colour every time I blinked.

"How does this even work?" asked Ortensia, her gaze following mine down, her voice a note higher than usual. "Are we supposed to plummet to our death?"

"The panels on the walls are made of ember," started Palladium, still giddy. "Can anyone tell me why this is important?" Flora's hand instantly shot into the air. I chuckled. My roommate reminded me a little bit too much of Hermione Granger from time to time. "Yes, Flora?"

Flora's smile widened. "Amber is fossilized tree resin and therefore a product of nature. Because of its connection to it, it easily draws magic towards itself and holds it there stably. That's why it is a much-preferred crystal with wizards and paladins to anchor their magic. It is also often used to bind magic spells and curses to a particular spot, since the amber itself will neither wither or burn up."

"Well said, Flora." Palladium shot her a radiant smile.

"Ten points to Gryffindor," I whispered to Musa behind my hand. She sniggered, quickly pressing her own hands against her mouth when Palladium's gaze flickered to us for a moment. I twirled a lock of hair innocently around my finger. I wasn't sure if he bought it, but at least his gaze left us again.

Did Musa and I then silently giggle like little girls who got away with a big fat lie?

What an unnecessary question. Of course we did.

"The magic in the amber is activated by the light, and then transformed by the computer –" Palladium mentioned towards the pit below. "– into virtual realities and environments. Tomorrow you will discover that they are absolutely flawless and impossible to distinguish from reality."

"I still don't understand," protested Ortensia, crossing her arms and eyeing the pit wearily. "Will we fall if we venture too close to the edge?"

"You do not need to worry about that, Ortenia," assured our professor her. "Once the magic has been activated, you can walk for miles and miles without bumping into any restrictions." His eyes sparkled. "You will find yourself completely somewhere else when the simulation starts, but when it ends, it will be as if you haven't moved at all."

"Are you understanding any of this?" I asked Tecna, because this was going way over my head. I was glad to hear the confused murmurs around me. At least I wasn't the only one. Naturally Tecna nodded with the brightest smile and I couldn't keep in my scoff. "Don't bother explaining it to me. I will take your word for it."

"And it can simulate anything?" Stella twisted a lock of hair around her finger, smiling brightly. "Really anything?"

Palladium frowned, suspicion creeping its way into his aura. "Yes, Stella. Absolutely anything."

Stella eagerly inched closer. "Including romantic dinner dates and the finest fashion shows?" Musa and I hid our laughter behind our hands, leaning towards one another again to share our amusement. That was so typically Stella.

"Of course, you would ask that." Amaryl snorted haughtily. "It's the only way someone as pathetic as you will get into those places."

"Excuse me?!" Stella whipped around to her with a glare that would send any sane person running for the hills with a "Oh, fuck!" Not Amaryl, though. She just scoffed and haughtily tilted her chin into the air. "You want to repeat that to my face?!"

"Don't be such a bitch, Amaryl." I glared at the girl, who had grown particular hostile towards Stella since learning they would both compete in the Miss Magix pageant. "And seriously? That's what you're going with? If anyone here can get into the finest fashion shows or the best places for a date, it is the heir to the throne of Solaria."

"Perhaps when she and her father were still on good terms," sneered Amaryl. "No one wants a rebel princess, let alone one who is disowned."

She had barely finished when I threw myself at Stella, stopping her before she could lunge at Amaryl as I suspected she would. I was right, catching her around the waist just in time and preventing her from pounding on the girl.

"Amaryl!" Palladium came in between and radiated fury. Musa quickly jumped to my aid and helped me restraining Stella. Caroline pushed Amaryl back towards the door and shook her head somewhat disappointingly at her friend and dormmate. "You're out of line! Go and report to Ms. Griselda this instance!" Amaryl started to protest but one mighty glower from our professor silenced her. She scowled and stomped away angrily.

Stella wiggled in mine and Musa's grasps. "Let me go! I will scratch her eyes out!"

"Hey, I did your nails just yesterday!" I protested, trying to distract her with humour. "Don't go and ruin my perfect work!" It didn't work.

"Yeah, you will probably break a nail if you do that, Stel." Musa gasped when one of Stella's elbows landed in her stomach, continuing somewhat breathlessly: "And you can't attend a pageant with broken nails…"

"Stella." Palladium fixed a glare on her. "You calm yourself, or you will join Amaryl in detention."

Stella gritted her teeth, but stopped struggling. The threat of detention while we were over our heads in deadlines clearly was enough to calm her down and not try her luck. Palladium pursed his lips at the furious glower that still decorated her face but nodded.

"Right…" He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Where were we…?" He snapped in his fingers as if he just remembered. "The exam. Of course…" He cleared his throat again. "Tomorrow we will gather here bright and early. The simulator will choose a test for you: either you will have to break a curse cast by a group of wicked witches, or you will have to restore the balance to an upset environment." Flora's eyes visibly brightened at the mere mention of the latter. "Come well prepared: you're allowed to bring whatever you think you may need, minus your books and notes of course. And I urge you to reread your notes. They might just help you pass your exam."

"Absolutely not!"

The morning of Palladium's exam started off really weird. My alarm did not wake me up, but my phone did. When someone called me. At seven in the morning! I was not amused, answering the call with a curse and a threat.

"You're not going!"

I rolled my eyes at Stella, momentarily pausing in gathering my supplies for Palladium's test about an hour after the call. Stella was sitting on my bed, Kiko beside her. I kept a constant eye on him and he knew it, acting as if he was innocence itself. I knew better: I was not letting my little devil out of my sight and instructed all the girls to pack their bags before me, just so I could be sure he stayed in the dorm and did not disrupt another one of our exams.

"Why not?" wondered Flora on Kiko's other side, her nose scrunching a little. She and the other girls were now surrounding me. We were currently discussing my literal wakeup call from that morning, a conversation which had started downstairs during breakfast. "If any of us deserve a break, it's Bloom."

Stella glared at her. "You're just ecstatic He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named asked her out on a date." She threw her hair over her shoulder. "This. Evening! Who does that? Asking a girl out on the exact day he plans to take her out?"

Flora scowled, crossing her arms. "Well, I think Brandon –" Stella murmured curses under her breath at the name. I almost laughed at a sudden idea that popped up. If I taught her how to ward of evil, would she start using that around Brandon? That would be hilarious. Stella crossing herself whenever he came near or his name was even mentioned… I bit my lip to smother the laughter threatening to spill out of my throat. "– is just being spontaneous. And you know how he is. He probably didn't dare to ask her in advance, afraid she would turn him down."

Yes, Brandon had woken me up that morning. He had spent the first five minutes apologizing for waking me up – "I hadn't realised it was still so early! I would never have called you if I had!" – before getting to the point of the call: whether I would like to go out with him that evening.

"I'm with Stella on this one," cut Tecna in from her spot on my desk. I paused and arched an eyebrow at her. She shrugged at my sceptic look. "It is rather last minute. Not to mention that if we are in the middle of our midterms, then so is he. It is unpractical and bad timing."

"And my best friend is not going on something as lame as a walk in the park. Not as date." Stella crossed her arms with an indignant scoff. "I will not accept anything but lavish and sweet. With music, candles, formal wear…"

"Stella, you know I love you –" I chuckled. "– but exactly who of us will be doing the dating? You or I?"

Stella just stuck her nose in the air. "You are not dating anyone without my blessing, Bloom. I forbid it."

"Who are you? Her mother?" Musa shook her head disapprovingly before turning back to me. She was the only one of us standing, casually leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. "You said you wanted to get over your teacher crush. While I'm with Stella on this one as well – and you know I don't like Brandon much either – I do think a date would do you good…"

I sighed, the memories of my latest encounter with Valtor flashing before my eyes. He had me chanting the required words for the binding spell while constantly trying to distract me. Because that was what would happen according to him: I would get distracted while doing the spell and that would be a disaster. Or so he claimed.

The downside was that him distracting me usually meant him invading my personal space and touching me in one way or another. His preference seemed to be playing with my hair. He had tried to distract me by throwing snide remarks or odd spells my way, but realised all too quickly I was too good in tuning those out. Hence the invading of my bubble, which he knew always got a rise out of me.

"Damned bastard…"

Oh, I was in deep. It was truly remarkable – a fucking miracle honestly – he hadn't noticed yet. I refused to believe he had noticed and didn't exploit it, because that… Well, he was Valtor. He would exploit it the moment he noticed. And if he wouldn't, then that was so out of character that it would only complicate things further.

I refused to think like that, therefore he hadn't noticed. End of story.

"If she wants a date – a proper one – I am sure Riven can set her up with someone. Someone who is not our resident Voldemort," scowled Stella before a thoughtful look crossed her features. "What is his opinion on this matter, anyway? He is as fond of him as Musa and I are."

I eyed Musa, who chewed her lip while wringing her hands. "Uh… He… I… We…We're not…"

My eyebrow shot up instantly. Musa stumbling over her own words could only mean one thing. "What did the bastard do this time?"

"Nothing…" Musa shook her head with a deep sigh. I eyed her sceptically. "Really, Bloom. He didn't do anything. It was my fault. I… I…" She sighed deeply, her chin falling to her chest. "I invited him to Melody, over the break."

Stella's jaw slacked, her eyes nearly popping out. "As in meeting your FATHER?"

Tecna instantly jabbed her fingers in her ears. "Stella, we are not deaf." Stella just waved her hand dismissively and eagerly leaned towards Musa, mentioning with her hand to elaborate.

"It wasn't like that," protested Musa instantly, her cheeks flushing. "I know how much he hates Koria and how he is practically interrogated about how he is doing at school and what his grades are, from the moment he comes home to the moment he leaves. Never getting a break from the endless competition and bragging… I thought…" Her shoulders slumped. "Well, I offered because of that, but he took it the wrong way…"

"Do you want me to talk to him?" I offered gently. "Kick some sense into him?" While I adored Riven and considered him a good friend, it was no secret that he tended to be a bit of an asshole whenever he ran scared. His coping mechanism was being cruel and hurt others to hide how hurt he himself was, or how completely out of his comfort zone something was. And his relationship with Musa was both, not to mention complicated.

Musa shot me a tiny smile. "No, that's alright, Bloom. But thanks."

I held out my hand and smiled when she grabbed it. "If you change your mind, let me know. I will gladly set him straight." She nodded with another smile, murmuring her thanks once more before dropping my hand again.

"Well, in that case…" cut Stella in dramatically. "I will find you two a date. With better men. Men who are not absolute assholes." She gently ran her fingers over Kiko's back, who purred loudly and twisted onto his back to show her his tummy. "Maybe Sky knows a few guys…"

"I appreciate it, Stel. I really do. But you're forgetting one thing." Stella arched an eyebrow at me. "My opinion on this matter." I rolled my eyes when she scoffed. "He did ask me, not you."

"You are not seriously considering going," protested Stella indignantly. "Bloom! We have been over this! He is the dramatic hero type. You need a selfish villain."

"I'm still confused," cut Flora in with a bit of a frown. "What is wrong with a hero? And surely dating a villain is not wise…"

"Oh, my sweet naïve nature fairy," gushed Stella, leaning over Kiko and petting her hand with a sugary sweet smile that made my teeth ache. "You still have much to learn…" Her eyes absently took in Flora, moving from top to bottom thoughtfully. "Hmm…"

Flora blinked, inching forward with a worried look. "What? What is it?"

"Now that I'm thinking about it…" She abruptly smiled, Musa and I exchanged a weary look. If that was not the look of a scheming person, then I would eat my own bag. "That settles it! We're getting you a villain as well!"

Flora's eyes bulged out. "What?!" she squeaked. "I… No… Stella!"

"Flora, you and Bloom are utterly selfless. Everyone else always comes first," cut Stella in, throwing her hair over her shoulder and tilting her chin in the air. She had that "I know best" look on her face. "If you end up dating a guy who is practically a male version of yourself… Well, that is just a recipe for disaster! You will end up with nothing, not to mention utterly bored." She twirled a lock of hair around her finger with a naughty smile. "You two need bad boys. The type who will literally rock your world." She winked. "The kind that leaves you sore a whole week and barely able to walk without feeling him."

"Stella!" I glared at her while Flora and Musa blushed furiously. Tecna just seemed puzzled, glancing from Stella back to me. "Why does everything always come down to sex with you?" I perched my hands on my hips, scoffing. "Seriously, you need to get laid if sex is the only thing on your mind."

"I know, I know," stressed Stella out dramatically, before whining: "I'm desperate. But Sky is resisting all my seduction attempts. It's just not fair."

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh?" That was news to me.

"Yeah…" Stella puffed frustrated. "He is perfectly alright with going down on me, but when I want to take the next step, he suddenly grows skittish and pulls away. Comes up with the most ridiculous excuses as to why he can't…" She nibbled her lip, shooting me a hesitant glance. "You don't think he is lying to me, do you? Do you think he could be cheating? Please tell me you don't think he is!"

I tensed a little. "Oh, darling. He definitely is lying." Though I had to give it to him that it was rather decent of him to not take that next step with Stella, not until he could be truthful. Or I hoped that was his motivation. If not… Well, our trip to Black Mud Swamp had been most educational, sharing with us the best spots to hide a body.

"I think you need to ask him that, rather than us," I told her. "But…" Stella's glazy eyes and quivering bottom lip made me winch. "Oh no, sweetie! I don't think he is cheating on you! He would never!" Stella visibly relaxed and I sighed, nibbling on my lip. "But I do think there might be something the guys are not telling us."

"Oh?" More than one eyebrow rose at my statement.

I turned to Flora. "Do you remember our conversation in Magix? When I asked Sky about him attending Red Fountain and it not making sense?"

Flora's eyebrows knitted together, a thoughtful look washing over her face, and she nodded slowly. "Their reactions were a little odd…"

"Hello!" protested Stella, waving her hand through the air to get our attention. "I'm missing something here!"

I sighed, closing my bag after inspecting it a final time and nodding when I concluded I had everything. I straightened, pulling it over my shoulder, before retelling the story of how Flora and I had bumped into the guys and what we had talked about before Tecna had called me for help.

Musa frowned after I finished the story. "That is weird…"

Tecna was typing something in her computer, a deep frown nestled between her brows. "From what I can make out of your description, they displayed clear signs of lying, or at least actively hiding something important."

"Normally I would offer to interrogate Riven, but…" Musa sighed, trailing off absently.

"That is not necessary." I arched an eyebrow at Stella's blank face. "With this new information…" She abruptly glared at Flora and I. "Why are we only just hearing about this?"

I rolled my eyes. "Forgive us for not remembering it earlier. We did nearly die that day and then spent an entire afternoon twiddling our thumbs while recovering. It kind of slipped our minds."

Stella scoffed. "No need to get defensive." I rolled my eyes again. "Anyway… With this new information, I have come up with the perfect plan."

Tecna groaned. While Stella often called her plans perfect, Tecna never agreed. Instead, she called them chaotic and complained that they tended to overload her motherboard, causing her to consider "initiating self-destruct". Her words, not mine.

I crossed my arms, arching an eyebrow at the blonde. "Which is?"

"You are interrogating him tonight." My jaw landed on the floor, especially since Stella was smiling innocently. "It's perfect. You two will be on your own and you can ask anything you want, and he won't get the chance to evade the question."

I eyed her sceptically. "I thought you didn't want me to go out with Brandon."

"Well, let's not consider it a date," grinned Stella, twirling a lock of hair around her finger. "Honestly, we can't even call it that since it is just a lame walk."

"What is the difference between a date and a date?" wondered Tecna with a deep frown. "A date is just that, right? A date?"

"No, Tec. There is a difference between a date and a date." Stella smiled happily. "A date is innocent and friendly. But a date is oh-la-la." Judging by Tecna's confused face, she did not understand the difference. I couldn't blame her and silently promised her I would explain it in the not so distant future.

"Can we talk about this another time?" I sighed, running my fingers through my hair only to be reminded that I had already braided it back. I gritted my teeth, dropping my hand again. There went my plan to keep my hands busy. "Preferably after Palladium's exam?"

"No." Stella shook her head stubbornly. "This is the only thing that distracts me from the nerves." Unfortunately for me, Flora and Musa nodded in agreement, even Tecna seemed to agree.

I sighed deeply in resignation. "Alright…"

Stella instantly perked up. "Does that mean you will interrogate him?"

"If I see an opening, I will be sure to ask," I promised. "But I will gladly remind you once more, you never took into account what I wanted. And I already accepted the invitation."

"You what?!" Pure outrage washed over Stella's face. "You accepted without consulting me first?!"

I perched my hands on my hips. "He asked me out, Stella. Yes, it was a little last-minute and yes, a walk in the park is nothing exciting. But as Musa already pointed out, I'm trying to get over my teacher crush. Brandon is not the guy for me, but I do occasionally like his company and he might just be the distraction I need. So yes, I accepted the invitation without consulting you first." Stella scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest indignantly. "But be free to look around," I continued, letting out another deep sigh. If this was what the rest of the morning was going to be like, then my exam would be a right nightmare. "If you can pair me up with someone else, I would much appreciate it."

"The same goes for me. Just don't ask Sky," begged Musa. Stella arched one of her perfect eyebrows at her. "If you ask him, he will tell Riven and Brandon. Or worse, he will set us up with them."

I nibbled my lip, frowning slightly at her. "Are you sure you want to date? I mean, just because you and Riven aren't currently speaking…"

"We never put a label on it." Musa's lips quirked down. "Or agreed it was something exclusive. If he doesn't want to talk, then I see no reason why I can't date. And it might just be what he needs to get his head out of his ass."

Stella snorted. "Like that is going to happen anytime soon."

Musa ignored her. "Anyway, I'm going to take a page out of your book: see if dating helps me to get over my crush."

"I think what you have is a bit more than a crush," I told her hesitantly. Musa's eyes narrowed and I quickly raised my hands. "Not judging. If you want to date, I'm not holding you back. I'm just pointing out that you and Riven kind of crossed the "crush" line."

Musa crossed her arms with a huff. "Like I said, we never put a label on it."

"Yeah, but you went out on dates and kissed." I chewed on my bottom lip, treading carefully since this was such a sore topic for her. "That's pretty much a relationship despite not calling it that."

"You can't be in a relationship when one of the two has commitment issues," disagreed Musa before turning to Stella. "I stand by what I said earlier: you can set me up with anyone, just don't ask Sky."

Stella smiled brightly. "Got it, girlfriend." She twirled a lock of hair around her finger, smiling innocently at Flora and Tecna. "Do you want me to hook you two up as well?"

Tecna's nose instantly scrunched together. "Absolutely not!" Stella's eyes narrowed a little. "Why would I want to date when all I have learned so far about them from you is that they complicate things unnecessarily?"

Stella's lips quirked up, that scheming sparkle instantly back in her eyes. "I could set you up with Timmy," she teased in a singsong voice. That only made Tecna glower more. "Fine." Stella scoffed, throwing up her hands in defeat, before turning to the last of our group. "What about you, Flora?"

Flora hesitated, chewing her lip nervously. I was sure she was going to turn down the offer, when she let out a deep sigh. "I guess I can give it a try…"

That visibly brightened Stella's day. She was practically bouncing all the way towards the simulator and telling us about all the cute guys she knew and which would be perfect for us and which would be fun to date but not exactly relationship material. She even informed us of the guys who were great for one-night stands, something which we quickly put an end to. Not even entering the simulator and Palladium asking whether we were ready seemed to dampen her mood.

The same could not be said for me, or the other girls. While Stella chatted an end away, Musa and Flora grew ever quieter and Tecna started sprouting random facts about the stuff we had studied for, which Stella in return found immensely annoying. I myself was fidgeting, the nerves curling around in my stomach and tightening themselves until I was sure I was going to be sick. And I wasn't the only one.

"I'm just so nervous." Lin Poo was literally bouncing on her feet and chewing on her lip as we watched Palladium ready the simulators. "I feel like I'm going to faint."

Emily was meanwhile having a literal breakdown. "I forgot what I studied," she cried, as Francine, Ortensia, Lesta and Kaia comforted her. "I literally can't remember a single spell!"

Alyssa was an odd shade of white, sitting on a chair with her head between her knees, and Anastacia was rubbing her back but seemed just as ready to faint.

Flora shuffled closer to me, biting on her thumb nail. "Oh, I hope I won't have to go first. That would be so frightening."

"Yeah, but if you go first Palladium will go easy on you with the grading," pointed Stella out, twirling another lock of hair around her finger. She seemed to be the only one in our class not on the brink of fainting due to the stress. "Not to mention that you will have gotten it over with. It's like a Band-Aid: best to just rip it straight off."

I hummed in agreement, but didn't dare to open my mouth. I worried that I would get reacquainted with my breakfast. "Have I really studied enough? I don't feel ready at all…"

We waited anxiously until Palladium had finally finished readying the simulators and during that time, the conversation quieted down until only the beeping of the computers could be heard. I had never hated silence more, not even while being temporarily deaf.

"Alright, everything is ready to go." Palladium turned to us with a bright smile. "Now, which one of you girls would like to go first? Any volunteers?"

It was that we were already cramped into a tight space and we couldn't shuffle back, or else we all would have.

Musa jabbed her elbow into Stella's side, trying to push her forward. "You wanted to get it over with. Right, Stella?"

Stella jumped, reeling back instantly. "Uh… I changed my mind. I much rather watch someone else go first."

Palladium chuckled, shaking his head. "Every year it is the same story…"

"Ugh, I'm dying here…" I swallowed, my throat tight and my hands shaking. If I had to wait another minute while these nerves were swallowing me up, then I would spontaneously combust. I took a deep breath in and made the drastic decision to mutter: "I-I-I wi-will go."

Palladium's eyebrows shot up. "Bloom?"

I wished the floor would give in and we would all plummet to our deaths. That way we would escape this hell.

I swallowed again. "Yeah…" And then my voice decided to stop working. As if that was not bad enough, Valtor chose that exact moment to pull harshly on our connection, his annoyance so strong that I was getting fed up with myself myself. Yeah, our "thing" was weird like that.

Palladium beamed at me. "Excellent." I had the sudden urge to cry, and run out of Alfea and never come back. "Now, you have a limited amount of time to finish your task. When your time is up, the chamber will automatically end the virtual reality. If you finish your test before the time, I will bring you back myself." He smiled. "Any questions?" I shook my head and he smiled, opening the door to the simulator. I took a few wobbly steps towards it, second guessing myself all the way. He clearly noticed and placed a hand on my shoulder, smiling warmly. "You will do wonderful, Bloom. Just trust your instincts and all will be well."

I nodded, clearing my throat nervously. "Th-than-thanks, pro-prof-professor." I shot a nervous look over my shoulder towards the girls. When I caught Flora's gaze, she instantly rushed forward and hugged me tightly.

"I have every faith in you," she whispered. "Whatever test you get, you will ace it." I nodded, hugging her back. Tightly. I needed this hug. Her hugs were magical and just made all problems disappear. Always, except now. She beamed at me when she pulled away and I was tempted to just pull her back and not let go. I needed another hug. I was not ready, not at all. "Good luck. I'm proud of you." I nodded, my throat tight, and shot the other girls a watery smile.

"Be careful," urged Stella me, chewing her lip anxiously. "I swear I will do something awful if you come back hurt."

"Stella." Musa bumped her hip into hers with a warning glare, before smiling brightly at me. "Show everyone how it's done, Bloom."

"Just use your head –" I couldn't bite back my laugh when Tecna decided to throw in some advice as well. "– and figure it out."

Musa and Stella both turned as one to her, their noses scrunching. "What kind of encouragement is that?"

Tecna scowled, crossing her arms. "The only logical one."

The three were just starting to argue when Palladium closed the door behind me, their voices instantly fading and saving me from another one of their disagreements. I swallowed, staring at the platform that appeared before me, and rubbed my sweaty palms over my skirt before taking a few hesitant steps forward.

"Are you ready, Bloom?" came Palladium's voice the moment I had taken my position. I nodded, biting harshly on my bottom lip. "Alright. Good luck. Your time starts now."

He had barely finished the words when the amber panels lid up. Their light was so blinding that I quickly pinched my eyes close and put a hand over them. I could feel the magic rippling through the air, dancing over what little bare skin I showed and tugging at my senses. It was unlike anything I had felt before. Almost equal to that of the Dragon's except different…

The moment it disappeared, an ice-cold wind tugged at me and I stumbled back, my eyes instantly snapping open.

A delighted laugh instantly ripped itself out of my throat. I knew exactly where I was. Several feet of snow, grey skies, barren ground which of course I couldn't currently see…

I was on Domino!

All my nerves instantly melted away. This would be a walk in the park, not to mention great practice for when I was actually going to start the healing process. Something I hadn't quite gotten around to, much to my shame.

"Though there are some differences…" I twisted around, gazing into every direction. "It is a lot lighter here. And the clouds are still present as well, as is the storm. I guess the chamber didn't get the memo about the curse breaking…" As if the damned thing could read my thoughts, the clouds parted and the wind fell silent. I chuckled. "Well, it got it now." I put my bag down, creating a circle of fire around me that scorched the snow away, before diving into it. "Okay, let's start with a few plants…"

And that was it! I hope I will be able to update this story soon with the big important chapter that I mentioned earlier. Until then, let me know what you thought of this chapter and if you spotted all the clues.

Best wishes to y'all and if you noticed any mistakes, don't be shy to let me know! I'm trying to review the previous chapters and spot some mistakes, but I'm occasionally overlooking things because it is my own work. Anyway, let me know!